Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her nine-year-old son, husband of 14 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works full time with ValleyPBS as their Director of Educational Services and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)
- New Restaurant Heirloom Offers Exceptionally Delicious “Slow Food”, Fast - February 14, 2019
- Boba Silog Opens in Northeast Fresno - February 5, 2019
- 7 Sweet Ways to Celebrate Valentines Locally - February 3, 2019
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. 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.
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.
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.
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!
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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.