Always good coffee, friendly staff.

Awesome coffee shop. Pricey but worth it.

Good coffee and a nice environment to sit down and do some work. Free WiFi and nice people

Very cute coffee shop and the coffee speaks for itself!

Excellent coffee, wonderful atmosphere, and the staff is always pleasant and helpful!

Awesome coffee. Locally owned. The cafe mocha is delicious.

Great place off the beaten path. Good coffee, good vibes.

Very cute, relaxed environment. Loved my oat milk cappuccino!

Always the best and honored to have my gf energy bites at the cafes!

Great little spot for a coffee shop... Nice atmosphere too.

A good place to get a coffee and take a stroll around Franklin Square!

Great place to enjoy great conversations, meet new people, and you might get a free coffee if you're nice to hold a door for someone to enter :)

Delicious hot and cold beverages. Fresh pastries and bagels .

Well I wasn't thrilled when the barista named Stephen with a PH began pulling hairs out of my head while shouting "I AM YOUR REAL FATHER AND I LOVE YOU", but that coffee though......

Nice relaxing atmosphere. Beverage choices are numerous. Great park right across the street

Layna absolutely killed it when I asked for a barista 's choice drink, if she's working have her do something special and she will make a drink that will blow you away.

Great coffee and very nice staff. Always love to come here.

Cozy locally owned coffee shop. Fantastic service, fun coffee and tea options + tasty baked goods. Never been let down by the recommendations from the barista- Eric. Our go to cafe.

Great place. Barista, Kayla was amazing, great smile and personality. Latte was also delicious, good indoor and outdoor space. Clean inside and out as well.

Quiet, well hidden spot to meet w/ friends and really enjoy a great cup of joe & baked goods. It's on the Corner of Plum & Solar street. Parking usually always available for quick stops

Great place to hang out and work for awhile of to meet with friends. The ambience is really nice, the staff very friendly and the coffee is excellent!

Great coffee. Still a nice place to relax and read the paper or you can go across the street, sit, drink your coffee and relax in the park and listen to the water fountain.

Excellent coffee and great atmosphere. You can really tell that difference in coffee that was ground at the time of booking. Definitely worth the trip!

Great place. Nice atmosphere and good coffee and specialty drinks. Pretty much everything you could want in a coffee shop.

Good coffee roasted locally! Friendly baristas! Awesome place to sit and relax or even study if need be.

best coffee in 'Cuse, clean, cool & hip space!

Large space to relax, outdoor patio, and most importantly the espresso was fantastic-a liitle fruity with a raost finish... no bitterness

Great atmosphere and great drinks, what more could you want from a coffee shop? Awesome wifi? Yup got that.

This location is much larger than it's sister location downtown. Much like other locations, the service and the beverages are excellent. I look forward to frequenting this location.

Neat joint, cool vibe. Met up with my grade school crush here. Coffee was great & she was still as pretty as I remember !!

The place is cozy, unique, and fresh. I was here on a Saturday morning at 8am. When I read the room, it seems to have a few regulars, it was really quiet and peaceful. I don't know about how loud it gets in peak hours but if I were a morning student near by, this would've been the place to go to! But what really shocked me was the taste of the latte I got. The beans they use are the softest I've drank in a long time. I rarely have lattes at taste so good. If I were nearby, I'd come here every day!

Very very good coffee and the place is cozy and neat. The terrace is a very nice place to read or do laptop work. The fountain across the street is also a nice view, or you can grab your coffee and cross the street for a cigarette by the fountain in the shade. It's my favorite place to get coffee so far.

I thought I already had a review on here. Best coffee shop around 4? location's. Joe Heath brew is my go to, great coffee. I've also had a mocha Carmel slush in the summer that's to die for. Staff's great , product is worth the price. Beans are fresh roasted and I grind at home. Best smell in the world. Try it, you won't be disappointed. Oh, the back story is great if you don't know it.... ☕#freedomofespresso

Freedom of Espresso is always a good place to go if you're in the area! Was there over the weekend and the barista took my order even though they didn't have it on the menu technically and made accommodations to my caffeine sensitivity (and was VERY sweet about it, thank you!) This specific location is special due to its location in Franklin Square. It's a Syracuse staple in my opinion!

