Fourteen Eighteen

Fourteen Eighteen is a solid and comfortable choice for a coffee shop in Historic Downtown Plano. It has officially made my “I can get my life together here” list. Every time I’ve visited, I’ve been extremely productive. Like, write-a-10-page-paper-in-one-sitting productive. My Bible quiet time can also get some good hours clocked in. 

The seating is what really sold me. My dream coffee shop setup is big sofa chairs with tables, and this place comes the closest I’ve found. This way, I’m comfortable with the opportunity for productivity. If you’re coming with a big group, seating will be tricky; it’s definitely more of a solo or small-pair kind of place.

The seasonal drinks are fun and creative! Currently, they are serving a Smoked Honey Orange Blossom Latte, a Yuzu Ginger Ale (Spritzer), and a Matcha Lemonade. Now I’m picky about matcha, but I think they do a great job with it. Once, I got their specialty matcha latte with bergamot cold foam. 

Their signature drinks that are available all year round are the following: 

The Purple Haze - Latte with lavender and vanilla

The Beez Kneez - Latte or cappuccino with honey and cinnamon

The David Mason - Latte with maple and brown sugar

The Sgt. Pepper - White hot chocolate with cayenne pepper

On my last visit, I was at their Plano location, which is basically sofa-couch heaven. I sat in a pair of chairs, and people just kept rotating through the seat next to me all afternoon. It felt like unintentional speed dating with strangers — in the best way. I ended up next to Angelica, Erica, James, and Tommy. James stood out: British, Harry Potter tattoo, proud Slytherin, reading Slow Horses (which apparently has an Apple TV show adaptation). I, meanwhile, was reading Job...

The music was a little mismatched — good songs individually, but not quite a playlist. The atmosphere made up for it, though: plenty of natural light, plants everywhere, dark wood, and worn-in grandma couches that have clearly been loved. They also have made-to-order sandwiches, a pastry selection, oatmeal with oat milk, and homemade syrups.

My order:

• Iced PSL ($6.49)

• Oat Milk ($1.00)

• Total = 8.18

My rating:

• Coffee: 4

• Activity: 5

• Music: 3

• Vibes: 5

• Overall = 4.25