Hillside Coffee and Donut

Went in during a slow time in the afternoon. The staff was very friendly and asked if we had any questions about their menu or what they had to offer. Really great experience with their customer service. Store appeared clean and had an inviting atmosphere. I got a simple hot coffee and a Cowgirl donut. The donut was soft and super good, the coffee was also great!

I’m not sure how I feel about Hillside Coffee and doughnuts. The first time I came here it was an hour after they opened and they had no doughnuts prepared so I left empty handed. Made it back for a second attempt and was able to get a box of doughnuts quickly but had to wait awhile for a breakfast sandwich to go.
Now that I’ve vented a bit lets get to the food. If you could take a pub/​bar food spot and cross it with a coffee shop I think this place is what you’d get. The doughnuts have a personality of their own and you definitely have to sample a few to find which ones are your cup of tea. Isn’t that the fun part? Yes, but they are a bit pricey so your definitely not going to be happy about buying a flavor you end up not liking. The bacon and egg reminded me of a pub burger because it was greasy and the bun was sweet. It was like a sweet/​savory explosion. Would of been perfect with a beer or if you wake up at noon hungry after a night of drinking. Neither of those situations applied to me though so, although it was good, it’s not something I’d eat regularly. I’d need to really be craving it. It’s definitely been an experience coming here with some ups, downs, and surprises. Definitely not your average coffee shop!

The food and coffee are great; there’s no doubt about that! It’s the service that needs improvement. Attentiveness and a positive attitude that reflect passionate baristas is greatly needed! They promise to have menu items at a certain time and don’t deliver promptly; when asked about an update on such items the staff rudely respond.

Well hello Hillside Coffee, it’s about time I run into you! Would’ve never thought such gem of a coffeeshop existed in Mexico-​land of El Paso that reminds me of Brooklyn back home in NYC.
The coffeeshop is part of a pretty new retail/​shopping complex made up of shipping containers called «TI:ME» near the newly built residential community called Montecillo located slightly to the Northwestern part of El Paso. The interior of the shop is trendy and hip with a modern twist and there is enough sunlight entering through the shop window that gives it an inviting, cozy, and warm feeling to the place. Patrons are mixed and age groups vary from college students to senior citizens.
Coffee here is SUPERB and the atmosphere has a hipster vibe yet very relaxed and chill. Baristas are pleasant and prices are decent for well crafted coffee. They also sell creative donuts that change flavors seasonally and have tempting brunch items and salads that I’ve yet to try. I had the Macadamia Latte which was smooth and bold enough for me to stay awake for the rest of the afternoon and had two donuts which were probably the best that I’ve ever had in El Paso.
Their Food Items are fresh and tasty. They have a breakfast and lunch menu and DO GET THEIR Ancient Bowls, so hearty and delicious and healthy! Their BLT and Tabouli Salad, don’t ask any questions, just shut up and just get it, you’ll thank me later.
Free WiFi but it’s pretty spotty so don’t expect it’ll always work. Great place tocome and read, get some work done (if the WiFi works for you), or to just enjoy a cup of Joe after shopping around in many of the complex’s specialty shops. Second time I was back here it worked flawlessly
Sort of wish it was closer to downtown or even better yet in downtown as it’s about 25 min car ride from downtown EP and about 40 min bus ride. But I can’t really complain cuz these types of places are very rare in NYC and helps me from missing home too much! Will definitely return on my days off!

Donuts are ok and coffee is good. I would recommend this place if you are looking for a nice study place. They have a lot of space where you could study or just enjoy a calm evening. They also offer various items for lunch, but prices are high. If you are looking for lunch go to stonewood which is the restaurant next to it and it’s operated by the same owners.

This is my go to Donut and coffee place in town. If I didn’t live on the other side of the city I would probably have it every day. Donuts are always fresh and drinks are always made correctly and quickly. The staff is always friendly as well. This city needs more places like Hillside!

