I was on vacation in Ft Myers and I wanted a good coffee shop. Being a barista from the Midwest I turned to barista exchange for suggestions. It tunned out I was out of luck. After a few days in the sunny South my host suggested a shop he had heard of because of their hand made donuts. We decided it was worth a try and headed to Bennetts Fresh Roast, located on a small street just out of the town square region. It appears to be a converted house with a lovely deck. The inside is roomy with tables in a front room and an couch and two over-stuffed chairs in a smaller back room. Against the far wall as one enters stands a Fresh Roast System. Next to the door are plenty of coffee gadgets, including a home roaster and a vac pot. The shop has a clean and spacious feel.

We visited on a sunny afternoon, entering behind three other customers. This gave me an opportunity to watch the barista, I decided to have a drip brew Guatemalan. It came in a large coffee mug stamped with the Bennett logo. The coffee was completely enjoyable, well roasted. My girlfriend tried a shot in the dark (also Guatemalan), but she did not want to finish so I took over half way. The espresso blend came through strongly over the light roast Guatemalan in dark heavy smokiness. I personally do not prefer this type of espresso blend so I was glad I did not go for a cap or latte. We completed our visit with some of the signature hand made donuts. I tried the coconut orange. It was covered in orange frosting and crusted with shaved coconut, it was a bite of Florida. The standard glazed was coated in sweetness and tender to the bite. They are all huge and as an afternoon snack made us hold off for a late dinner.

Bennetts was not really satisfying for me. I wanted to find that local shop that cultivate barista culture. I accept that they are hard to find and for a small market Bennetts is pretty good. Next time I might come again, but I did see as we drove around the islands off the Ft Myers coast little shops that I would have stopped in on if I had been behind the wheel. Maybe they have it, I want to find out.