Several months ago, I heard that a new coffee house was opening in downtown Fairhope called Refuge Coffee. I love trying new things, so one day last fall I tried it out. I got coffee and homemade biscotti for under $5.00. I was shocked and hooked at the same time. While I do like a reasonably priced cup of coffee, I also noticed that this coffee tasted different. This was truly not like any coffee I had tasted before, and I liked it. Not only was the flavor fantastic, but they also did that fancy thing with the steamed milk – where it looks like a heart – what more could I ask for?
I have since frequented Refuge Coffee and always find it to be a comforting experience. You see, I like things that are simple, and coffee here is simple. The owner and founder of Refuge Coffee, Jim McLean, is a coffee purist. He takes pride in having the highest quality coffee beans and brewing your coffee in a way that it will give optimal flavor, or what he calls reaching it’s “sweet spot”. Each cup of coffee is made to order, not sitting in a carafe for several hours.
If you want a truly unique coffee experience, try the pour over bar. Choose a region, Indonesia, Ecuador, or Ethopia, etc., (it varies every few weeks) and let them grind your beans and pour water that is heated to exactly 204 degrees (the sweet spot temperature) to brew your cup of coffee. This is serious coffee.
There is one other Refuge Coffee. The original is in Guatemala and is still running today. McLean is a native of Fairhope and after years in Guatemala decided it was time to move back. And we’re so glad he did! He wants Refuge Coffee to be a “third space” between work and home, a place to just hang out or connect with other people. Try it today, you’ll be glad you did.
Ashurst Group loves supporting local business. “Like”our Facebook page, we often feature fun local businesses like this one.
Refuge Coffee is located at 4 S. Bancroft Street, Fairhope, AL., just down from Honey Baked Ham.