8th & Roast Mon Cheri
A couple of months ago, I took a fascinating tour of 8th & Roast’s production facility off Nolensville Road. After their acquisition of Good Citizen Coffee Co. in the summer, 8&R saw its total business expand 250 percent almost overnight. Management added new roasting equipment and staff to its roastery, expanding four to five times in capacity within their current footprint.
These investments have allowed 8&R to expand its hotel and wholesale business to more than 600 customers, along with mail order retail, grocery store sales and the growing volume within their coffee shops on Charlotte and Eighth avenues, as well as a location in Midtown and two concourses at the airport.
Beloved specialty coffee company acquires Good Citizen Coffee Co.
During the tour, I was able to follow the process from bean to bag — including a cupping where we tasted individual varieties of beans from Africa, Central America and South America. Dedicated to certified fair-trade practices, 8&R actually set up a video call with one of their farmers from Guatemala. The farmer, who was the fourth-generation farmer of his family’s land, shared how he worked collaboratively with 8&R to plan contracts and investment projects to meet further growth demands, and make it easier for smaller operations in his region to participate in the program.
I was quite impressed by the initiative of the 8th & Roast team to pay better than fair-trade minimum prices for their imported beans. They really believe they are selling “a relationship coffee,” and are willing to jump through the extra hoops needed to grow sustainably as their customer base expands.
As interesting as all this was, perhaps the best surprise was when we emerged from our tour into 8&R’s test kitchen and saw a couple of familiar faces waiting for us. You may recall that 8th & Roast shared an ownership with the beloved but recently shuttered Sinema in Melrose. After the restaurant closed, some fans wondered what would become of the culinary team. Now we know.
The curtain is coming down on the Melrose restaurant at the end of August
Shelby Briggs was the final executive chef at Sinema, and Caleigh Collins was the talented pastry chef known for her delicious and beautiful desserts there. So I was tickled to see them both standing in the kitchen and learning that they are now in charge of the culinary program at 8th & Roast.
They have been hard at work revamping the food menu at all locations, including reviving the beloved breakfast burrito and designing new sweet and savory bakery and sandwich options. I had the chance to sample a few items that made it onto the new menu, and I’ve been sitting on this news for a while while they finalized the details of the menu.
I’m now pleased to share that some of those great additions have officially made the cut for the new menu. A bacon, chive and cheddar scone was a standout, perfectly crumbly thanks to plenty of rendered fat and butter in the recipe and topped with aged white cheddar. Smoky sausage and bacon from KLD Farms in Ashland City show up on some of the breakfast sandwiches, and the beloved breakfast burrito has returned in both vegan and chorizo-laden options.
8th & Roast burrito
On the sweet side, a chocolate chip cookie made with both dark and white chocolate and sea salt was so rich that eating one of those plus a cup of 8&R coffee definitely qualifies as a meal that will get you through to dinner. That doesn’t mean you shouldn't grab a seasonal muffin to go, especially if you’re looking for a gluten-free option.
The talented coffee team at 8th & Roast contributed to the new seasonal coffee drinks section of the menu. The new stars of the specialty section are a pistachio latte, a matcha latte sweetened with strawberry, honey and coconut milk syrup, and the Valentine’s Day special Mon Cheri. That’s a blend of chocolate syrup, espresso, cherry whipped cream and your choice of milk from a list of dairy and nut options.
8th & Roast is a multilevel company, providing beans and roasting services to their own stores, local businesses and many other smaller coffee shops. But when it comes to their own culinary offerings, I’m pleased they have decided to keep it in-house to focus on innovating their menu and keeping some talented chefs in town.