This a coffee shop for those who really care about good coffee. I cannot speak to any of the espresso based coffees, but the unique approach to roasts and blends in Freedom's brewed coffees is uncommonly creative and skilled. I enjoyed a freshly brewed blend that featured a particularly flavorful green tea "nodules" added to the grind at brewing. Simply amazing! Nothing, since my first Syrian coffee in Allepo containing freshly ground cardamom, has been this incredibly satisfying. Stop, savor and suspend your expectations of what coffee should be. Instead open yourself to what great coffee CAN be!

My favorite neighborhood coffee shop. The staff is all soo friendly and they welcome your furbabies here! My Chanel loves the peanut butter biscuits they offer. I ordered the White Chocolate Mocha with Almond Milk. They make it better than Starbucks! Thanks for just being amazing people and business owners! ♥️♥️

A hidden gem in the middle of Syracuse. Very peaceful area. You do not get in a rush since there is not a drive through. Walk in, grab a great coffee and relax in the cozy indoor seating area with tons of plants, WiFi and reading material. Or sit outside on the patio and watch the birds and squirrels do what they do in the large tree canopy.

Stopped in for late afternoon work sesh. Perfect London Fog, fast internet and a chill work zone. All I could ask for!

I don't live in Syracuse but every time I come by I visit this coffee shop. They open fairly early in the morning, so it's a good place to hang out while waiting for businesses to open. They have free wifi, a moderate selection of drinks, and a small selection of snacks. There is also outdoor seating and a unisex restroom.

I came to Freedom to acquire a good beverage at a fair price, but I wasn't ready for the single greatest customer experience. Layna created new and wonderful drinks on the spot and her creative genius cannot be explained in words. She does all this to please the customer and is an invaluable asset to the shop. 6/5 stars.

Patrick Oleskey

Great spot to grab an espresso drink and a little nosh. Go across the street and relax in Franklin Sq to drink your coffee. Very peaceful.

+2

Culturetravel

Smooth consistently good coffees

Valeria Cline

I am visiting Syracuse for the first time and came across this jewel in town. I had one of the best cappuccinos I’ve ever had. Very clean and welcoming place. The barista was very skilled. Highly recommended.

Philip Wright

I had the "cooper" it's drip coffee with a layer of espresso on top..very good! Nice place to relax and walk around outside too

Jenna Davis

This is such cute gem of a coffee shop! Loved the options and diversity of tea! The barista was fantastic and helped me decide on a matcha. The cappuccino was a bit diluted with milk but still delicious

Ana I. Romero

Lovely coffee shop! I visited on a Wednesday morning, there wasn’t much people so I was able to enjoy indoor and outdoor areas for a little while to enjoy my cappuccino 🤩

Charles Walker

Great little cafe in a great location. I just ordered a coffee with a shot of butterscotch, but it was pretty tasty. The building the cafe is situated looks to have been an old manufacturing plant with red brick and wooden beams but, with the plants and artwork in the room, it's quite a nice atmosphere. The service was quick and efficient. Great place to grab a coffee and sit in Franklin Square Park on a nice Saturday afternoon.

+2

Bailey Burr

Definitely the place to go if you need to do some work or journaling. Bit pricey for a coffee shop, but the vibes are immaculate and the coffee is decent. The barista is always so nice and they are willing to help you figure out what you want. Their homemade whipped cream is to die for. Always ask for their homemade whipped cream. Definitely recommend if you want to do coffee and climbing on the same day, as it's right next to a climbing gym 😁

Justin Rogers-Cooper

Super nice staff, good coffee, plenty of bright light on big tables and comfy chairs. Delicious chocolate too. Vaguely hard to spot from the road if you’re from out of town. Pleasant surroundings.

+3

Jim Buckley

My breve was really good, the foam was great and the espresso was a great roast, pretty nutty and strong. The muffin was a little bland but the coffee was great. Environment is fun, cool music that's not obnoxiously loud, clean bathroom and friendly service.

