What should stand out in a coffee drink?
The coffee, believes Dillon Farrell, whose mobile concept Social Coffee opened a long-awaited permanent location in downtown Baton Rouge last week.
It sounds simple enough, but Farrell is all about serving small batch coffee sourced from boutique roasters in specialty drinks that dial back syrups and sweeteners. The point is to let the coffee speak for itself, he says.
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“We really want everything to serve the coffee,” says Farrell, who worked as a barista at Magpie Cafe before starting his own coffee concept. “We don’t want to overpower it. We believe that the product we’re serving is fantastic.”
Launched first as mobile cart in 2019, Social Coffee grew its fanbase with a small menu of espresso-based drinks made with coffee from Onyx Coffee Lab, a high quality Arkansas-based roaster that ships beans to specialty coffee shops around the country. The company is known for sourcing single origin coffee from South and Central America and East Africa, and for developing sustainable business practices that include green technology.
When he first got started, Farrell built a following through local events and the Mid City Makers Market. Then he took things a step further by setting up a coffee counter inside the popular pan-Asian eatery Chow Yum Phat. Last year, Farrell got serious about the idea of opening a permanent location for Social Coffee, which has always been about building community, he says. The opportunity to rent a former restaurant on North Street emerged several months ago, and since then, Farrell has been working to transform the space into something hip and welcoming. Supply chain delays and rising construction costs slowed the project down, but Social Coffee finally opened in its new digs on March 16.
The menu features a straightforward list of specialty coffee drinks made to order. But don’t look for a long list of clever descriptions or drinks served in multiple sizes. The menu’s surprising simplicity is meant to jettison intimidation and put customers at ease.
“We didn’t want to overwhelm,” Farrell says. “We don’t want to confuse people with too much lingo.”
That doesn’t mean you won’t be wowed with detailed drinks. Order a buzzy espresso, a creamy latte or cortado, a pour-over, a nitro cold brew or a cup of loose leaf tea (also from Onyx) steeped beautifully in a glass globe.
One of Social Coffee’s original creations is a cold latte on draft blended with oat milk, lavender and vanilla and served in a clay demitasse cup made by Baton Rouge-based potter Andrew Pullman. Its floral notes play beautifully with the earthy coffee.
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The baristas here like to flex their skills with lots of rotating daily specials, so stop by or check in on social media to see the latest. Pair your beverage with a muffin, cookie or Rice Krispie treat from Counter Space, which is preparing Social Coffee’s baked goods.
In the coming weeks, look for the space to be rounded out with murals and artwork, more tables and additional menu items, possibly including breakfast burritos made by Chow Yum Phat, Farrell says.
The coffee house is open seven days a week at 521 N. Third St, # B. It faces North Street, and is a half block away from a parking garage. The state Welcome Center Garage is located a half-block down from the shop on North Boulevard for additional parking. For more information, @socialcoffeebr.