Quills Coffee

Delicious! Ordered a vanilla espresso latte. It was a subtle sweetness and had no aftertaste. My husband drank the white chocolate mocha espresso latte and also enjoyed his drink. In fact, our 10 & 5 yr olds asked to sample it and gave them both a thumbs up. (That’s never happened in a coffee shot!)
I loved the décor — wooden tables and accents with soft lighting. They have a large seating area and even a couple of more hidden spots toward the back of the bar area. Sweets and scones are available for purchase– several from a shop called «Please & Thank you».
Quills does have table toppers that state «Sip to Sit», which basically is a polite way of saying if you’re not a paying customer that you shouldn’t hang out. I can respect that as a frequent visitor of coffee shops, especially when this one is near a college campus.
My favorite part — the heart on top of my espresso. The barista left off the lid so I could see the art. It’s the first time I’ve had a coffee with «love» literally in it.

Quills was really great for a while. Beginning in 2013 I was very disappointed after every visit. They’re a little pricey and I definitely did not get my money’s worth. My lattes were consistently burned and lacked flavor.

Good food. Smiley staff. Free internet. Nice atmosphere.

Employees wear Planned Parenthood t-​shirts? Really? The mental image of chopped up babies in a pie dish make me lose my taste for coffee. Bad move Quill, I’ll take my business elsewhere.

Delicious. Can’t ever turn it down!

One of my favorite coffee shops in town. Because it’s on UofL campus, I like to go here and study or relax between classes. The baristas are wonderfully nice and the coffee is great, too.

Delicious coffee and very friendly staff. The atmosphere is perfect for studying and/​or hanging out. I’d go to this place over Starbucks any day.

Come here for the fantastic coffee, stay here for the awesome baristas (best in the city, if not the country). The shop is arranged to accommodate a ton of people, which is good because they’re always nearly full.

I’m not a coffeehouse connoisseur by any means, especially given the fact that I don’t drink coffee. However, many of my friends enjoy the coffee culture we have here in Louisville, so I often find myself meeting up at these spots around town.
This late, summer afternoon I was slated to meet a colleague at Quill’s located adjacent to UofL’s main campus. With oppressive humidity, I knew I wanted a chilled beverage to beat this heat.
The parking around the University and, specifically, the strip mall in which Quill’s resides can be challenging. With it being summer, I had an easier time finding a spot.
The large, airy space has tables of varying sizes as well as upholstered chairs scattered around the room. There’s also outside seating available.
The barista was friendly and offered to answer any questions I might have. I ordered my go-​to drink, an iced chai latte. At first, I thought she hadn’t mixed it properly because there was a dark residue around the interior of the glass. She quickly assured me that it was cinnamon.
I’m a chai snob, I’ll admit it. I know with the first sip if a café has what it takes. Quill’s has one of the best iced chai lattes in Louisville!!! Spicy, sweet, and creamy — it hits all the right notes without any one overpowering the other.
Parking may keep me from this location on a regular basis, but I’ll definitely be visiting the one in the Highland soon!

I freaking love Quills. My gf and I have been there any number of times, and Kansas helped me out with a thoughtful gift and was super cool about the whole thing. The coffee is awesome and it’s nice to try some of the roasts that they sell. They frequently host free events, and the UofL location is a great place to sit and read or study, as there isn’t crazy loud music and there’s plenty of room. I totally recommend it.

My boyfriend and I wrapped up a weekend of bourbon tasting by trying this infamous coffee group. We are from Cincinnati and our local favorite place, Collective, gathers a lot of inspiration from Quills, so we were excited to try it!
This was a wonderful chill spot to grab a cup. I love that it has tons of different seating options from bar stools to lounge chairs to benches. The coffee itself is delicious– we had a Chemex of a Mexican blend. There were tons of choices and so we asked the barista to serve us her favorite. It was so good! I also noticed the barista was so friendly to not just us, but everyone who came in.
A great coffee experience!

My favorite café in Louisville by far. I always get a 16 oz. latte for $ 4.08 (can you tell I’m a regular?) and the baristas always steam the milk to the perfect drinkable temperature. They have some food options: bagels, muffins, cookies, etc. The atmosphere is very studious, primarily students or small groups. There is a wide variety of espresso drink options and they allow you to customize your drink. They also have some good teas from what I’ve heard. I didn’t like the first coffee I had from there but the coffees change regularly so it’s always a different flavor. Their blacksmith espresso is sensational. My only comment, which could be negative depending on your time limit, is that there is only one barista working the espresso maker at a time so if you order an espresso drink and there’s a line, you will be waiting a while. They treat their work as an art and it does take time.

Okay. Maybe it’s all about location.
The barista at this one was superbly friendly and on point. My Maghreb Mint Tea was served up super fast with a gracious smile. I was instructed to give the tea a few minutes to steep and wished a lovely day.
I’m still a little iffy on the coffee because it occasionally has a bitter bite but I just may not like those particular brews.

I came here to see one of my super smart yet trendy PhD friend types who is a coffee enthusiasts.
Between the Vegan cookies and flavorsful coffees/​chais I’m a super fan. What makes this place different that any other quiant neighborhood Coffee shop is how neighborhoody and crafty this place feels.
Its a laid back neck of the woods rather great for a once a year reunion…
Oh and don’t forget… You can get the stamp card (your 10^th drink free)…

This Quills is my second home. I am always on campus, and it is my safe haven. I usually get a soy chai latte, which is simply divine. Quills has ruined me for soy chai lattes anywhere else. No other coffee place can compare to the quality.
I do get coffee occasionally. Their coffee is always hot and delisious. The brews have such depth of flavor; it is truly artisan. The baristas are friendly, helpful, and very talented in their craft.
My only complaint is that they close too early. It would be my night hangout if it were open past 8pm. Regardless, Quills is legit.

