Karma Cream is one of those Gainesville spots I’d heard whispers about, particularly their sandwiches. I’d been meaning to try it for ages but never quite made it over.
Tucked into a brick building along University Avenue, it’s an easy stop for anyone heading to or from downtown, and a great place to grab coffee on the way.
The menu covers a lot of ground: coffee, tea, matcha, ice cream, sandwiches, bites, pastries and more. And here’s the part I didn’t even know until after my visit: Everything is plant-based and organic.
1. Iced Mocha (with oat milk)
I usually order a mocha when I want a break from my usual latte, and when I’m just craving chocolate.
This one was excellent. I was expecting something overly sweet, but it struck a nice balance between a light chocolate and nutty flavor, and I could still taste the espresso.
My foodie partner, who always sticks to Americanos everywhere he goes, loved it too. If that doesn’t tell you something, I don’t know what will.
2. Black Pumpkin Spice and Cocoa Muffin
Karma’s pastries left me surprised and excited to return. I never thought of Karma Cream as a “bakery,” but it’s officially on my go-to list now.
Most coffee shops play it safe with the usual handbaked treats: cinnamon rolls, croissants, cookies, brownies. Karma’s case was full of things I’d never even heard of — a raspberry lemon orange blossom macaron, a BBQ “pulled pork” bun, an everything pretzel bagel, apple pie caramel-stuffed cupcakes, a strawberry mango sticky rice cereal square — all creative and festive for the fall season.
I went with the pumpkin chocolate chip muffin, which was moist and felt perfectly like fall. It was topped with chocolate crumbles that tasted like graham crackers mixed with cocoa, plus a crunchy dusting of sugar for texture. I never would have thought to pair those, but it was delightful.
Even the ice cream, also plant-based, has out-of-the-box flavors that caught my eye: black raspberry chunk, cold brew, peanut butter chocolate cookie, pumpkin caramel pie and more.
3. Banana Walnut Maple Cinnamon Mini Bundt
The banana walnut bread was soft and sweet, with the crunch of the walnuts balancing the moist cake. It was mellow enough to let the banana shine through, and it wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet, but sweet enough to make you crave another sip of coffee.
That’s something Karma Cream does extremely well: it balances sweetness without letting any one flavor take over.
4. Hot Americano (black)
A rich, smooth espresso with light chocolatey notes. It wasn’t the strongest or darkest coffee, but the flavor was soft and easy to sip. It’s a great combination with something sweet, like one of Karma’s pastries.
