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The Revue Celebrates a big day!

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
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My Tower District Favorite is another year older! Happy 4th Birthday

Those who know me know that The Revue is not only my favorite coffee shop in town but likely my favorite place to go in town, period. I love the atmosphere, the super nice baristas, the made-from-scratch syrups created especially for Revue by partner Ampersand Ice Cream and I love the cozy seats and ideal-for-working booths in the back of the cafe.

The husband and I enjoying our first coffee indoors at our favorite place, Revue, after COVID closures lifted
Revue’s cafe

This weekend marks The Revue’s 4th birthday in its current state as an updated, light, and bright coffee shop serving up delicious espresso drinks featuring Visalia’s own Component Coffee. The charming coffee shop is going all out to celebrate this Saturday, August 14th from 8 am-4 pm.

Photo credit: Revue via Instagram

There will be live music, ice cream specials (featuring Ampersand ice cream!), local vendors, and exclusive merchandise featuring designs by well-known and beloved whimsical artist Elowyn Dickerson. Elowyn has created a special set of 3 custom stickers that will be given out with purchase during (and only during) Revue’s birthday celebration.

Exclusive stickers available with purchase during Revue’s birthday celebration, designed by Elowyn Dickerson

Revue has recently partnered with a new local bakery Palo Verde Bakery to offer seasonal and freshly made specialty pastries like cinnamon-y morning buns, beautiful danishes, giant cookies topped with just the right touch of flakey salt, and much more. The selection will be constantly changing, so you’ll always be in for a new treat!

Revue also continues to offer their deliciously tender on the inside, crisp around the edges liege Belgian waffles, as well as their ice cream-based coffee, treats like affogatos, coffee shakes, and cold brew floats. These refreshing treats are unique to Revue in our area and made with premium vanilla ice cream.

Be sure to mark your calendars and plan your Saturday to include a stop by Revue to wish them a happy birthday! The street in front of the shop has just been entirely re-done and construction is finally complete, too, after months of closures affecting many nearby businesses – so if you’ve dealt with parking issues recently due to the construction, rest assured it should no longer be a challenge.

The Revue is located at 620 E. Olive and they are open daily from 8 am to 4 pm (and later into the evenings on Art Hop nights, as they are an official Art Hop venue, too!).

Downtown Fresno Welcomes New Frida Café

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
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As your resident FresYes coffee-obsessed blogger, you have to know that if a new coffee shop opens in town, I will absolutely be visiting as soon as possible to share all the details with you, dear FresYes readers!

Los Panchos Mexican restaurant located on the northeast corner of Fulton and Tulare in Downtown Fresno has done some really innovative things under their roof in the past year. Their beautifully remodeled tequila bar has hosted an ongoing pop-up (prior to COVID closures) for Quail State, the upcoming rooftop bar going in on the top floor of the Pacific Southwest building. And now, as of this month, Los Panchos is also serving as home to Fresno’s newest coffee shop, the Frida Café.

My mini concha from Frida Café
Frida Cafe’s counter/Los Panchos tequila bar

Frida Café is the brainchild of Albee Sanchez, who wanted to create a coffee experience as exciting to the eye as the taste buds. The café, which is now located at the tequila bar inside Los Panchos, features images of legendary Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, who was best known for her self-portraits, featuring bold and beautiful colors. Sanchez carried bold and beautiful colors throughout the décor of the café area, and even into the drinks he prepares – as each milk used is dyed with natural, organic food dyes.

Frida Café’s community Ofrenda (visitors are encouraged to honor their own departed loved ones by adding a memento to the ofrenda, a Mexican tradition that is part of the Dia de los Muertos cultural celebration)
Frida Café’s menu

Frida Café’s menu consists of six specialty drinks and mini pan dulce (Mexican sweet pastries). Their drink menu includes:

  • Agave Chai – An earthy chai made with agave nectar, cinnamon and pale blue milk
  • White Rose – A white chocolate and rose latte with pink milk
  • Almond Citrus – Latte featuring natural orange and almond extracts with fresh orange zest on top
  • Smoked Vanilla – a smoked vanilla late with Saigon cinnamon and red milk
  • Lavender Cream – a creamy, light and sweet latte with lavender flavoring
  • Mayan Xoco – a spicy, intense natural hot cocoa with cinnamon and shaved chili

On my recent visit, I tried the Smoked Vanilla and it was very tasty and served piping hot and “made with so much love”. The welcome and customer service I received was exceptionally great.