Mark Lewis

Walked around early on a Saturday morning and found this gem. Had a nice coffee with a shot of espresso to start my day. Nice cozy place to hang.

justin tani

A great variety with quality pastries also. Had a chocolate espresso I never tried before. Was delicious with a cool presentation.

Extremely small but very tasty coffee and drinks. I enjoyed my latte.

Good coffee, awesome staff, and a nice inside and outside seating area

This is consistently a great place, although the price is a little high. The location is picturesque, especially when the outdoor seating can be utilized.

Nice cup of plain coffee and super reasonable refill price. Enjoyed the muffin too.

Calm aesthetic, decent cappuccino, and friendly people.

Very calm, warm, and welcoming environment. Great for studying, plenty of room, and most folks in there are occupied with books, newspaper, laptops, or quiet date. Staff is friendly and helpful. The place is clean, and easy to find.

Coffee and pastries are good and simple. Atmosphere is nice and offers ample space to work, chat, etc.

Nice little corner coffee shop in a convenient location. Decent coffee and snacks. The place has a small outdoor seating area in addition to the indoor seating. Nice to grab a drink here and sit at the park across the street afterwards.

It is a very cozy coffee/Internet Cafe to visit. The service is great, the attendants always smile, and they have an assortment of snacks, baked goods for those who are Gluten Free. What more can you ask.....

I enjoyed the great customer assistance since I don't frequent this place much. I was thrilled they also use almond milk to substitute dairy. The coffee was delicious.

It has limited outside seating however across the street is a beautiful urban park. Coffee drinks are top notch. It is a coffee shop, no meals.

Friendly service. Delicious butterscotch decaf latte. Also picked up an FE mug and a bottle of chai infused maple syrup. LledaMcCurtywrites.com

Great service and a nice small place to have an espresso. I love old stone and brick buildings and this one is a beautiful one.

Colorful atmosphere. I love the art-deco-themed menu. The bar of toppings for your coffee at the end is chock-full of choices, which I loved. The barista was very sweet and patient, as I'm not the most decisive coffee customer. My only wish is was that it had more tables! Outside, there's a beautiful view of the magnolia, cherry, and pear tree blossoms. It really adds to the experience. I can't wait to come here again.

The service is friendly and the choice of coffee beverage is fantastic. My gripe is where their selection of baked goods is... Lacking. They serve Wegman's bagels, and the other baked goods aren't all that great. It's good for a Sunday morning coffee to go and red the paper or for students to have a nice place to study.

This has always been my favorite cafe - beautiful location (free parking), exposed brick interior, good drinks. Last time I was there though I couldn't enjoy it because they were playing music (not easy-to-listen-to music) -- loud enough so that I couldn't concentrate. I don't recall this being a problem before; hopefully it's not a new policy.

Nice atmosphere, but the coffee wasn't the best

Coffee beans were burnt and the latte was bad. Also the service wasn’t the best.

My latte was literally all milk and and very very little splash of matcha. Had to ask for a re-do and he did the same thing. I’m not a coffee maker or anything but I feel like that’s not how you make coffee or a latte. I would love to keep supporting our locals, but that needs to get fixed before I go back there.

3 Stars - only becasue it must have been 85* in there both days i stopped this week. Totally understand keeping the AC bill down but crack some windows!

Great atmosphere for studying but the food honestly sucked. There are zero menu options.

This place needs to seriously take care of their bug problem. Every-time I visit this place, there is unwrapped pastries lying on the shelf with bugs flying around them. The cookies and other pastries were wrapped but still have bugs flying around it. An okay place for a quick grab and go but I will never go here again.

Both this and the liverpool location are similar: -great location -great atmosphere -good enough espresso -lifeless zombie baristas who, despite me setting my coat and bag at a table, set me up with my drink and pastry to-go... almost like "hint, hint, dude. I don't want you at my table" and when I ask for a plate I'm met with a big assed sigh. Maybe they only hire PhD students who're sooooo above working for a living that getting a darn plate feels like moving half a mountain? Maybe I only come in after they've crashed off of their earlier caff high and they're only just about to get started on their next fix. Doesn't matter. Be prepared to get exponentially worse service than at McDonalds ten minutes before close. Maybe then you will have the opportunity to be pleasantly surprised!

