Uncommon Grounds

Awesome cappuccino. Funny guys. Try the nonfat half pasteurized goat milk mochalattecinnofrizzano.

I came here for a come and go breakfast the morning after my wedding on a Sunday morning. About 20 – 25 of us trickled in over a span of 2 hours. When we first arrived, I was super nervous because there was only one barista and when myself, my new husband, his cousin and his wife were the only ones there the service was fairly slow.
However, the barista really stepped up her game as the morning went on! Maybe she was just a little sleepy; I definitely was. I had a chocolate chip bagel and cream cheese which was truly perfectly toasted! The coffee was delicious and everyone seemed happy with their drink and food orders. If I lived in Halifax, I could definitely make this a regular morning spot. Thank you for the great service and treats!

The Board Room Café across the street had a private event on the go, so the girlfriend and I headed over to pop a squat and have a drink.
It’s a neat little place with a few of the «usual suspects» in it. The laptop user, the friend of the barista chatting it up as we ordered, and then me, who doesn’t know how to do the ordering ever.
We were offered a slice of cake (which was delicious) and ordered a HC (for the GF) and an Italian soda, watermelon, for me.
Both options were incredibly delicious, the seating in the café, although a little soft, was very comfy too.
Great spot with all kinds of options to choose from.

I was a customer at this little coffee house in downtown Halifax. The day time staff
is very kind and helpful. I like the location near the waterfront in downtown.
There is this lady there that seemed like the ‘trainee.’ She had very unimpressive customer service skills… and even seemed rude. It turns out she is the owner. Yikes!
On my third visit there. I asked for a coffee, a sandwich, and a glass of ice (I like to ice my coffee) from the owner/‘trainee’ she literally scolded me for using too much milk. with my ice. She said I had put mostly milk and only a little coffee. The next time I came in for lunch her star employee (who is excellent!) told me after I ordered that she had been instructed to charge me for a $ 2 more expensive drink if I asked for ice again. My mouth must have dropped open. I tipped the girl and told her that she could cancel my order and tell her boss she just lost a customer.
Avoid this one for your own happiness & peace of mind! There are many many excellent coffee shops to go in Halifax!!!

Names like «Uncommon Grounds» are becoming very common for coffee shops. I swear I’ve been in coffee shops called uncommon grounds in many cities.
Staff were friendly and efficient. Coffee nothing to rave about, but good. I’d stop in here again if I found myself back in this neighborhood.

Had a chance to also try a few of their non-​coffee treats (the multi flavoured scones, their sandwiches, etc) and my opinion has not changed.
Sandwiches: ⁵⁄₅
I tried their Turkey Cranberry on Chibata, and oh my! What a treat. I’m not sure if it’s a cranberry flavoured mayo, or just some interesting cranberry spread I’ve not tried before, but it was really good! Also tried the veggie wrap, and though I am a meat-​eater, it was also quite good!
Muffin: ⁴⁄₅
They’re not overly moist (I do enjoy me a moist muffin), but they are delicious. Banana Coconut, Cranberry Bran, Chocolate Vanilla… some different flavours, as far as muffins go, and they were all great! Baked fresh, couriered over from another Uncommon Location every morning.
Scones: ⁴⁄₅
Again, not very moist (I also enjoy a moist scone), but again, delicious! Like the muffins, there’s some different flavours from your typical scone, like Feta Sweet Potato, Cinamon White Chocolate, and Banana Coconut (just to name a few). Also baked fresh, also couriered in.
Prices: ³⁄₅
Again, could be worst, could be better. They’re so and so, but if you have a few extra bucks, and you’re around one of their locations, maybe need a little stomach filler to go with that coffee you’re craving for the morning? Then give it a try!

The more I go to Uncommon Grounds the more I love it. The staff at first do seem kind of distant; but maybe it’s after they start seeing you come in more often that they warm up… who knows. They have a great social media team — always tweeting and posting on Facebook their daily muffin and scone flavours. I was drawn in today for a cheddar and herb scone; it was delicious! Soft and full of flavour, no heating required!
Oh, and, if you are lucky enough to get there while they still have frittata — get one! They’re so, so, good. I recommend adding cream cheese to your frittata bagel. YUM!

Yah, i enjoy their lattes, and snacks. I find it a bit pricey but one of the nicer coffee shops in the area. And they let you hand out for as long as you like. Super nice staff!

Comfy chairs and love seats, friendly staff, nice lattes, and wonderful finger foods. Everything a café needs.
The wi-​fi is a bit spotty though.

A little off the well worn downtown path, Uncommon makes it well worth the visit. Great coffee (try the Fog Burner), awesome treats and oh the atmosphere! They nail the small coffeehouse feel, making every visit a huge treat.
Just a quick jaunt from the waterfront, it’s a sure bet for that caffeine fix.

Yummy coffee… best I had in Halifax… and I’m a truly annoying coffee snoot.

I’ve recently returned with a friend to try their espresso and I was not overly pleased. I got a large double shot iced americano and it was not very strong. I’ve had stronger single shot americano’s from Two If By Sea and Café Brea of the same size. Me and my friend weren’t very comfortable either, as we either had to be slumped over to be close to each other or lean far back into the chairs and barely hear each other over the noise level.