I love this place. The employees are always super friendly, it’s a great place to study, read, do some work and take your pets out on a nice weekend. There’s absolutely no cons about this place. Their beat donuts are their seasonal ones in my opinion, but they’re normal donuts are delicious as well. Don’t get me started on their breakfast. They’re sandwiches are the bomb, hands down a must try. Their lattes and tea are also very good as well. Anyone who hasn’t tried this place needs to. Definitely a top ten when in El Paso.

I used to visit Hillside pretty often but i had to put a stop to my donut addiction. I recently came back and was, again, blown away. They’ve added some sammys to go along with their smooth brew and have hit the mark. I had the bacon and egg sandwhich with my fav donut-​the cowgirl. This is an El Paso gem. Im glad its so far from home.

Doughnuts were just OK, for the price. Coffee was good. Atmosphere is nice but I’d rather go elsewhere for breakfast. Really nothing else to say about this place, it has potential but hasn’t realised it yet.

The quality of the coffees and lattes at Hillside Coffee and Donut are consistent and flavorful. Their choice of the different latte flavors are varied, delicious and well constructed with a heavenly foam. The locale is unique as well as the interior décor. The atmosphere is relaxed and unhurried. The staff is friendly and outgoing. Additionally, the prices are very reasonable. Very few cons for Hillside Coffee and Donut, so head over to Montecillo for a great cup of joe or a latte.

After a year, I had heard enough good things about these guys so that I came back. It was better than last time (which was a f-​ing disaster). But was it good? Not really. First, the flies! Still all sorts of flies in the place. Can’t believe that they haven’t ironed this out after at least 15 months in business. Service was nice enough (as opposed to just being a-​holes last time I was there), but forgetful (my coffee took 15 minutes to get there). Also, the bathrooms were a mess, and there was paper all over the floor, so that’s still an issue.
I had a lunch meeting, and ordered the Monte Cristo and a medium house blend coffee. The coffee was okay. A little harsh. Not as great as what everyone raves about — it came out super hot, so there’s a really good chance that it was brewed too hot — nothing that I’d go out of the way for, but nothing that would prevent me from coming back (although for the price point, you’d like a great cup).
The Monte Cristo was $ 8, and was tiny. Like the size of a hot pocket. And more importantly, it was this bizarre conceptualization of a Monte Cristo. It was essentially an undercooked, doughy waffle, stuffed w/​a decent enough Swiss Cheese and a little ham. No texture at all — soft on soft. The homemade strawberry jam was actually really nice, and paired well, flavor-​wise with the ham, swiss, and sharp mustard that was served on the side. But far from being either delicious enough or sizable enough to justify $ 8 price point.
After lunch, I was still quite hungry, so I got a sticky bun. At $ 1, the price was great. And somehow, it was still stale, which was my major complaint from my first visit. The glaze and the cinnamon were nice, but the dough itself was just dry, sort of surprising given the caramel on the bun. Essentially, they’re baking off like 8 donut holes, jammed in a mold, like you would monkey bread. But they’re probably shorting the amount of caramel/​syrup they’re using, so that one side is baked off dry, and then never covered. That side gets super stale. Little execution errors take this from something that I would come back for regularly to something that’s just empty calories…

One of my favorite places for coffee. The donuts are also a must have. I’ve barely started trying the food and I’ve yet to be disappointed.

If you’re charging $ 13 for six donuts, the donuts had better be great. These were hit-​or-​miss. The Cowgirl and the Hot Chocolate Abuelita were great. The $ 3 Peach Pie donut had filling that was so strong with liquor flavor, I ate around the filling. The $ 2 Pumpkin Cheesecake and $ 2 Pecan Pie sounded awesome, until I found that they were just plain filling-​less donuts with a little flavored cream on top. Pretty underwhelming, in general.

