I was excited to see a sign posted next to Fine Ink Studios (the former location of Pinot’s Palette) that Haraz Coffee House was “Brewing Soon” at 1722 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in the Publix-anchored Shoppes at New Tampa of Wesley Chapel plaza.
I’ll admit that I’d never heard of Haraz before, but any coffee shop that isn’t Starbucks that opens in our area is definitely worth a try and Haraz’s website says that the brand and founder Hamzah Nasser are “on a mission to share the rich heritage of Yemeni coffee with the world. By sourcing the finest beans and honoring traditional craftsmanship, we bring the bold, authentic flavors of Yemen to every cup. As we expand across the U.S., we’re committed to creating unforgettable coffee experiences that connect communities and celebrate culture.”
Since starting off in Detroit in 2021, Haraz has grown to 31 locations in 13 states (with the closest one to us, and the only one in Florida, in Orlando), with 185 more “in the pipeline.”
Whether you like traditional lattes or cappuccinos or prefer Turkish, Saudi, French Press or cold brew coffee, or even coffee with cardamom, ginger or other spices, Haraz has got you covered.
There’s also hot chocolate, green and matcha tea and pistachio and saffron lattes. Haraz also features milk cakes, cheesecake & cinnamon rolls, and sells items like coffeemakers and bulk coffee.
I called the Orlando location but they said the Wesley Chapel shop is owned by another franchisee, so they had no idea when our Haraz is expected to open. Of course, we’ll keep you posted, both in these pages and on our Facebook page.
James Frank, who owns the new Coffee Latitudes Café on County Line Rd., west of Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. (in the same plaza as Five Guys and LA Fitness) with his wife Olga (right), is what I call both a perfectionist and a true “artiste.”
James, who is from Croton-on-Hudson in the northern part of Westchester County, NY, decided at a young age that he wasn’t going to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a plumber. He was in a culinary program in high school and, after about a year in a technical school, found a vacated restaurant location in his hometown and, at age 19, he opened The Malt Shop.
“That was in the 1980s,” James says, “but do you know what was popular in the ‘80s? The ‘50s! So, of course, we had a black-and-white checkered floor, a counter with all the stools, a jukebox in the back…so it was very malt shop-ish.”
By 1990, James sold that restaurant and had an opportunity to sell coffee in Manhattan, which he did for about two years.
“I realized, with my entrepreneurial spirit, ‘Hey, I can do this on my own,” and, for many years, he supplied coffee for the corporate offices of Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Perry Ellis and CNN. “When September 11 happened, I wanted to sell my business and by November of that year, I sold that business and went on my first sabbatical. By June of 2002, I relocated to Florida.”
From 2002-15, his new coffee supply business sold to the likes of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Bucs, Morgan & Morgan and many more. “If your large office had a coffee machine, there was a good chance it was one of mine,” James says. “I had divisions in Tampa, Orlando, Sarasota and Ocala, but a Japanese company that wanted to break into the Florida market bought that business, so I was on sabbatical again. I traveled to Germany, Paris, Switzerland and finally said, I’m not yet 50, I can’t just do nothing. I have to find something else.”
So, he opened his first Florida café — Café Liberty Bistro — on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. at Van Dyke Rd. “It was definitely a ‘foodie’ kind of place,” James says, “a place where you’d go to get a short rib grilled cheese (left) or waffles loaded with pork belly, sage or chicken…huge waffles.”
Olga, who is from “Da Bronx” (but you’d never know it from her non-NY, Latina accent) also worked with him in the coffee business in Manhattan and moved to Florida with him to work at his coffee business here, By 2020, when James sold the Dale Mabry café just before Covid, he and Olga decided to open a new café in Spring Hill they called Café Connections.
“The guy who sold me the café in Spring Hill was impressed by my Dale Mabry store, so he opened a similar café there and ironically, he sought me out and sold it to me,” James says. “We moved to Spring Hill because the café was there.”
But, the other guy who had bought his Dale Mabry café ended up closing it about a year-and-a-half later and said to James, “If you want it back, take it. We’re moving back to India.” Instead of buying it or reopening it, the main thing James wanted from that store was its 5-kilo coffee roasting machine.
But, when Covid happened, instead of keeping the Spring Hill café open, James and Olga sold it and began roasting coffee at home.
“At that time, Olga, who is legally blind, became a cancer survivor,” James says, “so even though we were considered to be an ‘essential business,’ we decided to go ahead and close. It was a blessing in disguise for us, because the coffee business started to take off.”