Great coffee and to-​die-​for baked goods in a chic but cozy environment. An example of a typical day’s baked offerings: cheddar green onion and blueberry orange scones, and cranberry banana oat and blackberry white chocolate muffins — I want ALL of those things. The only reason it doesn’t get ⁵⁄₅ is that (as noted by some of my co-​yelpers) the service is variable. I’ve been met with some pretty surly service once or twice, but on my last few visits the baristas have been downright delightful.

As I write this, I’m sitting in a comfortable leather couch in the corner of this clean, modern coffee shop in what I believe to be the city’s hottest neighbourhood (second only to Quinpool). The café is clean, modern, urban and beautifully designed –you really feel like the space was made for Uncommon Grounds and hopefully it was!
Standard fare from the other locations made their way to this one as I can see a glass case full of particularly fresh-​looking sandwiches that I’d be dying to eat if I weren’t holding out for a lunch meeting in an hour. Cookies, scones and sweets are here for good measure too!
Not to rag on them, but the staff weren’t all that warm and fuzzy today. I got the deer-​in-​headlights look when I walked up to the counter, no hello, no smile, and a rather large bit of hesitance when I was placing my order. Don’t worry — no rudeness or inefficiency… it just killed the buzz on the neighbourhood café feel that I really go for.
[Edit: to be fair, I heard them go above-​and-​beyond for a lunch customer before leaving. Maybe they just needed time to warm up… or I look sketchy.]
Latte was tasty and served in a solid mug and wifi was peachy!

I was a long time customer of the South Park St location, but when I moved a few blocks I started frequenting the Barrington Street Uncommon Grounds instead. And thankfully, I’ve had just as pleasant of an experience here as I did with my old favorite.
The staff are friendly and efficient, and I love the décor and set up inside. I’m a big fan of Uncommon beverages, and couldn’t be happier to have one in my neighborhood.

Everyone needs a neighborhood go-​to coffee shop! This one is very conveniently located around the corner a short walk away. Friendly staff, free wi-​fi, cheap refils (thats right!!! they only charge you $ 1.25 for a refil if you’re there long enough and want that caffeine jolt!!!), good variety of seating choices (love seats, tables and chairs, single sofas) oh and did I mention friendly staff?!? Of course a coffee shop isn’t much if the coffee isn’t good; in this case, locally roasted small batch coffee is always a treat!
I also love how they make you work to give them a tip :-) Huh??? Thats right!!! Although right or wrong, they’ll still take your tip but rather than the boring bowl with a «tip» sign over it, these guys put some effort into finding a new multiple choice trivia question for the tip jar! Well done!
Top of the morning to ya!

What do you want in a coffee shop?
I look for a good selection of food and drink, pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff.
And this places hits on all three points.
This cozy (and yes, that means relatively small) place has a rather large display case of food. Now, I’ve not tried all their wares but everything I have tried has been delicious! If you can get it, I heartily recommend the feta and black pepper scone.
Since I don’t drink coffee, I’ve usually opted for an Italian Soda. And they have quite the selection! More than any other place I’ve seen in the city.
Staff have always been friendly, cordial and (this is important) quick to smile. Even at my bad jokes.
Their hours could stand to be improved but I trust that they are based on experience.

I’ve only visited this particular location once, so I’m prepared to go back and give it another go. Based on this visit on a Sunday morning, the staff seemed a little less than into their jobs — I felt like I was causing them trouble because they constantly had to get up from the table they were using to go behind the counter to serve me coffee.
Also, the WiFi was not working at all. I really hate the Uncommon WiFi — at all their locations. I wish they’d use a consistent password or even make me set up an account, rather than a dish of codes that may or may not work. We never did get on the internet, even with a reset by staff, and my friends mentioned they’ve had this problem before. I think the codes had expired and the staff were told they weren’t getting any new ones that day.
Having said all this, I like the location and the interior. I wish it had been here when I lived in this area. Their coffee is good and I love the baked goods from Uncommon Grounds (the hello dolly square, or whatever it is with graham cracker crumbs and condensed milk and chocolate, is kind of to die for). So it’s not a complete loss.

Uncommon Grounds gladly offers itself to the South End community in its fresh, new location. Across from Henry House, and taking over the former residence of Cargo & James, this new Common Grounds appears promising.
Peering inside for a lookie, the interior is bright and appears as a nice spot to chill with a bevie and treat. This local franchise has quite a Halifax following, and its without doubt that South Enders will take advantage of this close to home haunt.
The same delicious treats (with vegan opportunity!), and the same _​_​_​_​_​_​_​coffee and yummy tea, I will certainly stop in again the next time I’m in the area. Friendly service, and a bit of a facelift from its older venues, this UG is a win.

Well looky-​looky at who has a new store. The Uncommon Group opened another coffee shop located on Barrington Street right next to one of its many sister shops, Carbonstok.
The stores are connected inside so that you can do your Carbon shopping and then meander over to grab yourself some java. This Uncommon Grounds has the same design elements as its fellow shops around town, with the quintessentially UG red hues, paired with stone and cement, plus blacks and whites. This location carries all of the same goodies to snack on, plus Rum Runners treats and their pricey, albeit tasty, chocolate bars (chocolate paired with Nova Scotia sea salt anyone?)
The place is brand new but is already bumping with activity as patrons sipped and stirred, staying clear of the foggy weekend weather. I’m sure this will be another success for the ever expanding Uncommon Group. What will they think of next?