Founded in 2021 by enterprising duo Jordan Taylor and Julian Wright, the Kahvi Coffee Company and Cafe was born from the union of two distinctly different and complementary views on coffee. Julian’s Scandinavian background instilled in him an appreciation for what it means to enjoy a cup of coffee alone, whereas Jordan’s fascination and love of the Mexican municipality of Tulum sparked a reverence for the social joys of a cup enjoyed with friends. It is both within and between these two approaches to coffee that Kahvi Coffee Company was founded and continues to embody today.
Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the Kahvi Cafe that serves as the company’s flagship establishment strives to deliver a relaxed atmosphere focused on providing whatever coffee experience a customer is seeking. The main floor is open and spacious, with high, vaulted ceilings, exposed rafters, and bright lighting hung from spindly crossbeams. The tables here are tall and long, meant to sit groups and parties that have decided to enjoy their coffee with friends or colleagues. The other main floor seating area, by contrast, is a collection of wood-frame couches with cushioned fabric upholstery clearly designed to facilitate maximum casual relaxation. Other seating areas feature more traditional four or two-seat square tables, located on the upper level away from the bustling main floor or off in the corners along full-length, wall-to-wall windows with excellent exposure to the sky and natural light.
The interior is styled with modern light-industrial tastes: the floor is glossy sealed concrete, and the walls are a combination of white and beige paint and mounted corrugated metal siding with a satin brush finish. Also visible are tasteful monochromatic tilework on the main coffee bar and wood slat paneling on some walls and support columns. The staircases are minimalist, with thin steps and strung cable side railings for safety, a style that continues into the railings guarding the edges of the upper floor. Exposed rafters and visible but minimally invasive air and electrical ducts demonstrate that the industrial vibe is acutely intentional while also being restrained enough to acknowledge the primarily social nature of the space.
As stated in the "Our Story" section of their website, Kahvi’s take on coffee is meant to be relaxed. As such, the establishment caters just as much to solitary patrons as it does to social groups. Speakers play ambient background music, smaller tables give single patrons areas to relax with a book or podcast while they sip, and a truly impressive projector and canvas screen combo often feature well-known movies or TV episodes to enjoy. Outside of coffee, the Cafe offers a weekly yoga instructional every Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
Kahvi’s experience is primarily about the social experience facilitated by coffee, and the menu reflects that. The coffee bar offers a selection of house blends composed of bean varieties from classic coffee regions, such as Ethiopia and Nicaragua. These selections are brewed daily and come with an additional selection of coffee accoutrements such as espresso shots and flavored syrups; altogether, this section of the menu is intended to offer coffee in any shape, form, and fixing that a customer may have a taste for. The baristas’ creativity is on display with their featured drink menu, which hosts a variety of unique riffs on other classic beverages, such as their Espresso Tonic and Nitro Fashioned.
For those who adore the atmosphere of the coffee shop but fear the bitterness of the bean, Kahvi has a selection of teas, smoothies, and other light botanical beverages available. The kitchen produces an excellent line-up of coffee shop pastry staples, made fresh daily, and an additional menu with both classic and new-age coffee shop meals; these range from bagels with lox and avocado toast to customizable protein bowls and French Toast casserole. With vegan and vegetarian options available to boot, Kahvi is willing and able to furnish the dietary needs of any customer.
The Furnishings
Dressed with slim and robust Slate Metal series bar stools and matching chairs, the floor of Kahvi Coffee and Cafe strives for an atmosphere of relaxation and social openness. The style is almost completely in light, warm colors, and little stands out to obscure navigability or patrons’ line of sight. To accommodate this, Kahvi Coffee selected our Slate Metal bar stools and restaurant chairs, constructed to provide maximum durability while being minimally visually intrusive. The style of both the Slate White and Black chairs and barstools is influenced heavily by traditional European counterparts, in particular mid-century Scandinavian designs. While this can be seen mirrored in contemporary counterparts such as traditional English and Scottish bar chairs, our Slate series leans further into modernity through their material construction and streamlined design.
A stout metal frame ensures the chairs stand up to rigorous commercial use and are easy to clean and maintain, while the crossbar-supported legs and gently angled backrest keep them distinct, rather than separate, from their classical design roots. Merged together, these elements produce a traditional and reliable chair with strong tones of industrial utilitarian modernism. While Kahvi Coffee purchased their Slate Metal Restaurant sets in black finish with natural wood seat and backrest in order to tie their decor to the surrounding interior design, the dining chair and barstool pieces are available in a variety of seat and backrest finish options, sure to match any decor need an establishment may have.
For more information, menu and a beautiful virtual tour of the location we recommend you visit the Kahvi Coffee Company and Cafe website.