Standing up for local businesses: Sue’s serves up coffee and calm

Picture of the patio that connects the inside dining area to its outside seating space.

Some of the most unique, delicious and pleasant places are nested in street corners. These small, hard-to-find coffee shops often provide the best atmosphere for productivity and relaxation.

So it is with Sue’s Gallery Cafe, located right at the end of Big Basin Way. With a pleasant-looking tree in the middle of the lounging area, modern architecture that incorporates a warm chestnut colored wood seamlessly into the design of the shop and a tranquil indoor and outdoor dining area, Sue’s provides customers with a great space to work and enjoy delicious beverages such as a pomegranate detox tea for $4.95 and a matcha latte for $5.95 hot and cold for $6.40.

My favorite drink’s got to be the mocha. When the drinks are served warm, the baristas create a lovely design on top of the coffee, usually in the shape of a tree or heart. With the open view of the brewing process, it is always satisfying to see the skilled baristas design a pleasant work of art on the face of the beverage.

Picking up the beverage off the counter and taking the first sip is always the best part. The coffee isn’t too strong or too sweet — it’s just right. As I consume the smooth, tasty drink, it makes the $5 drink worth it.

When speaking to my friends about Sue’s, they always say the same thing: It’s too expensive. Listen, I understand that Sue’s may not sell the cheapest food and drinks, but that’s because of its high quality. Like most other products, you get what you pay for.

In addition to selling delicious beverages and pastries, Sue’s also sells beautiful pottery. From cups to bowls, plates and vases, Sue herself has been molding clay for over 30 years and prides herself on the practical functionality of her art in the kitchen. In fact, the cafe uses the pottery that they sell due to its quality.

Sue and her husband JJ started the cafe-gallery fusion shop out of their desire to put a new spin on the cafe experience. After being a travel salesman for many years, JJ decided to settle down and assist Sue in creating her life-long dream, a place to present her beautiful works of pottery. On top of being big believer’s in practical use of ceramics, Sue and JJ wanted to start a shop in which customers could buy the art pieces their coffee was served in. In fact, Sue actually encourages customers to hold and interact with her pieces, despite their fragility.

Sue’s Gallery Cafe provides a peaceful environment for students to complete their work or just simply relax. There is nothing like finding a corner seat in the shade and taking in the calm environment of the cafe.