Los Panchos serves a full breakfast and lunch menu in their adjacent dining room. The fenced outdoor seating area is very nice and features plenty of shade, and if you order your Frida Café drinks to enjoy on site, they’ll be served in glass mugs on a wooden tray.

The patio outside Frida Café
Pieces honoring Frida Kahlo are on display for purchase on consignment at the café

Frida Café is open 7 days a week from 7am to 2pm. It becomes quite busy on the weekends, so plan to go early or be aware that there may be quite a wait for this special new coffee shop. Street parking is metered and both coins and cards are accepted, however parking is free on weekends.

Visit these local coffee spots in Fresno and Clovis

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FresYes Writing Team
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Don’t want to hit up that chain coffee spot? No problem! The Fresno and Clovis area has more than enough local coffee spots to suit your needs wherever you are in town.

If you see something I’ve missed, let me know and I’ll add it to the list.

Tower District

local coffee spots

Revue in the Tower District [photo: Natali Carrera]

Revue
620 E. Olive Ave, Fresno, CA 93728
M-Sat 7a-9p, Sun 8a-8p
Read more 

Hi-Top Coffee
1306 N. Wishon Ave, Fresno, CA 93728
M-F 7a-8p, Sat-Sun 8a-8p
Read more

Kuppa Joy
1900 N. Echo Ave, Fresno, CA 93704
M-Sat 7a-9p
Read more

Café Van Ness
3204 N Van Ness Blvd, Fresno, CA 93704 (at Gazebo Gardens Nursery)
M-F 7a-2p, Sat-Sun 8a-2p
Read more

Downtown Fresno

local coffee spots

Fulton Street Coffee co-founder, Octavio Vargas, and manager, Elizabeth Moreno [photo: Natali Carrera]

8th Notch Coffee & Gifts
744 P St. #102, Fresno, CA 93721
M-F 7a-4p, Sat 9a-1p
Read more

Fulton Street Coffee
2011 Tuolumne St, Fresno, CA 93721
M-F 8a-5p
Read more

Cornerstone Coffee
1463 Fulton St, Fresno, CA 93721
M-F 7a-5p, Sun 7a-1p
Read more 

USBean Brew Station
700 Van Ness Ave. (at Bitwise South Stadium)
M-Th 8a-7:30p, Fri 8a-5p
Read more

Central Fresno

Collect Coffee 
3142 E. Campus Pointe Dr, Fresno, 93710
M-F 7a-8p, Sat 9a-9p, Sun 10a-6p
Read more

North Fresno

local coffee spots

Yellow Mug employees dressed as Luke from “Gilmore Girls” during a special event [photo: Joanne Lui]

Yellow Mug Coffee
1137 E. Champlain, Fresno, 93720
M-Sat 6a-6p, Sun 6a-7p 
Read more

Clovis

Kuppa Joy
518 Clovis Ave, Clovis, CA 93612
M-Sat 7a-9p
Read more

Two Cities Coffee Roasters
608 4th St, Clovis, CA 93612
M-F 6a-10p, Sat 7a-10p
Read more

On The Edge Coffeehouse
412 Pollasky Ave, Clovis, CA 93612
M-W 6:30a-5p, Th 6:30a-9p, Fr-Sat 8a-10p, Sun 8a-5p
Read more

Brew Your Own

Lanna Coffee Co.
617 Broadway St, Fresno, California 93721
M-F 8:30a-4p
Read more

The Revue celebrates one-year anniversary with new mural

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

 

Locally owned and operated coffee house, The Revue, located at 620 E. Olive in the heart of Fresno’s Tower District, will be celebrating its one-year anniversary this Saturday, Aug. 25, with a special celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I caught up with one of their awesome owners, Bryan Feil, to learn more about the event and what’s new at Revue. A lot has changed in just a year!

Revue one year anniversary

FresYes: Tell us what you love about your location and about having been a part of the Tower community for the last year.

The Revue: We honestly just love engaging and connecting with our community through coffee and delicious products. Having the ability to offer products that are locally sourced and thoughtfully prepared is what gets us excited.

When you opened, you offered something no other local coffeehouse could—Ampersand ice cream! Since then, you’ve added new and unique offerings to your menu. Tell us about what’s new.

We have seasonal menu changes which bring about great excitement, from our soda offerings to house-made syrups or the crowd favorite, our Horchatte (a cinnamon-infused horchata-inspired latte). It’s been fun to keep people fueled with products that are unique to the Central Valley.