I have to say I was a little timid because i kept hearing that this place was awesome but the barristas had an attitude problem. Different people had told me the same thing but i had also heard that the coffee and food was incredible. Finally got up early one Saturday and marched in there ready for the first impression. My favorite part about this place is the physical building. There are so many windows so the light that gets in during the day gives it life. For a second i didn’t feel like i was in El Paso. The seating is also nice with some couches but also high bars by the windows. This place is nice to come relax, work/​study, and even just chat. I had an iced hazel nut latte since the heat has been unbearable as early as 10am now. It was really good and not overly sweet like most hazel nut coffees are. I had a donut with a white glaze over it which was really good. I tried the Hillside Sammy which was really something incredible. That breakfast sandwich was like nothing I’ve ever tried before. It was really light but very flavorful. I will definitely be coming back for more.

Great coffee, great food, nice ambiance. Plenty of places to sit and a lot of outlets for computers. Pretty good wifi too. I was particularly impressed when they electronically lowered the curtains in the afternoon to minimize glare for patrons. There was a collective «Oooh!»
Update:
I really like hillside but the flies are pretty horrendous. They are bad enough on every occasion I go (which is nearly daily) that I feel it necessary to downgrade to four stars.
Second update: Finally tried their breakfast menu. For five bucks I had an amazing egg white sandwich which was massive. I added Siracha to it which gave it a nice kick. Very good.

Here I am. Awake at 12:30 in the morning because of this establishment. It’s not a secret to my friends I’m a huge coffee fan so I’m clearly on a mission to visit all the speciality coffee shops in town. Hillside, located on Mesa, is wedged into this remarkable housing scape that has popped up over the last couple years. It can be argued we’re teetering on a ‘hip district’ with construction of this shop, a record store as a neighbor, and other specialty shops riddled into the strip of retail. Let me digress…
So, my first impression is as expected. It’s your comfortable, cozy coffee shop décor. A long table with seats on each side, a couple couches sprinkled throughout and (my favorite area) counter style seating with your own workstation lamps. That’s a great investment for the obvious influx of students coming in… seeing as it’s fairly close to UTEP. I chose my two, go to drinks: house roast and a dirty chai (on separate trips to the counter). The house blend was very good and strong. The chai, double dirty, was a standout for me. Our barista for the evening deserved a nod for a great dirty chai and I offered one before I left. Lastly, I purchased a turtle cheesecake donut and that beautiful carb cake was amazing. The other donuts looked appetizing but I’m a sucker for cheesecake. Overall, a pleasant experience and definitely worth spending some time at when I head into graduate school. Cheers, Hillside!

I work in the UTEP area and I love coming here for a coffee run or breakfast before school. I was so excited for this place to open after I refused to go to Kinleys for coffee and once it opened I was so happy their coffee tasted amazing and they knew what they were doing.
I love getting the mushroom sammy for breakfast, it’s only 5 dollars and taste amazing!
Even though they have a lunch special I wish they had more vegetarian options. I think last time I checked the lunch only had a BLT sandwich that was $ 14 dollars, no thanks! I’ll stick to trying to catch the breakfast before 11 haha.
I usually stick to an iced or hot latte with caramel and its so creamy with just the right amount of bitterness.
The seating can be awkward if it’s busy, but all in all its a great place to study and hangout!

Got a vanilla latte and it was pretty good. Pretty strong taste for a vanilla latte, but I love coffee. :) their cheesecake doughnut was GOOD. If you’re on the sweet side. Pretty spacious. Large couches, tables and chairs, and a side spot for college kids or anybody who would like to read while enjoying their coffee. Great view. Lots of light and the music isn’t too loud so a great spot for brunch. Courteous people and great vibe. Love the interior. :)

