I think we can all agree that we’ve got more than enough Dunkin’ Donut franchises here in the Nutmeg State. Not to knock the quickie purveyor of caffeine and turbo-heated bagel sandwiches, but sometimes one feels a little boxed in by the ubiquity of Dunks — especially when you’d like something a little more substantial (read: made with fresh ingredients) for the first meal of the day. The same goes for the coffee: Yes, it works, but we can do better.

I’ll avoid the Starbucks vs Dunkin coffee debate by suggesting Mad Coffee Roasters (MCR) on Route 1 in Old Saybrook, which opened this spring in a space formerly occupied by — wait for it — a Dunkin’ Donuts! (Not to be confused with the OTHER Dunkin’ Donuts on Route 1 in Old Saybrook.)

As its name suggests, coffee is this eatery’s first order of business, and an impressive menu of drip and espresso beverages should check the right boxes for most palates. I started with a cappuccino ($4.75 for a small), and its perfect milk to froth to espresso ratio demonstrated why real coffee machines and baristas matter.

Beyond coffee drinks, the rest of the beverage menu covers a lot of ground, from Almond Joy Lattes and White Chocolate Frappes to iced matcha lemonades and fruit smoothies blended with almond milk. I’m not a sweet coffee drink gal, but I loved my matcha lemonade ($3.90 for a medium) after a good stir to break up the matcha powder. Matcha can be bitter, but when paired with citrus and a bit of sweetness, it’s a refreshing tonic that’s loaded with antioxidants. As for my South Beach Smoothie ($7.95; one size), I remain unconvinced of the appeal of almond milk. What should have been a flavorful blend of mango, pineapple, and banana was dulled by the bleh flavor of almond milk — at least for me. I like a good dose of citrus sunshine when I can get it, but perhaps my expectations weren’t correctly calibrated.

Food options are just as wide and plentiful, with some pleasant surprises in the mix, including a short Latin-food menu. We went straight for the Pupusas ($3.50 each) at the top of the list. These grilled corn tortillas are made in house and come stuffed with your choice of cheese or refried beans and shredded pork. The latter was a no-brainer and was fresh, flavorful, and absolutely fantastic. The accompanying salsa and what we think is a red pepper sauce added excellent nuance, but rest assured these corn creations are also delicious on their own.

A longer look at the Latin dishes convinced us that a Ranchero Burrito ($11.50) would make a perfect lunch. It did, but two other people probably could have feasted on this enormous wrap and walked away satisfied. Consider the filling: yellow rice, pinto beans, pepper jack cheese, pico de gallo, lettuce, avocado, ranchero sauce and a choice of grilled or shredded chicken or shredded pork. We opted for shredded pork and eschewed the avocado in the interest of not overdosing on protein, and we enjoyed every last bite. What could have been an overload of items was instead properly balanced and portioned, and even the lettuce maintained its flavor within all those warm ingredients. Bonus: I can be picky about ranchero flavorings, but MCR’s tangy topping brightened up the whole package to very satisfying effect.

I downshifted to simpler fare with my choice of the French Bird ($12.50; served with potato chips), a croissant sandwich loaded with house-made chicken salad, Romaine lettuce and tomato. Once again, portion size helped justify the price, but the fresh ingredients (a good tomato in December?) and well-crafted chicken salad — a sweeter variety with apples and cranberries in the mix — erased all misgivings about the splurge. Plus, the croissant was perfectly fresh and buttery delicious.

But we started off this review with talk of breakfast, and MCR offers many, many options for breaking one’s fast: pancakes, bagels, sweet treats, avocado toast with eggs and sandwiches and wraps aplenty. If I’m looking for breakfast to go, it’s going to be a handheld option of some kind, so we sampled two breakfast wraps. My pick: The South of the Border wrap ($12), a combination of scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, black beans, bacon and salsa in a plain wrap (requested in lieu of the sun-dried tomato wrap that typically packages the goods). It did take a revisit to the counter to get the wrap as requested, but the end result was so tasty, all became well in short order. Oftentimes, in a jam-packed wrap, something gets compromised in the process – maybe the salsa is a bore; maybe the thing falls apart; maybe the eggs taste like rubber. My wrap was quite the opposite, with each ingredient playing a useful role with a very good result. I particularly enjoyed the fresh salsa, which served to brighten the overall flavor of the wrap, which remained intact and perfectly toothy thanks to expert folding and grilling.

The mister chose the Mad Boom Wrap ($12.50), and it was as good as or possibly even better than the enjoyable South of the Border. Can you go wrong with a plain wrap filled with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, bacon, avocado, home fries and a delicious sweet chili sauce? No. No you can’t. This hearty combo was packed with flavor, and, yes, the chili sauce offered quite a bit in that area, but its well-balanced compatriots provided a perfect backdrop for the sweet-savory sauce. Recommended.

We only noticed a beautiful display of cupcakes and pastries on our way out the door on our last visit. We’ll try to squeeze them in next time, among MCR’s other great options that offer culinary convenience without compromise.

IF YOU GO

Mad Coffee Roasters

744 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook

(860) 339-3735

madcoffeeroaster.com; order online at https://madcoffeeroasters.eatzy.com

Cuisine: Breakfast dishes, from sandwiches and wraps to omelets and pancakes; lunch sandwiches and wraps, plus salads, Latin-food specials, and several avocado toast options; full coffee bar offering specialty drinks, including matcha-based beverages and seasonal treats.

Atmosphere: Casual, cheerful spot in a former Dunkin' Donuts store; modern understated decor; some tables available for in-house dining, but most folks I saw were grabbing and going.

Service: Very friendly and accommodating; pre-ordering online recommended because the lines were pretty deep on recent visits and the food is freshly prepared.

Hours: Daily 7 a.m.-3 p.m. (As posted on the door. Listings via Google search are not current.)

Prices: The freshness and quality is there, but the prices still feel a bit steep. Breakfast dishes range from $4.25 to $15; lunch sandwiches run from $11.50 to $15; a cappuccino is $4.75.

Credit cards: Accepted

Handicapped access: Paved flat walkways lead to entrances on two sides; ample parking; fairly spacious interior

Reservations: N/A