At that time, the “coffee business” was primarily online and appearances at the Market Elaine at The Grove and the Fresh Market at the Shops at Wiregrass, which ended up leading to a Coffee Latitudes kiosk at the mall. After almost four years in business there, they sold the kiosk (which is now closed) a few months ago to focus their energies on the Coffee Latitudes Café, which has now been open for almost a year.
“We just happened to be visiting this plaza and drove by the place,” Olga says, “and saw that The Juice Factory (the previous tenant) had closed. When we first asked about it, the guy told us that he already had a Letter of Intent to take it over, but ended up calling us back a couple of months later. The first time James saw the brick walls inside, he said, ‘I want to open a café here.’”
So, while the 5-kilo coffee roaster is still in their garage, James bought a 10-kilo roaster to have in the store and has been able to expand his already extensive collection of coffees from every coffee-growing region around the world, from Asia to Africa and from South to Central America.
The Coffee
When he first opened, James told me to always ask “What coffee are you brewing today?,” but now, the day’s brews are posted on a chalkboard sign (below, right photo) on the counter where you order. Another small chalkboard sign tells you the day’s food specials.
I love all of the Latin American coffees — from Bolivia, Honduras, Costa Rica and even Mexico, and I have been somewhat surprised to also enjoy his Sumatran and Indonesian blends.
James says Coffee Latitudes specializes in organic, chemical free, Fair-Trade coffee from small family farmers, including Flhor Zelaya of Honduras (left photo), who has been growing coffee in her native country since she was only five years old. Flhor now supports 200 women to harvest her coffee that is not only organic, but also grown by bio-diversity farming. James is proud to sell his huge variety of beans to his ever-growing roster of appreciative customers.
“And, we roast all of the coffee ourselves in the café for the freshest experience,” James says.
He also says that organic loose teas have been another great addition to the Coffee Latitudes expanding beverage menu.
“We serve it in little pots at the table,” he says. “We also get a little geeky with serving coffee pour-overs and French press coffee at your table.”
James also has told me that I have been storing my coffee all wrong at home. I knew that keeping coffee beans (we grind our own at home) in the refrigerator is a no-no, but I thought keeping it in the freezer was better. Wrong again.
“The best way to keep your coffee fresh is in an air-tight container in a cabinet or pantry,” he says. “That way, it doesn’t pick up any smells from the refrigerator or freezer.”
Olga adds, “Our bags of bulk coffee beans all have a valve on the back to only allow air to go out, not in. Our customers love them!”
And, while Coffee Latitudes does offer lattes, cappuccinos, café mochas, affogato cafés (with Italian gelato and fresh roasted espresso that will have you singing “Amore”) and other hot and iced coffee drinks, don’t expect them to taste like those processed, over-sugared drinks from those “S” or “DD” chains. “Even our regular coffee needs less cream and sweetener than you might be used to at home,” James says.
Other drinks include cold brew, chai, matcha organic green and loose leaf teas (hot or iced), hot chocolate, smoothies, frappes and a variety of “mocktails.”
And Finally…The Food!
James says Coffee Latitudes specializes in “artisanal comfort food for breakfast and lunch.”
For breakfast, he imports croissants from France and “legit” bagels from New York City.
“We bake the croissants and bagels (the latter are ‘par-baked’ in New York and shipped frozen; available in plain, everything, “rainbow” and more) here and offer deluxe egg sandwiches (scrambled, over easy or sunny side up), on your choice of bread (including a ‘New Yorker’ on a Kaiser roll) and choice of meat (bacon or ham). You can even add fresh avocado (like the photo below) or have the bagel toasted with butter or cream cheese. Or, enjoy a fresh Belgian waffle topped with chocolate chips, strawberries or blueberries.”
Coffee Latitudes’ best-selling “Afternoon Bite” is the yummy shredded short rib grilled cheese at the top of the page. We used this photo to emphasize what James calls “the crown” — that crispy cooked cheddar and smoked gouda cheese blend that runs over the bread and makes not only the taste, but also the visuals, unique.
“You ‘taste’ food with your eyes first, then the aroma and then the bite,” he says.
Our other lunch-time favorites include the triple-decker Turkey Club shown above, the Giacomo (Italian for James), a shareable sammi with hot capicola, salami, ham and mortadella with provolone, red onion and Campari tomatoes on Italian bread with Sicilian red pesto. Or, try the Italian-style avocado toast on toasted garlic bread, with avocado, mozzarella, tomato, red onion, a balsamic drizzle and Italian seasoning. There’s also chicken Caesar, tuna, ham or turkey wraps and “You Chef” sandwiches, plus Caesar and other salads.
The restaurant also displays its bagels and croissants, along with a variety of pastries and desserts, some of which are made or baked in-house, in two display cases.