I’ve waited for Hillside to be a thing in El Paso long before Hillside even knew it would be a thing in El Paso, long before. Yes, we already had places to pick up coffee like 2Ten and Kinley’s House Coffee & Tea and I’m not bumping them at all because they’re great choices too, but I’ve been craving a place that offers coffee and donuts, a place that is set up for the work-​from-​home employee, and a place that doesn’t let the integrity of it’s baristas be substandard. Hillside, you do it all!
How many places can you have some latte art in your life in EP? Two, maybe three? Hillside hires legitimate baristas with real latte art skills. It just brightens my day when I pop the top off my coffee to go or pick up my latte from the counter and there’s a heart smack dab in the middle looking up at me. Are they all artists? No, it seems like a skill they learn as they’re working here so maybe it doesn’t happen with every single latte, but I’d say 86% of the time there is some kind of art in my cup. The baristas here are generally awesome and I love that if you don’t come up to the counter to claim your coffee prize or food, they’ll bring it straight to you (yeah, that’s right… they won’t let your coffee get cold just because you have your headphones in).
The coffee. It’s local! 2Ten, I’m told. Uh, huh! And they properly brew it, too! There’s no bitter aftertaste that makes me want to hit my head against a wall. I order a latte and it’s always perfect. Never too sweet. The chai latte is one of my favorites simply because it’s not ridiculously spicy. It has the right amount of spice without taking it to the point where I need to water it down. The white chocolate and the hazelnut lattes also make my top three list. And yes, they offer different milks so you can choose how fatty your drink is (gimmie all the fat!). There’s other options of course like espressos, black coffee, frappes, tea, and smoothies. They have it all!
The donut part was a big deal for me because I’m just not a fan of those artificially sweetened rings that are found around town… if you presented me with a donut from Dunkin and one from Albertsons, I couldn’t tell you the difference between the two and I unfortunately wouldn’t be raving about either. So what’s a girl to do? I just settled for not eating donuts because they just never tasted «real»… is that weird? But, no more! On any given day Hillside has nine different donut options. That’s all I need! I cycle through the options, but the Turtle Cheesecake and the Cowgirl are pretty much my go-to’s. The one thing I absolutely love is the fact that the donuts are simple donuts. What gives them flavor is how they are topped. The donut itself has a light and sweet vanilla flavor (but nothing overwhelming). It’s not dense or heavy, but it’s filling. It’s got some bounce, if you know what I mean. The toppings are wonderful. Creamy, sweet and they transform the donut to exactly what your taste-​buds have been craving.
Beyond the delicious coffees and donuts, what entices me to spend hours at a time at this establishment is the environment. There’s plenty of space, but the communal table and desk give it a cozy vibe. It isn’t weird to share one of the four over-​sized couches with a complete strangers. The floors mimic the walls with wood and bricks (which are hand scrubbed to keep them white… I have seen it with my own eyes). Chalkboards galore… there’s a giant calendar on one wall, the menus on the other, and a chalkboard that runs the length of the communal table. The windows let in infinite amounts of light, but somehow I stay shielded from the burning sun. Oh, and they have a window where you can order outside if you’re just walking by. The ceiling seems to have been designed with acoustics in mind, you can have a full volume conversation without bothering your neighbor.
They do offer breakfast items like a chorizo and egg sandwich, granola and yogurt, and Irish quinoa (all $ 5 and under) and they have lunch items like the avocado BLT, and kale salad (ranging in price between $ 5-​$ 14). Even though I’ve been multiple times, I specifically held off on writing a review for Hillside because of these offerings. And I know you’re thinking, «Oh, they must not be good,» but that’s not it at all. The truth is, I honestly don’t know… I’ve never tried them. And this morning after I ordered my usual (a turtle cheesecake donut and a white chocolate latte), I had an epiphany… I never will try them. I literally come here for the coffee and the donuts. I mean they’re not called «Hillside Coffee & Donut & Sandwiches & Yogurt & Salads Co.» I love the idea that they offer these food items in the event that I’m starving and I just NEED a sammy, but that just never happens when I’m here and they’re extremely successful makers of the two things that are in their name. That’s really all I need in life!

Great coffee and a super cool atmosphere. Centered in the Time Monticello area, this is a great place to hang out with friends…