Hazel Origin Coffee opens new Providence location in Brook Street residence hall at Brown

Dulce Lopez said she's thrilled to officially open the Brook Street café and introduce city residents and students to the rich, diverse flavors of coffee from various growing regions.

"We're a coffee shop that offers beans from seven different origins, including Burundi, Sumatra, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala and Honduras," Dulce Lopez said. "We're excited for people to come in and try something new every day. Many think, 'Oh, it's just coffee,' but once you taste the difference between South American and African beans, you'll see how distinct they are. Each coffee tells a story through its flavor, and along the way, you'll learn how the Earth and environment of each region shape every cup."

For students and neighbors, a new retail dining option

Hazel Origin's grand opening this fall followed more than a year of planning and preparation, Lopez noted. The process began in July 2023, when the small business owners took over the retail space from the University shortly before the first Brown students moved into the newly constructed Chen Family Hall. The married couple and business partners oversaw every aspect of the café's construction, from designing the interior and acquiring equipment to securing licenses and permits, and hiring and training staff. The staff includes five full-time front-of-house employees and one full-time kitchen worker, Lopez said.

A late-September grand opening drew hundreds from the Brown and Providence communities, with many eager patrons lining up at the doors as early as 7 a.m., Lopez said. To celebrate, the café offered complimentary tastings of menu items and samples of specialty drinks. As a special thank-you, guests were also given 16-ounce bags of freshly roasted coffee beans.

The menu at the Providence location differs slightly from their existing café in Pawtucket, Lopez said. Over the past few months, she adjusted the offerings based on feedback shared from Brown students through social media. Among the most popular items are avocado toast and Vietnamese-style shaken espresso, she said.

"We're always open to hearing from students what they want to see on the drink and food menus," Lopez said. "Many are from outside the U.S. and miss things from home, so we want to make sure they feel that connection. Our staff is diverse, too, with members from all over the world. Our chef is Hindu, one of our baristas is from Japan, and my husband and I are from Latin America. We work together to bring a little piece of each of our countries into what we do."

Seasonal menu options at the Providence location include pastries like spiced pumpkin bread, apple cinnamon crumb muffins and cream-filled apple turnovers. Heartier choices range from caprese toast and egg, spinach and cheddar waffles to a Mediterranean turkey panini.

The new café is showing signs of becoming a popular spot for local neighbors, too. Fox Point residents Joe and Molly Conti recently visited with their newborn baby, drawn in by the inviting outdoor seating and early morning hours.

"We saw the logo when they were building the space and knew exactly what Hazel was, so we were excited for it to open," Molly Conti said. "As new parents, the early hours are perfect. Many places don't open until 8 a.m., but this place has us covered at 7:30 a.m. Honestly, the earlier the better. If there was a place open at 5 a.m., we'd be there."

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