‘Soup For You’ & Giving Back, Too!
With apologies to “Seinfeld,” James does make some of the best fresh soups anywhere. Jannah is pretty much addicted to the creamy tomato bisque, served with shredded cheddar cheese and house-made croutons. I constantly have to call the eatery asking what soups they have and if it’s tomato, I have to buy two of them.
One time, when he didn’t have the tomato, Jannah tried James’ creamy broccoli cheddar soup, so she now has two favorites! He also makes a mean, cinnamon-y carrot soup that’s great on a cold day…like we had most of January.
Coffee Latitudes also raises money for local charities with its own “Rise & Shine” program.
“For example,” Olga says, “for St. Patrick’s Day, customers can make a donation to have their name printed on a gold coin or green shamrock in the café’s front window, with all of the proceeds going to a local charity. If you know of a charity in need, stop in and let us know!”
Coffee Latitudes (6431 E. County Line Rd. in New Tampa) is open every day for breakfast, lunch & early dinner, as follows: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information about Coffee Latitudes (including a great coupon special), see the ad below Or, call (813) 575-8000 or visit CoffeeLatitudes.com. And please, tell James and Olga that I sent you!
Silva’s Coffee Grind owners Hiram & Angela Silva invite you to visit their trailer in front of One-Stop Landscape Supply on S.R. 54 for yummy sandwiches like the pastrami & Swiss (below right) or the egg white triple stack (below left). (Photos by Charmaine George)
A few months ago, when we first told you about Hiram and Angela Silva’s new Silva’s Coffee Grind (located in front of One-Stop Landscape Supply on S.R. 54, a little west of Morris Bridge Rd.), Hiram had told us that he was planning to expand his menu, based on his own creativity, as well as on customer requests.
“I’ve always loved to cook,” Hiram says. “I’m just having fun with this menu. Obviously, our kitchen inside the trailer isn’t big, so I’m a little limited, but I’ve already added a couple of new items.”
Hiram says his favorite new item is the egg white triple stack pesto delight (left photo). It offers at least two eggs worth of egg whites, plus juicy turkey, Swiss cheese, fresh green leaf lettuce and Angela’s homemade mayo-pesto spread — and you also can add crispy bacon to it for just $2 more.
My personal favorite new item, however, is the Boar’s Head pastrami & Swiss topped with sauerkraut, pickles and Thousand Island dressing. I had it the way it’s shown here (below right), on three slices of rye toast, but I definitely plan to try it on a sesame or everything bagel next time. It comes with a free bag of chips, too.
As I mentioned in my first “Nibbles & Bytes” item about Silva’s back in October, I definitely felt close to these fellow New Yawkas from the get-go, especially because it was obvious how much care Hiram puts into his food. His fried egg, bacon and American (or Swiss) cheese breakfast “sammie” on a toasted sesame bagel definitely reminds me of home. And yes, Hiram is happy to make your egg sandwich with scrambled eggs or even egg whites and put it on a fresh croissant (Jannah’s favorite).
In addition to the pastrami, I’m also partial to Silva’s turkey pesto BLT and tuna salad sandwiches (the tuna comes with a bag of chips, too).
And, even though I’m mainly a coffee guy — and Silva’s has delicious brewed coffee (available with flavor shots, like vanilla or caramel) — there also are espresso drinks like hot or iced cappuccinos, lattes, mochas and cafe con leches, hot chocolate, a variety of hot or iced teas, lemonade and smoothies made with real fruit purée, creamy smoothies like toasted marshmallow, lavender and pumpkin spice, as well as vanilla, caramel, double mocha or green tea matcha drinks. Mango or strawberry bursting bobas also can be added to your cold beverage or smoothie. There’s even handmade fruit sorbets.
But, the one item I haven’t tried yet that I promise I will sample on my next visit is an espresso affogato, which is two scoops of vanilla ice cream with a double shot of espresso poured over it, whipped cream, chocolate syrup and a sprinkle of cookie crumble. Is it a drink? Is it a dessert? YES!
You also can order a dozen or half-dozen of Silva’s real NY bagels (below) that will be ready for pick-up in 2-3 days. I promise they’re legit — and so are their Silva’s Coffee Grind gift cards!
Silva’s Coffee Grind is located at 34100 S.R. 54 and is open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. For more information, search “Silvas Coffee Grind” on Facebook or “@ Silvas.coffee. grind” on Instagram. Also, see the ad below for a coupon that gets you 10% off all food and beverages at Silva’s. And please remember to tell Angela and Hiram I sent you!
Angela makes your favorite coffee drinks and also can sell you a Silva’s gift card.
