One of the newest and coolest places to open in Downtown Syracuse is Cafe Kubal’s amazing third store. The brand–which started at the James Street location–has found success as a unique Syracuse business, roasting and serving up some of the finest coffee in town, much of it organic and/or fair trade. Coffee lovers from across Syracuse recognize the name and have yet another location to grab a cup (or better yet grab a cup, sit down and relax). On the corner of South Salina and West Jefferson, the newest Cafe Kubal (Like them on Facebook) is one high-profile piece of real estate just a few blocks from Armory Square. For some historical context: it’s located in the building of the former Dey’s department store, which originally opened in 1894. With it’s tall windows and street level location, (obviously former Dey’s storefront windows–look up for original stained glass) it’s no wonder the cafe is already a big hit despite its very recent opening. There’s that… and then there’s the coffee, the organic ingredients, the staff that works meticulously to produce consistent quality and the old school care that goes into each cup. For Syracuse, Cafe Kubal is a unique place–neither high volume nor corporate but instead empowered by a mission and obvious business sense that results in fantastic coffee. Pure and simple.
This article is going to be photography-centric since we found the newest Cafe Kubal’s aesthetic stunning. It’s tough to even know where to begin. Put it this way–Cafe Kubal isn’t just another place to grab a coffee and run but is so much more than that. Instead of describing it, I’ll just try to relate what was a great experience and one that everyone should have. My photographer and I arrived right around 3:00 p.m. last week and the coffeehouse was pretty busy–we’re talking at least five people in line. The difference at Cafe Kubal is that no one was nervously checking their watches but simply enjoying the warm respite from a chilly day. The music wasn’t blasting out of the speakers and people we’re sitting at tables chatting or reading over textbook-perfect cappuccinos, steamed milk art and all. The place had a certain intangible vibe and presence about it–something is truly happening here. Four cups of pour over coffee are brewing, milk is being steamed and cappuccinos are being made to order from scratch. There’s nothing like it. Check this gallery to see what I’m talking about:
I haven’t had a cappuccino in years, so while my photographer went to work I ordered one up and was struck by that perfect coffee aroma, delicious flavor and texture. Smooth, balancing the bitterness of espresso and the creaminess of steamed milk. The perfect late afternoon pick me up. Cafe Kubal doesn’t just stop at flavor–each cappuccino is expertly layered with steamed milk creating beautiful, drinkable works of art that you simply have to see to believe (you’re in luck, we have pictures!). Beyond cappuccino, you can find all the standard coffee drinks of any coffeehouse or opt for a pour over coffee. Made with ceramic-looking item called a “Dripper” each cup of coffee is essentially handmade. The Dripper sits on top of the cup and is filled with organic coffee before a special pot is used to slowly and carefully activate all the grounds–this being hugely important to making better coffee.
Matt Godard (owner and master roaster) explained the process to me and I’ll try to do his explanation justice. When the normal coffee chain makes you a cup of coffee (or even your home brewer), water of various temperatures is haphazardly sprinkled over the grounds. The coffee can’t be uniformly reached and the water temperature being far below constant creates the perfect storm for a bad cup of coffee. Those of you who know a thing or two about pour over coffee know exactly what I’m talking about. Matt was the first to admit that it isn’t a new thing–some may recall (or own-I do) the Chemex coffee maker. It uses the exact same principle. In fact, Kubal uses the next generation Chemex, and even uses the branded paper filters for each cup of coffee. It certainly doesn’t speed the process up, but Cafe Kubal is about quality coffee and the only way to achieve that consistently is the pour over method. Still, you’ll only wait an extra couple minutes–totally worth it. I highly recommend the pour over coffee, which is only $2.30. See the pictures below for more detail:
Matt Godard
I could imagine spending my afternoons at Cafe Kubal, watching them become high-energy writing marathons while enjoying multiple cappuccinos. As I said, there’s a certain buzz in the air–one of progress, pride and work ethic that separates Cafe Kubal from the rest. Not only that but Cafe Kubal is the one true pioneer in developing Syracuse’s coffee shop culture. Syracuse has always had coffeehouses but I’ve personally never felt them to be tremendously welcoming or even the type of place where I’d hang out. In the past I would have grabbed my coffee and ran but this changes things–for everyone. Now there’s actually a coffee place in Downtown Syracuse where you’d want to spend time (and money) and I give Matt Godard so much credit for bringing a world-class (in every aspect) coffee shop to Syracuse. Things are changing in our city, you can smell it in the air (literally at Cafe Kubal) and I feel honored to know the people who are making it happen.
Click here for the full menu and prices (not all items available at new location yet). See gallery below for available merchandise–Chemex, filters, etc. If you want to buy a bag of coffee I can personally vouch for Oromia Coop and Brazil Mogiana, though I guarantee you’ll love whatever you buy. Make sure to say hello to Matt when you’re there. Tell him the Guru sent ya!
One last gallery:
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