The shop is a nice place to sit for a chat or to do some work. However, the coffee is simply awful. I had a mocha and the strongest flavor I tasted was water, which doesn't seem right to me. Neither the coffee nor chocolate flavor was near the sufficient amount.

Atmosphere was very nice, bathroom was clean, service was friendly. However, a $6 medium iced latte tasted like milk, was mostly milk, and had no real coffee flavor. If I'm paying this much for bean water and milk, it better be stellar.

I have been a Kubal/Recess snob for a while but wanted to give somewhere else a try. Wish they made it clear there’s no food at this location except bagels. Ordered a bagel and a dirty chai. Paid $13. Took me a very long time to receive the bagel (not because they were busy; because they were on their computer) and when they did, it was hard and cold so very difficult to spread the cream cheese on. Coffee tasted like chai with no espresso. I would’ve gotten over all of that but what I could not get over was the wifi. Their internet was so slow I could not get any work done. Spent 40 minutes hoping it would get better as the small lunch rush died down. It didn’t. I left to go to Recess nearby.

Ed F

Paid $4.50 for a small tea. Fruit flies are all over the place and need to be resolved. Not sure if I will be coming back to this location. These coffees shops in the Syracuse area are a nice place to get work done, but this specific location has an issue with fruit flies and they get in your drinks. I hope it's resolved soon.

kateri lickona

Writing this review **hoping the shop will take note**, I hate to give feedback which isn't totally positive. **The baristas at this shop need some more training on making coffee drinks.** I get latte drinks here often and they consistently overheat the milk and hardly froth it at all. My sense is the espresso needs some love too. Given that there is a rarely a line when I come in, I really need them to take a couple extra minutes on these drinks. The drinks are extremely expensive ($7.45 for a 16 oz. mocha, for example) and genuinely if you are making drinks this poor its a bit unethical to be charging this much. Again, the staff just needs better training on how to properly steam and froth milk. Please take note; I would like to remain a customer.

Christina Clemente

Last weekend, I stopped by with a couple friends who were visiting from out of town. We walked in about 10 minutes before the close time posted on their door. I thought, "Oh good! Just in time.." right before the barista informed us that the customers she was serving would "be her last." I can't imagine turning customers away before the actual close time. She used that freedom of espresso to tell us to turn around and go-go!

Adrienne SA

Don't really recommend their "matcha" latte...the barista had to redo. It's like 1% matcha. Their's is on the left.... I posted a photo of a more perfect matcha latte for comparison.

The worst mocha I have ever had, the barista whatever you want to call her, left much to be desired!

I called the Franklin Square location to get some information about the coffee house and the woman who answered the phone was short and rude saying she didn't have time to answer my questions and that I had to call back. You just lost a potential customer.

Ordered a matcha latte and there was no matcha in it. Drink came out white not green, very disappointed!

Got a grande cappuccino with whole milk. It was mostly foam. I barely tasted coffee in it. I assumed there was going to be 2 shots of Espresso in there, but it seems like there was only one shot. It was expensive too: $6. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere.

Jaz

The barista was very unpleasant. I visited on 8/21/2025 in the afternoon. There was no smile, no greeting. In fact, I was the one asking her how she was doing, thus providing her customer service. Customer service could improve, if the owner does read these reviews.

Anne Messenger

I used to love this place - fabulous environment and decent coffee. At my 1/14/25 visit, though, it had bugs. Literally…bugs. We slapped them on our table, tried to catch them flying and finally stopped drinking the coffee when they flew into our coffee cups. Completely unacceptable.

Collin Nixon

Literally some of the worst most overpriced coffee I’ve ever had, everything about it is bad. Half stale bagels and muffins, I’ve been to bowling alley’s with better coffee and it’s $4.50 for a small hot coffee! Now the only charm is that this location is amazing, it’s such a shame they took this fabulous location and ruined it.

Jeanne Gilliland

I am disappointed that Google doesn’t verify the hours of the businesses. This cute coffee shop listed as “open” has 7:30a Sunday hours but is clearly closed. FofE please keep your info up to date on Google!