When Angela Silva called our office a week or before Hurricane Helene hit, the first thing that stood out to me was her New Yawk accent. That’s not always so important to me, but when that accent is telling you that her and her husband Hiram (photo below) had just opened a “new caw-fee and New Yawk bagel place called Silva’s Coffee Grind” (on S.R. 54, in a tricked-out trailer in front of One-Stop Landscape Supply at 34100 S.R. 54), I was suddenly even more interested in what she had to say.
The week after Helene decimated the Gulf coast, Jannah and I went to sample what the Silvas had to offer.
And, we both came away impressed. The coffee is delicious (they get their espresso for their cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos & espresso affogatos from Coffee Latitudes) and the bagels? Oy! Legit!
“We import them from New Yawk,’ Hiram says, “but I won’t tell you where from because I know you’re gonna write about it and I want us to be the only place that has them.”
I, of course, had my bacon, egg and Swiss cheese on a toasted everything, while Jannah opted to have her bacon, egg and cheddar on a toasted croissant. Both yum.
By the time of our next visit, a few days before Hurricane Milton hit, Angela was making sure they could get an ad in this issue of the paper and I prom- ised I would tell 105,000 or so of my closest friends in Wesley Chapel a little bit about them.
We opted for a lunch sandwich this time — a delicious turkey BLT on a toasted plain bagel, with lettuce, tomato and Angela’s zesty homemade pesto cream sauce. “I like it on everything,” Hiram says. And, who could argue with him?
Hiram, who does the on-site cooking, is all about giving the people outstanding breakfast and lunch items at a fair price and he is planning to expand the menu offerings in response to people’s requests. As seen in the ad below, Silva’s Coffee Grind also features iced coffee, cold brew, iced lattes and frappes, hot and cold teas, including green tea matcha, flavored iced teas and lemonades, bursting boba tea drinks and even smoothies and sorbets — all from that one little trailer? Ya gotta try it, yo!
Silva’s Coffee Grind is open Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. & 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sat. For more info, search “Silvas Coffee Grind” on Facebook or@Silvas.Coffee.Grind” on Instagram. — GN
James & Olga Frank of Coffee Latitudes Café. (Photos by Charmaine George)
We told you in our June issue that the owners of the Coffee Latitudes kiosk in the Shops at Wiregrass were planning to open the Coffee Latitudes Coffee Café & Wine Bar in the former location of Juice Factory (at 6431 E. County Line Rd., Suite 110, next to Max’s Pets).
Well, owners James and Olga Frank of Coffee Latitudes opened the brick-&-mortar location earlier this month and not only do they feature the all-organic, house-roasted, delicious coffee you grew to love at the mall (and at events like the monthly Market Elaine at The Grove), but also fresh sandwiches, baked goods and more — and the early reviews have been excellent.
Coffee Latitudes’ Deluxe Egg Sandwich.
James, who has culinary training and has previously owned other restaurants (including the Café Liberty on N. Dale Mabry Hwy. and Caffe Connection in Spring Hill), has brought those skills to this super-cute new café with delicious “Deluxe” bacon (or ham), egg & cheese breakfast sandwiches, as well as house-baked bagels imported from New York, flaky fresh-baked croissants and mini-waffles with syrup for breakfast.
For lunch, try “The Giacomo” Italian sub, chicken Caesar wrap or salad, “Not Your Mama’s Tuna” and “Turkey Do.” sandwich (with turkey breast, bacon, avocado and James’ own spicy Spartacus sauce) or grilled cheese (with bacon, ham or tomato), plus rotating fresh soups — Jannah recommends the creamy tomato bisque when it’s available.
Save room for dessert, as items like NY crumb cake, cinnamon rolls and bread pudding are house-made. Or, try a delicious fresh fruit cup with homemade marscapone cannoli cream (the cream also is served with crisp cannoli chips) and so much more.
But, considering that James has been home-roasting that delicious Coffee Latitudes coffee for 30 + years, you definitely need to try a cup.
“Ask what country we are brewing today when you do,” James says, with Guatemalan, Nicaraguan and Indonesian roasts served the days we’ve visited. There’s also cappuccino, hot or iced lattes and Chai lattes, Matcha green and other assorted teas, as well as tasty flavored hot chocolate (right). And, Olga and James say they should also be selling wine in 6-8 weeks.
“Once we get the cafe menu perfect, we’ll be adding unique wines,” James says.
Visit CoffeeLatitudes.com or call (813) 575-8000 for more info. Or, just stop in and please tell James and Olga I sent you.— GN
The “Turkey Do” sandwich has sliced turkey, avocado & a kick.Hhouse-made NY crumb cake (left), bread pudding & fresh fruit cup.