I’m obsessed.
And slightly worried about giving this review… This is the perfect place to study. It is quiet but not eerily so, you can order a bottomless coffee and the baristas don’t mind (maybe), on that note, the baristas are ridiculously friendly and awesome at making pretty much anything you could want, and the whole experience (minus the bathrooms) was entirely pleasant and perfectly wonderful (in a Mary Poppins kind of way).
If you get there early on a Sunday, it isn’t crowded and students start rolling in during the afternoon hours.
Plus, they have savory scones, and those are my weakness. And Mast Brother’s chocolate. And P&TY cookies. On second thought, maybe I SHOULDN’T go back.

This location of Quill’s is great, even when school is in session. I’m not a student, and as such, I don’t particularly go out of my way to be surrounded by students, but the crowd here is usually mixed and the smaller shop lends to a cozier feel. This location — maybe because it’s less busy? — actually feels more comfortable than the Highlands.
Their coffee is what you would expect from Quills; not a lot of food to choose from, but the snack selections from Please & Thank You, Cellar Door, Bodygood Bar, and other local food businesses are still very satisfying. I consider myself fairly fluent in coffee-​lingo, but the minimalist menu boards here still make me pause for at least one question during each visit. The baristas are incredibly knowledgeable and very patient, and I’ve never had trouble finding a coffee of the day that suits my taste.
Normally I don’t do sweet drinks, but the iced mocha latte here is superb. Something about Quill’s particular espresso with the flavor of the chocolate they use just works so well! Highly recommended.
The only reason I’m giving four stars instead of five is because I’m always a little pained about the cost of a simple coffee here, but overall, the quality of espresso and attentiveness of the baristas are well-​worth the price.

Derby City Joe Review #10
What makes this Coffee Shop Sing? — Quills offers the most meticulous and deliciously crafted coffee beverages you can find around the University of Louisville.
I’m continually surprised that there aren’t more coffee shops scattered around the U of L campus. Isn’t caffeine supposed to be the life blood of about 16,000 undergraduates? Wedged right between Tom + Chee and Jimmy John’s in Cardinal Towne, Quills is one of the few coffee shops right in the thick of things.
The fine folks at Quills have created a reputation for taking matters related to coffee quite seriously. You might call it a mecca for coffee snobs, but I think a better slogan would be a sincere passion for quality grounds. Each Quills store has a giant wall-​mounted chalkboard which explains, in great detail, the «Brewology» differences between Chemex, V-​60, French Press, Auto Drip and Espresso. I usually grab a mug of black, drip coffee, which places my simple go-​to-​drink order firmly in the minority at Quills.
This coffee shop was designed with students in mind. Or, at least for people who need a quality table in order to read, study or meet in small groups. Crowds vary, but if school is in session, you can count on this place operating as an unofficial library and be packed with corresponding customers. There are only a few food options, but the wide range of coffee drinks are the main feature here anyway. Hell, they even use custom soy milk that’s made exclusively for baristas.
Quills takes their name from the owner’s last name: Quillo. Which is a great way to name a business… if one has the surname to make it work. I once worked with a guy named Nico Papastathopoulos. Conversely, his name would make for a noticeably lousy coffee shop.
The coffee I chose was the Rwandan drip. When your initial impression after that very first sip is satisfaction and involuntary nods of approval, well, that’s just a good feeling. This particular mug of Joe had tons of flavor. A bit sweet, but not overpowering. Hints of maybe fruit and oh… Sweet Sandy Koufax, just give me more. Dang good. Belknap definitely needs more places like Quills.
Cost of a small mug of Joe — $ 2.00 (served in a slightly smaller mug than average)
Cost of a Refill — 80 cents
Staff: Über-​knowledgeable. They seem to enjoy a challenging order or an in-​depth question about their coffee. As far as baristas go, they are the consummate professionals.
Décor– Straight forward with minimum kitsch. Clean, nice, inviting and quite comfortable if your hindquarters wish to sit for a long spell.
Wi-​Fi — Free and open
Music– Pretty sure that I was listening to the new album by Tune Yards.
Bonus — It is worth dropping by to see the incredibly well done second giant chalkboard that features lifelike portraits of innovators who once lived in Louisville. Each one of them is depicted, of course, drinking coffee.

As far as coffee shops go there is nothing lacking. The coffee is really good and they serve baked goods that are delightful, although there isn’t a vast selection. The baristas are very friendly. One names Kansas particularly. Nice ambiance as well.

This is a great addition to the UofL area, and I hope to frequent this Quills more often now that I’ve had the chance to try it out.
While I was in Quills tonight, the customers were a mix of studying students and groups chatting amongst themselves. It seemed like a comfy place to set up shop in if you need a place to read, study or work for a few hours.
And the Quills’ baristas are definitely masters of the craft. My friend’s latte was almost too pretty to drink with the flower design drawn — is drawn the right word? — in the top with the milk foam.
This Quills had some food options, and there are more in the adjoining convenience store, not to mention food at the plethora of local restaurants.
I also love the poster that this Quills has for sale. It says «Drink Good Coffee. Read Good Books.» I need to have this up in my home!