Clare’s Coffee Review- Krankies

By: Clare Buchanan

Today, I visited the infamous Winston-Salem staple, the beloved Krankies. Krankies is impossible to miss if you’re heading towards the east side of downtown. Nestled in between the train tracks and Bailey Park, Krankies is a memorable spot to grab a cup of coffee. 

Krankies is probably known most for their freaky interior decor and their delicious fried chicken biscuit. While I can attest to the fact that their fried chicken biscuit with Texas Pete and honey is out of this world- I was here on a mission. A mission to find the best bean in Winston-Salem. 

With all that said- here’s my review of Krankies Coffee:

Krankies

• Walkability: 0.8 of a mile from campus. About a 23 minute walk one way, give or take. 
• Order: Hot vanilla latte with 2% milk.
• Price: $5.89 (This is despicable.) 2/5 squirrels.
• Taste: Unfortunately, there is a reason this latte is almost 6 dollars. The sweetness of the vanilla is almost nostalgic in a way. It’s light but warm. The vanilla does what I believe any sweetener or added flavor in a coffee should do- it accentuates the flavor of the bean. And Krankies definitely has a specific tasting bean. It’s earthy and intense, but doesn’t leave a weird aftertaste. I am hesitant to give Krankies my first 5/5 squirrels rating for taste- but I just have to. 5/5 squirrels!!!
• Ambiance: Krankies is such a fascinating place to me. Unlike other coffee shops I’ve reviewed this week, Krankies has a great outdoor area to explore. There is a lot of room to frolic around. Once one wanders inside- it gets even more interesting. Bizarre is one word I would use to describe the ambiance in this coffee shop. And I love bizarre. I love that there’s a giant swordfish hanging over a fireplace outside for no particular reason. I enjoy the exposed brick and the authentic, hardwood floors. The location was very clearly once a factory of some sort, (likely a tobacco factory back when the Reynolda family was pumping out cancer sticks like there was no tomorrow) and Krankies has kept up this rustic vibe in their seating and decor. The tables and chairs here are very hard and industrial. Krankies does not believe in cushioning. The seats available are either wooden benches, very high metal stools, or steel chairs. While I acknowledge the look of the seating matches Krankies’ Triangle Shirtwaist Factory vibe- the chairs were a bit uncomfortable. And look- we know a thing or two about chairs here at Salem. We have an entire underground library dedicated to cool chairs. The chairs in our science lecture rooms are built – no, molded – to fit a woman’s body. Through my time here at Salem I have realized how important a chair is to a learning experience, as well as how important a chair is when indulging in a caffeinated, bean tasting experience. 4/5 squirrels
• Customer Service: The baristas here are really cool. In a way that’s really intimidating and nerve wracking and annoying. It’s like they only hire punk models with really gnarly tattoos and sick piercings to make their coffee. For this reason I am giving them 3/5 squirrels because I can’t be so flustered while ordering that I can’t focus on the menu and end up ordering the wrong thing. (This has happened before.) Stop hiring hot people, Krankies! 

Krankies is no doubt a staple in the Winston-Salem community. However, I prefer a coffee shop that is a little bit more discreet and mysterious. (And cheap! I cannot afford an almost 6 dollar latte every time I need my bean fix.) 

Tomorrow, I embark on a shorter trek to a very local and very new spot, Sayso Coffee. Only having opened up in recent years, Sayso is located just down the road from Old Salem- and across the street from Old Salem’s very own Mickey Coffee Pot! This feels like a good omen.