The Local Grind

For many of us residents, local is more than a zeitgeist catchphrase. It’s a mentality of movement aimed at supporting communities whose infrastructure is being fortified by modern post–adolescents and residents with a mom and pop old world work ethic. Our composite neighbors aren’t going local, they’re living it. To see exactly how, we took an outside look at four coffee roasters indigenous to our borough and traced their zip code of origin to our offices at the Park Slope Reader.

From the tip of our readerships Heights to the Slope underneath and the Terrace towards the south, we found coffee roasters making multiple appearances and others with cameos in singular spaces sourcing Brooklyn based within our coffee ‘nabe.

Roaster: Brooklyn Roasting Co.
Source: DUMBO
Miles from Brooklyn Origin: 2.15 m

In little over a year, owners with humble origins behind the Brooklyn Roasting Co. (BRC) have stepped into the physical shoes of bean royalty down in DUMBO. As a previous base for The Arbuckle Company Co., their roasting facility now outputs 3000 lbs of beans a week and counting. Find their dozen or so flavorful certified beans below.

Prospect Heights
Popular for its plethora of cheese selections, Stinky Brklyn is also the talk of the Heights for serving the roaster here, on French press at that.

Park Slope
The Belgium inspired corner spot – Colson’s Patisserie – solely hosts more than half the blends at any given time along with croissants, decorative sweets and flourless treats.

Windsor Terrace
When a husband and wife team relocated to the area to raise a family, they found that the one thing they were missing was a destination coffee shop offering a place for quality brew, community art, and evening cultural events. So they built SteepleChase – a nod to a historic park in Coney Island- and thelocals are coming. “Local is supporting our friends and we’re doing that becoming a part of the community and having a respect for what is happening here, “said co-owner Lynn McKee.

Roaster: Stumptown
Source: Red Hook
Miles from Brooklyn Origin: 2.18

An indie coffee behemoth, Stumptown sources its taste experience to outposts in cities in which it also has a resident roaster. It’s Red Hook roasting facility and brew bar quickly outgrew demand and is now in the process of being renovated. Until it’s opens to the public again find its signature offerings at these places.

Prospect Heights
For a day of warming over winters’ long season Sit and Wonder owners live as local as it gets, right upstairs. Opt to follow the adage of the shops name or score the bagged bean brand to go.

Park Slope
Grab Specialty Foods on 7th Ave with the warming orange decal and French market feel, serves retail bags of Hair Bender aside other specialty craft foods and coffees.

Windsor Terrace
Roots Café, owned by a husband and wife southern rooted duo, keep it local with Stumptown as their only bean; also view art from residents and music from bands within the borough.

Roaster: D’Amico’s
Source: Cobble Hill
Miles from Brooklyn Origin: 2.7 mi

If the Cobble Hill roaster has the aura as if it’s rooted in another time that’s because it is. Its in-house roaster, burlap lined coffee barrels and dated photos are elements of a more than half century old purveyor that is a living establishment of substance and nostalgia.

Windsor Terrace
For the past two years Brancaccio’s Food Shop has thrived on his buying and sourcing all the stores goods from within the radius of his neighborhood. “I shop for it, I carry it in, and I prepare it. I buy from local purveyors because it’s where I feel comfortable, it’s my culture,” said Brancaccio. And this is why you can found D’Amico’s shelved here whether by bag of house blend and cup of drip.

Roaster: Café Grumpy
Source: Greenpoint
Miles from Brooklyn Origin: 6.5 mi

Park Slope
There’s only one place to buy beans from this locally owned operation within the boundaries of our neighborhoods and that’s in Park Slope. Instead of having an advertising budget, the family run business “recycles its dollars by supporting local charities, non-profits and cultural establishments,” said co-owner Caroline Bell. Soon, you can find their beans infused into a chocolate coffee bar with Raaka Chocolates at the local 5th Ave Farmers Market in the Slope most weekends.

Coffee Shops & Markets

Prospect Heights
Sit and Wonder |688 Washington Ave. 718.622.0299 | sitandwonder.org

Windsor Terrace
SteepleChase |3013 Fort Hamilton Pkwy. 347.799.2640 | steeplechasecoffee.com
Brancaccio’s Food Shop | 3011 Fort Hamilton Pkwy. 718.435.1997 | brancacciosfoodshop.com

Roasters

Coffee Shops & Markets

Roasters

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