It seems like your back room has been hopping with cool, community events lately! Tell us a little about that.

Our desire to connect the community through beverages is exciting but, just as much, are the events that bring everyone together. We do Vendor Fairs every two months which showcase craft makers from around the valley.

We have partnered with Tower Yoga to do a Sunday Yoga Reads session and incredible weekly yoga events that bring health and connectivity together. We also offer kombucha workshops, coffee cuppings, open mic nights (every Monday night), and other regular music events.

It’s also been an event space community members can rent for their own events, which is another neat community engagement opportunity for us.

Revue one year anniversary

Cozy interior invites you to pull up a seat

Revue one year anniversary

The Revue’s back room is home to yoga, music, and more!

You guys recently commissioned an awesome mural for the side of your building, can you tell us more about it?

It was created by two incredible artists, Quinn Bowman and Julia Woli Scott, who have really pulled out all the stops to put together this 90-foot, five panel mural that is incredible, beautiful, and unique. We are doing a celebration of this on Aug. 25 as well.

What else would you like readers to know about your upcoming event or The Revue in general?

Come on the 25th ready to celebrate our community and great beverages, and enjoy a unique, one-time opportunity to enjoy a “steal the glass” nitro float drink. We are so thankful for our city and the Tower for allowing us to serve this year, and hope to continue bringing our best daily. If you haven’t had the opportunity to come down, please come and visit with us and the community this Saturday, it will be fun!

Revue one year anniversary

Come see The Revue’s wall mural at their anniversary party this weekend!

Lanna Coffee Co. launches “Valley Children’s Blend” to raise funds for hospital

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Sarah Soghomonian
TV Producer and fan of all things fabulous.Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred!
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Fresno-based Lanna Coffee Co. has launched a new product designed to raise funds for Valley Children’s Hospital.

“Valley Children’s Blend” is a medium roast with vanilla undertones and a lingering nutty finish. Five dollars from every bag sold will be donated to the hospital’s Children’s Fund, which goes to improving care and services for patients, recruiting pediatric surgeons, and providing the most advanced technology.

“Lanna Coffee Co. wanted to provide an opportunity to use their product as a means to fundraise and give back to our community,” says Kelly Mitchinson, Administrative Director of Lanna Coffee Co. “With the daily ritual of drinking coffee, this new blend gives consumers another great reason to choose Lanna Coffee and make a difference in their community.”

Valley Children's Blend

Hospital serves over a million children in the area

For more than 65 years, Valley Children’s has provided care for our community. With more than 575 physicians and 3,400 staff members, the hospital serves 1.3 million children in their 12-county service area.

“We are so grateful to have the support of local businesses like Lanna Coffee,” says Zara Arboleda, Valley Children’s spokesperson. “We are humbled by their generosity and will use funds raised to continue providing the best pediatric care to Valley families.”

Valley Children’s Blend is sold in 12 oz. bags and will be available through Dec. 31. It sells for $15 and can be purchased online or at the Lanna warehouse at 617 Broadway St. in downtown Fresno. It’s also available at the cafeteria of Valley Children’s Hospital.

Valley Children's Blend

The team at Lanna Coffee Co. says they’re excited to support Valley Children’s mission to provide high-quality, comprehensive care. This isn’t the only way the company gives back. They use beans from Northern Thailand, and a portion of every sale is sent back to that region. The funds are helping build gravity feed water tanks in remote villages.

To learn more about Lanna Coffee’s mission, check out this FresYes article.

Tower District’s Hi-Top launches line of branded coffee

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

 

This month, Hi-Top Coffee in the Tower District officially began selling its own line of coffee featuring beans from Colombia, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Peru—roasted right here in Fresno. According to Hi-Top’s owners, “The coffee beans have been picked, processed, and shipped from around the world during optimal times, as the seasonality of the product is taken into thoughtful consideration, and the beans are roasted for peak freshness and flavor.”

[Read my post on Hi-Top’s grand opening here.]

hi top branded coffee

Aaron Bagato, co-founder, presents new, locally roasted Hi-Top coffee for purchase

Hi-Top Coffee’s roasting procedures “highlight the complexity of each region, for optimal natural sweetness.” These coffees will be especially intriguing to coffee connoisseurs, as the flavors will expand beyond typical roast varieties like light, medium, and dark, offering more nuances in flavor. However, they will also aim to be approachable and enjoyable for all coffee drinkers.

hi top branded coffee

Each Hi-Top Coffee package presents tasting notes

“The way in which we roast the beans is for optimal enjoyment, and the result is coffee that is juicy, bright, and exciting,” says Aaron Bagato, co-owner at Hi-Top Coffee. Just eight months after opening Hi-Top, the team, including Bagato and co-owners Spencer and Karsyn Suvanto, began the local roasting process behind the scenes, and are now proud to bring the final product to market.

