A new entry into the local craft coffee community is aiming to offer a playful take on third wave coffee; Holsem Coffee officially opens to the public on Monday, in a sleek 2,200-square-foot storefront smack dab in the heart of North Park.
The partners behind the 48-seat University Avenue cafe include Salpi Sleiman, Muna Farhat and Shane Brennan (Comun Kitchen & Tavern, Suja Juice). Sleiman was a co-founder of Roast Coach Coffee Bar, which operated mobile coffee carts in North Park and the East Village and says that a brick-and-mortar coffee shop was always in the cards; she launched Roast Coach at 30th Street's now-shuttered Sea Rocket Bistro was resolved to make North Park the home of Holsem Coffee's first flagship.
Her signature at Roast Coach, coffee drinks shaken cocktail-style, will be the centerpiece here in the form of eighteen alcohol-free 'coffee parlour cocktails' that blend coffee with housemade nut milks, malts, fruit purees and syrups made with evaporated cane sugar; they range from the Gingersnap, which combines cold brew with muddled ginger, nutmeg, maple syrup and cream to La Vie en Rose, which infuses a cappuccino with rosewater, rose petal, honey and cardamom. Though straightforward classic espresso drinks will be offered, Holsem will also make alternative caffeine delivery systems, including an espresso shake, cold brew float and affogatos with Gelato Vero's frozen treats.
Holsem Coffee is roasting their own beans, off-site, producing seven different coffee roasts that span from light to dark and include a high-quality decaffeinated option.
Farhat says that the company intends to ramp up production quickly, from expanding into wholesale business to potentially bottling their cold brew; no immediate new storefronts are planned beyond this first location, which was built with Jaime Partners with a contemporary London-inspired design by Reema Farhat that includes authentic Eames chairs from NYC's Museum of Modern Art and custom works by local artist Brittany Segal.
Food options includes sweet and savory versions of brown rice porridge, sandwiches, meat and cheese boards and seasonal quiche, plus breads and pastries provided by the East Village's Bake Sale Bakery, from muffins to scones, cookies, brownies and more. Behind the 25-foot coffee bar, 15-tap, draught system will pour cold brews on nitro, including a single origin, decaf and signature Holsem blend, plus iced teas. When their liquor license comes through, Holsem will put local craft beers on tap and have wine and aperitifs available by the glass or bottle.
Hours of operation are Sunday to Monday from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday to Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
