You are browsing the aisles at your local grocery store, and then a new product catches your eye with its unique product design or carefully crafted logo, and you subconsciously drop it into your cart, excited to try it out at home. It happens to all of us; it’s in our nature to explore and try something new. It recently happened to me with Café Victoria at a local supermarket in Hampton Bays. The packaging was a cool matte green bag with a sticker of a woman with ‘CAFÉ VICTORIA’ right below her. The woman resembled a typical grandmother, which made it feel familiar.
Unlike my wife, a coffee lover and critic who has a cup every morning, I enjoy the occasional latte on Sunday mornings after a hectic workweek. We both looked at each other after taking a sip of Café Victoria’s coffee. It was delicious and unlike any coffee we have ever had. It made sense as it’s organic and hails from Guatemala and Latin America.
I searched for them on Instagram and discovered that Café Victoria has an actual café located in the Tanger Outlets in Riverhead. It’s a chic café adorned with faux privet walls and a full coffee bar with many treats to complement your coffee. I grabbed two coffee bags, and the cashier recommended I buy 4 to qualify for their discount. I shared my story with him; he introduced himself as Alexander Escobar, founder and owner of Café Victoria. He shared that it is a family business fueled by a passion for producing organic, specialty coffee.
He shared, “This Café was originally supposed to be a pop-up for 6 months to test out the waters, but the reception has been incredible. We constantly run out of coffee; we have a very loyal clientele.”
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Alex confessed he was concerned about the demand for coffee so much so that he lowered coffee production as a precaution but was shocked when the demand rose, probably because while most were discovering TikTok or learning how to bake bread, others were learning how to perfect their favorite cup of coffee.
Café Victoria was first introduced to the Hamptons through farmers markets, and now, with its permanent location in Riverhead, you can get your coffee fix any day of the week!
