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As a restaurant town, Greenville has never been known for its pretense. Even at some of the most genteel joints, there still exists that touch of down-home hospitality, replete with grits, fixin’s and the like. Gourmet nonetheless, but never conceited.
That said, in comparison with “serious” java hubs such as Seattle and Portland, where merely ordering a cup is a study in snobbery, most local shops still offer the equivalent of 32-ounce gas station high-test.
Coffee and Crema, a new independent café located at 27 South Pleasantburg Drive in the Forest Park Shopping Center, hopes to bridge that gap, serving high-quality coffee with a unique, artisanal approach—hold the disaffected posturing.
“In true Southern fashion, many Greenvillians enjoy the finer things in life,” said the store’s owner and resident auteur, Shannon Hudgens. “It’s a really pleasant city, with many educated and intelligent people.”
While the interior of the store—the flagship complement to the original Haywood Mall location—maintains a sleek, austere aesthetic, emphasis on the product is paramount. Only six flavored syrups are offered and no food or ice cream is served.
“Coffee is a true culinary experience,” he continues. “We don’t sell paninis, gelato or ice cream. We restrict ourselves to coffee so that people know we’re serious.”
All drinks are made fresh to order, either in French press fashion, “pour over” style or via siphon bar, a sophisticated piece of machinery that, according to Hudgens, brings out many of the high notes in the blend. No standing coffee is served and both small and regular-sized drinks are done with a double shot of espresso.
The most popular drink to date is the Turtle, a traditional espresso drink that features caramel and dark chocolate, served either hot or frozen. Others include the Raspato, a raspberry and white chocolate latte, and the Madagascar, a vanilla drink that pays homage to the flavor’s home country. An assortment of tropical fruit smoothies and milkshakes are offered as well.
Also notable is the store’s “Good” philosophy, which emphasizes tenets of the fair trade phenomenon. All beans are picked by hand, bought from small farmers who are compensated in kind.
“We believe in treating everybody fairly down the line,” said Hudgens.
Every Wednesday at noon, the store holds cuppings, the industry’s equivalent of wine tastings, whereby an assortment of blends are sampled and noted for such attributes as body, acidity, flavor and aroma.
Hudgens, an experienced competitive barista, also hopes to hold regular “latte art throw-downs,” with local baristas competing to pour the most intricate and appealing designs into the milk foam of a latte. The competitions often take on the feel of a poetry slam, with attitude and flair factoring into a judge’s scoring.
Coffee and Crema is open daily from 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and noon-5:30 p.m. on Sundays. Items on the menu run from about $2 to $6.
