Zen Cafe celebrates its grand opening

Zen Cafe celebrated its grand opening at 3 W. Morton St. on Nov. 2, bringing a new coffee shop to South Side following the departure of Saxbys. The cafe held a two-week soft opening before its official launch and offers specialty coffees, matcha, seasonal drinks and a variety of food. 

The cafe occupies the former Saxbys location and aims to create a welcoming environment for students and the surrounding community.

Austin Brooks, co-founder of Amicus, said the idea to bring Zen Cafe to the neighborhood began about a year ago, when he learned Saxbys would be leaving the location.

“From a community perspective, we just didn’t want to see this place empty,” Brooks said. “We knew students loved to have a place they could relax and grab a coffee or a bite to eat.”

Brooks said Amicus approached Zen Cafe’s owners, Annabelle and Andy, about filling the vacant space. 

He said the owners spent most of the summer researching coffee shops in the Lehigh Valley and New York to develop their concept.

“Annabelle and Andy put a real personal touch into it,” Brooks said. “They’re really passionate about it, and so I think it really shows in everything they deliver.”

Brooks said the cafe’s opening is part of an effort to provide students with more places to visit outside the classroom.

“I think that for us as people in the local community to have restaurants and places for students to go, it just makes the neighborhood better,” Brooks said.

Zen Cafe also offers a 50% discount on your first drink of the day and a 20% discount on all drinks and food to students living in Amicus properties through its partnership with the company.

“If you’re an Amicus tenant, you get a discount on your coffee every day,” Brooks said.

Brooks said he believes the quality of Zen Cafe’s coffee and matcha, along with the owners’ attention to detail, will distinguish it from other coffee shops in the area.

Molly Pecic, ‘28, is a Zen Cafe employee and said she first learned about the job opportunity through Instagram when the cafe announced it was hiring. 

After seeing the post, Pecic contacted the owners directly and joined the staff.

Pecic said she has enjoyed working at the cafe because of the opportunity to interact with other students.

“I love seeing all my friends and everybody here,” Pecic said. “I think that’s what makes it so enjoyable, rather than like a typical coffee shop I work at at home.”

Pecic said the cafe’s owners, a husband-and-wife team, encourage employees to contribute ideas and menu suggestions.

She said the owners have been receptive to employees’ suggestions during the cafe’s first few weeks of operation.

Pecic said the two-week soft opening gave employees an opportunity to begin serving customers before the official grand opening. 

She said customers have shown particular interest in the cafe’s specialty lattes and matcha drinks.

“People love the pumpkin spice latte,” Pecic said. “It’s pumpkin and maple instead of typical pumpkin.”

Other drinks include house-made Madagascar vanilla, caramel lattes and a cardamom latte, which Pecic said has been unexpectedly popular.

Social media has also introduced students to the cafe.

Mila Jovanovic, ‘27, a customer who attended the grand opening, said she first learned about Zen Cafe after its Instagram page appeared on her feed. 

“I think it’s so cute what they did with the renovations,” Jovanovic said. “And I’m about to get my first latte Zen, so I’m really excited.”

Brooks said the opening represents more than simply filling a vacant storefront. 

He said having businesses that cater to students gives them more opportunities to spend time in the surrounding community.

“We’re happy that students have a place to get coffee on their way to class,” Brooks said.