When the temperature starts to drop below the thirties, we can’t go outside like we normally would, but we also can’t just stay inside for three months out of the year. Places like cafes are easy ways to seek sanctuary from the cold weather, as well as being fun to hang out at, grab a snack, and stay warm. And nothing better sums up these requirements like hot chocolate quality.
Star Cafe is located at 724 Chelmsford Street in Lowell, right between a beauty salon and an ATM, and surrounded by suburbia. The cafe is open 6am- 3pm every day of the week but Sunday, when it is open 7am- 3pm. The outside looked unwelcoming, but as soon as I walked in the first thing I saw was the small kitchen, open for the customer to see, and to let the warm smells of food cooking on a griddle waft into the seating area.
The menu consists of around eighty different food items, including sandwiches, sides, eggs, waffles, and pancakes, all affordably around $5 to $15. But most importantly for me, waking in from the cold, they had hot chocolate, the nostalgic remedy for cheeks reddened by bitter winter air.
The people at the counter were quick to greet me, as I asked for a small hot chocolate and a corn muffin from the display next to the register, which were both given to me quickly within 2 minutes.
As I waited for the hot chocolate to cool down I had my muffin. It was cheap, just a dollar fifty, and a good light snack. But as I bit into the top, it was obvious the muffin had been sitting there for a while, at least a couple days, and had become hard and stale. It didn’t taste bad, but I was certainly disappointed.
And the hot chocolate was sadly, completely mediocre. It kept me warm, but it lacked any distinction from a store bought hot chocolate from a bag with chocolate and powdered milk, which is nothing to scoff at, but also nothing to go out of your way for. If my muffin were more fresh, or my hot chocolate even slightly more unique, Star Cafe could have distinguished itself as above average.
In defense of Star Cafe, I got what I payed for. The hot chocolate was just two bucks, and the drink with the muffin was just $4.77 with tax. The seating was also fairly open, and because it isn’t very busy, you could probably stay for as long as you want.
Star Cafe is a good option for people looking to grab something cheap and hang out for a little while without being disturbed, but for the average hot chocolate connoisseur, it’s not making the cut. If this restaurant’s value is measured in how far a person would go to drink their hot chocolate again, I would probably only go if I was hungry and less than a minute away, and even then, I’d look for other options.
3/10