Familiar artwork on packaging

Hi-Top Coffee is packaged in compostable bags, and the familiar artwork on the packaging (like that seen adorning the walls of the Hi-Top shop) was designed by local artist Quinn Bowman with help from shop employee Lexie Fabbian.

hi top branded coffee

Hi-Top Coffee is now available for purchase

“This is an important milestone for me personally, as well as for everyone in our shop,” says Bagato, whose work experience includes several specialty coffee establishments both locally and abroad. “This is something we’ve been working towards for a while, and it’s fun for us to be bringing our take on the current coffee scene to the Central Valley.”

The roasted beans are sold in 10 oz bags and range in price from $13 to $17. The coffee can be purchased in the shop at 1306 N. Wishon Ave. in the Tower District, or online. Wholesale purchases are also available. For more information, visit www.hi-topcoffee.com.

All images courtesy Hi-Top Coffee

10 reasons to visit Sierra Nut House Wine Bar and Bistro

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

 

If you’ve lived in the Fresno area for any length of time, chances are you’ve either given or received a gift of delicious dried fruit or nuts from Sierra Nut House at least once.

Sierra Nut House has been in operation since 1969. The business began on the family’s almond farm in Clovis, CA, and it was followed by a gift shop that was built at Chestnut and Sierra. Sierra Nut House’s Wine Bar and Bistro is the most recent addition, located in the Villagio Shopping Center across from River Park on Blackstone and Nees.

Sierra Nut House

Sierra Nut House Wine Bar and Bistro located on Blackstone and Nees in the Villagio Shopping Center

This week, I had a meeting at the Wine Bar and Bistro—my first visit there—and I was blown away by how much it offers customers. I felt compelled to share with you, dear readers, some of the amazing things beyond fruit and nuts that await you upon your visit.

Here are my 10 reasons to visit the Sierra Nut House Bistro and Wine Bar.

1. Comfort foods

They make amazing breakfast pastries, frittatas, and hearty panini (wrap-style grilled sandwiches) from scratch. I tried the Apple Bread Pudding with slivered almonds and local raisins, which was served warm. It was heavenly!

2. All-you-can-drink coffee

Multiple roasts of coffee are served with free refills for dine-in guests, all day.

Sierra Nut House

Enjoy espresso beverages of drip coffee at the Sierra Nut House Bistro and Wine Bar’s café counter

3. Soup du Jour

Sierra Nut House Wine Bar and Bistro offers amazing soups each day, made with flavorful, fresh, and healthy ingredients. All of the soups listed on the Soup du Jour board were unique and mouth-watering, no standard-issue chicken soup to be seen.

4. Healthy and hearty options

If you like delicious salads, chicken bowls, and cheese plates, they’ve got ’em!

Sierra Nut House

Yummy, fresh lunch options on display in the Sierra Nut House café

5. Sugar-free selection

Once upon a time, Fresno used to have a Sugarless Shack store that offered sugarless candies and treats that even diabetics could enjoy. Sierra Nut House now fills that void, offering a wide selection of sugarless sweets.

Sierra Nut House

Sierra Nut House’s selection of sugar-free candies

6. CHEESE

Sierra Nut House offers a wide selection of gourmet cheeses, Italian snacks (including my family’s personal favorite, taralli, which are like savory, crispy, pretzels) and spreads—all items that make a wonderful snack or hostess gift combination.

Sierra Nut House

Just a few of the amazing cheeses available for purchase

7. Gift selection

Speaking of hostess gifts, Sierra Nut House offers a huge selection of wine, chocolates, local honey, jams, and nuts that can be purchased pre-wrapped or as a custom, you-fill-it gift basket.

Sierra Nut House

Just a fraction of the wine selection

Sierra Nut House

Local honeys for sale 

Sierra Nut House

Chocolate lovers rejoice: there’s a full aisle of gourmet goodies for you.

Sierra Nut House

A few examples of prepared gift items available for purchase

8. Chocolate

If you’re a chocolate lover, you’ll find hand-dipped truffles, fruits, and nougats in the cold case at the wine bar.

