Having begun as a café near Union Square back in 1996, Irving Farm Coffee Roasters knows a thing or two about the coffee business. They moved up the Hudson Valley to start their own roastery back in 1999, but managed to establish an urban-country balance by both supplying and operating cafés throughout the city.
Next Monday, August 26, they’ll add a new location to their listings. 88 Orchard on the Lower East Side will open its doors after an intense renovation period. In addition to serving Irving Farm’s roasts, they will also offer a food menu and coffee retail. Oh yes, we’re already there!
Curious about what it’s like to be a roastery that’s also in control the beverage preparation, we asked their director of wholesale, Teresa von Fuchs, if she thought that there were any advantages of this situation from the roaster’s perspective. To her, for a roaster to be tuned in to the café end was beneficial since it allows them to not only be more in tune with drink prices and products, but also to better communicate the story of their product from farm to cup.
You’ll have to head down to the 88 Orchard (Irving Farm tends to name their cafés after the addresses) to try for yourself, but you can expect a pour-over bar serving their single origins, an extensive food menu (much more than just pastries), and Irving Farm coffee and brew gear for sale. Don’t go for the wifi though — it’s not offered in an effort to preserve the venue’s neighborhood and communal ambiance.
