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January 09, 2017 Posted by

Connecting Through the Cafe: A Conversation with Cup & Spoon


In a battle between cup and spoon, which one wins?


“The ampersand.”


Rosie Quasarano, Owner of Cup & Spoon

 The power of the ampersand is that it implies a stronger connection than the simple word “and.” The coffee industry can often be seen as an elitist’s field, a world inaccessible or unwelcoming to humble coffee-lovers. But shops like Cup & Spoon work effortlessly to open those doors to every human. It’s an inclusive space—a space that encourages a deeper connection, a closer collaboration. And that’s what makes Cup & Spoon special. When you visit, you feel indescribably closer. The team there is small, and warm, and passionate about what they do.


This week, Metric Coffee had the pleasure of having the folks from Cup & Spoon come by for a cupping and to discuss their café. Cup & Spoon is a cozy, local café going on its third year in Humboldt Park. The space is open, comfortable, and proudly features artwork from local artists. The year is starting off strong with innovation and growth on the horizon all while staying close to the heart of their mission: Coffee. Community. Art.


“In the three years, one thing that has been really cool to see is that our mission statement has been our focus throughout the entire time…we haven’t strayed from that," said Mary Quasarano, Café Manager.

 


The café features a wide yet curated selection of beverages ranging from specialty lattes, to single-origin pour overs. Alicia “Flavor Queen” Bigford is crafting new beverages that will rotate as well. Flavor-bombs like the signature “Flaming January,” is a tonic comprised of turmeric, ginger, honey, mint, lemon, apple cider vinegar, with cayenne sprinkled on top, and a lavender syrup is also in the works. One of the goals of the new year is to create a seasonal menu, swapping out drinks and food items every few months.



 

“This upcoming year is really exciting just to experiment a lot. New drinks, offerings, new guest roasters, but also the relationship with Metric, too. Already, coming here several times for cuppings and education with Ben has been huge. We’re very excited about that. We just feel very welcome here," said Rosie Quasarano, Owner of Cup & Spoon.

 


Upon walking into Cup & Spoon, one thing immediately noticeable is the friendly atmosphere. Apart from offering quality coffee for people on the go, they also aim to foster a deeper interest in coffee.


“If someone doesn’t know what something is, we want them to feel comfortable asking. It’s a nice entry point to getting that knowledge. That’s the community part of the mission. Beyond just the neighborhood community, but the coffee community as well," continued Rosie.










It’s not all that common to find a café that successfully emphasizes human connection through quality coffee and service. We at Metric have been proud to be featured as a guest roaster at Cup & Spoon, and we are now even more excited to be their mainstay roaster, providing a custom house blend. Cup & Spoon is located at 2415 W. North Ave. Whether your working in the neighborhood, or are café-hopping over the weekend, it’s the kind of place you’ll have no problem returning to again & again & again.

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