Sierra Nut House

Hand-dipped chocolates

9. Great staff

Sierra Nut House is known for customer service and knowledgeable staff who are happy to help customers select excellent gifts and wrap them expertly.

10. Fantastic atmosphere

Sierra Nut House’s Wine Bar and Bistro offers pleasant, comfortable indoor and outdoor seating perfect for breakfast, lunch, or a glass of wine with a friend or loved one.

Sierra Nut House

Interior view

Sierra Nut House

Outdoor seating

For more about what the Sierra Nut House has to offer, and to order online, visit their website here, and make sure to follow them on Facebook for updates.

Dale Bros. Coffee has a new name, new menu items

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

 

As your resident coffee writer (self-appointed, mainly due to my extreme love for the life-giving substance) I wanted to provide you with some updates on Dale Bros. Coffee, which I initially wrote about when they opened.

The downtown coffee spot is now called 8th Notch Coffee & Gifts and it’s offering a lot of new things for their customers. I interviewed co-owner Melanie Unguez, who provided me with insight on all the exciting changes.

dale bros new name

Dale Bros. Coffee in downtown Fresno is now 8th Notch Coffee & Gifts

FresYes: Dale Bros. Coffee is now 8th Notch. Can you let us in on the name change decision, and the meaning of your new name?

8th Notch: We (Mike and Melanie Unguez) took over as sole owners of the coffee shop and renamed it 8th Notch, a nod to the location (near the Santa Fe tracks and Amtrak station) and to our 3-year-old son who is obsessed with trains. The 8th notch on a train means full power.
 
FY: The name isn’t the only thing that’s new. You’re now serving more food, and you’ve expanded your hours. Tell us all about that.
 
8th Notch: We are now serving breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Mike, who is a graduate of California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, has curated a small menu of delicious sandwiches. We start serving them at 8 a.m. and the kitchen closes at 3:30 p.m. (for now …). We still offer our toast menu and Corazon Baking Co. pastries, and owner Liz’s new scones are to die for!
 
FY: What’s your most popular drink, and what are your three favorite menu items?
 
8th Notch: Our Nitro Cold Brew continues to be our most popular drink over all. All of our coffees are made with Verve, a roaster based in Santa Cruz. The cold brew is made using an in-house special technique that we believe really brings out the flavor, while limiting the acidity and bitterness. A close second would have to be the honey-cinnamon latte, especially when it comes to hot drinks.
 

dale bros new name

8th Notch frothing milk for a delicious coffee drink

 
Our sandwich menu does change occasionally, depending on what’s in season. Right now my personal favorites are: The Vegan Chickpea. Imagine a tuna salad or egg salad but with chickpeas as the protein, making it perfect for vegetarians and vegans alike. This sandwich has become a favorite of many carnivores as well. Served with vegan mayo, avocado, sprouts, and shaved carrots on Max’s Artisan Bakery focaccia bread.
 
A weekend special that was so popular we decided to add it to the everyday menu is the Green Eggs & Ham breakfast sandwich. Pesto, arugula, eggs, ham, and provolone also served on toasted Max’s focaccia. And, roll your eyes or joke if you must, but our avocado toast—mashed avocado on toasted Basque sourdough, served with our house-made piri-piri chili oil, is delicious.
 

dale bros new name

The Green Eggs & Ham Sandwich was made a permanent offering due to high demand

 
FY: Can you tell us a little about the boutique items you’ll be carrying this spring? Anything brand new to the shelves or best-sellers you’d like to highlight?
 
8th Notch: This spring season, we have really expanded our clothing and accessories. We are bringing in some really fun tops, wraps, shawls, and lightweight scarves. Somehow it seems we have become the unicorn headquarters. Everything unicorn you can imagine: pens, piggy banks, socks, headbands, wallets, stuffed animals, we have them, and more! We also just got our first shipment of 3-foot by 5-foot Fresno flags. Perfect for marching with the Zorros Fire Squad! We’re almost sold out, but more are on the way.
 

dale bros new name

8th Notch offers a wide selection of gift items in addition to delicious coffee and food items

FY: What are your current hours and is there any other info you’d like FresYes readers to know?

8th Notch: We’re currently open Monday–Friday 7 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Keep a look out for beer, wine, and extended hours in the months ahead!
 
…
 
8th Notch is located next to Quesadilla Gorilla on P Street, just north of Ventura. My personal 8th Notch menu recommendation, for those who love cinnamon, is to try the Snickerdoodle Latte. It’s so good! 
 
Make sure to follow them on Facebook for all the latest updates.