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Photo by Corey Miller
Aroma's World
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Photos by Corey Miller
Aroma’s barista Vince Persinger.
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King of Clubs’ signature coffees include cold coffees and nitro brews.
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Whether you prefer your coffee plain, with a hint of sugar or cream, or with a shot or two of liquor, a slew of new cafés in Williamsburg allows customers to enjoy their cups of joe any way they want them any time of day. In recent months, Illy Caffe in Merchants Square, Tipsy Beans Café in High Street, King of Clubs Brewing Co. at the Williamsburg Premium Outlets and Joker Brewing Co. on Palace Lane have all opened their doors, offering guests a variety of coffee, cocktails and more.
Adam Steely, co-owner of Blue Talon Bistro, and his wife, Dyana, who operates Extraordinary Cupcakes, opened Illy Caffe this past fall. Illy Caffe, which specializes in Italian coffee, also serves pastries, sandwiches and desserts as well as wine and cocktails throughout the day. Steely feels cafés that combine coffee and adult beverages on their menu are growing in popularity because of their convenience.
“Over the decades that I have worked in the restaurant business, guests have consistently enjoyed coffee after dinner, and many of them are happy to pair that with a dessert drink of some kind,” Steely said. “I think what is more exciting is the option of cocktails and wine alongside iced and hot tea and coffee during brunch or lunch. Some folks are relaxing or shopping and a glass of wine or a cocktail is entirely appropriate. Others are on a lunch break, but they still want to make the most of their time by pairing great food with the best coffees and teas. It’s flexibility that is exciting, allowing each guest to follow their own desires.”
Aroma’s World Specialty Coffees & Gourmet Bakery on Prince George Street has been a Williamsburg staple since 2000. Monique Sowell, marketing and catering manager for Aroma’s, says people are drawn to coffeehouses because of their comfortable, casual vibe.
“Cafés are very homey places,” Sowell said. “At Aroma’s, people can enjoy a coffee and/or an adult drink any time of the day. We have people who like to come in for breakfast and have Irish cream with their coffee. We are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so people can come full circle.”
Diane Wade, manager of Aroma’s sister restaurant, The Hound’s Tale, is the mixologist responsible for creating the drink concoctions at both establishments. One of Aroma’s top drink sellers is “Dog Street Chill,” which is a creamy blend of espresso, vanilla ice cream, flavored syrup and whipped cream. Hazelnut liqueur may also be added.
“Irish cream is the classic choice that pairs well with coffee, but I love hazelnut liqueur,” Wade said. “There are also a lot of flavored vodkas out there now that pair well with coffee. There is a salted caramel vodka that is just great with coffee.”
Since April, King of Clubs Brewing Co. at the Williamsburg Premium Outlets has been serving up coffee, cocktails, kombucha (a fermented drink made with black tea and sugar) and jun (fermented green tea and honey). In November, founder Lance Zaal also opened Joker Brewing Co. on Palace Lane, where the company produces kombucha and jun beer in oak wine and bourbon barrels, the first brewery of its kind in Virginia.
“Kombucha is something that is still foreign to a lot of people,” Zaal said. “It’s a fizzy, refreshing beverage, and it has probiotics, so people like that healthy element to it. Kombucha beer is popular on the West Coast, but there isn’t a dedicated brewery for it in Virginia. It’s going to be different and fun.”
King of Clubs Brewing Co.’s specialty beverages include cold brew coffee as well as nitro coffee, which is infused with nitrogen, and flavored kombucha.
Guests can also indulge in mixed alcoholic drinks such as the “Valente Tiramisu Gelato Martini” and “Einstein Cinnamon Toast Crunch White Russian.” The company also supplies coffee to other local establishments including the new Tipsy Beans Café in High Street. Zaal and his team roast coffee locally in Williamsburg using beans from around the world. They have aged their beans in barrels from Copper Fox Distillery and Williamsburg Winery, pairing different beans with the profiles of the beverage made in each barrel, offering unique flavors of coffee.
“We are experimenting with different flavors and barrels,” Zaal said. “I like drinking and trying everything, so it’s been a lot of fun.”
Brandy is not a coffee drinker, though she did enjoy the King of Clubs Brewing Co.’s cranberry kombucha.
Aroma’s World • 431 Prince George Street
Illy Caffe • 435 West Duke of Gloucester Street
Joker Brewing Company • 113 Palace Lane
King of Clubs Brewing Company • 5711 Richmond Road
Tipsy Beans Café • 1430 Richmond Road
