Shop specializes in quality service

Stopping by a chain coffee shop or restaurant may be a convenient caffeine pickup for those in a hurry, but Cianfrani Coffee Co. owner Mukesh Patel believes his coffee provides something that the chains do not offer.

Since buying the shop on the Square in October, Patel has worked to transform Cianfrani into a comfortable gathering place.

"I always wanted something where local people could come study [and] spend some time," Patel said.

In the past few months, Patel has remodeled the entire shop, including putting in modern decor; adding a grind-your-own coffee station; extending operating hours; and adding a variety of drinks, sandwiches, pastries and other food options to the menu.

Patel has also worked to improve customer service in the shop. Patel said he believes Cianfrani's quality of service is just one of the factors that makes it a better option than coffee shop chains.

"We put a little extra touch into our customer service," he said.

Another factor that makes Cianfrani stand out, Patel said, is the shop's hand-roasted coffee, which is created from beans no more than two days old and blended using special recipes. Each coffee is roasted at a different temperature for a certain amount of time to produce its own taste.

"Each one has their own recipe. That's how we make the [coffee's] body, roasting at the right temperature for the right amount of time," Patel said.

Patel has worked in the coffee business for more than 15 years, starting his first shop in California in 1996. Despite originally working in the information technology field, Patel found that as a self-described "people person," he needed something beyond a computer screen.

After moving to Texas in 2000, Patel started a string of coffee shops, mostly in hospitals and medical centers. Although Cianfrani's current location does not allow for expansion, in the future, Patel said he wants to build more shops in the Round Rock and Georgetown area.

For now, Patel hopes to continue building a comfortable atmosphere for local residents.

"It's a different kind of clientele," he said. "I love it here."

In addition to offering drinks and food, Cianfrani holds Fiction Nights each Friday, hosts art galleries each month, holds live music events and plans to start movie nights.

Did you know? More about coffee

An estimated 2 billion cups of coffee are drunk each day worldwide.

Studies by the U.S. Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, the aroma of brewed coffee can cause pleasure and possesses powerful antioxidant properties that can protect the body's cells from damage caused by stress.

Coffee drinking is thought to originate in Ethiopia, where slaves ate the fruit of coffee trees. The country of Yemen cultivated and grew coffee trees in the 15th century, and possibly even earlier in history.

Europe's first coffeehouse was opened in Venice in 1683. Another Italian shop, Caffe Florian in Piazza San Marco, opened in 1720 and still operates today.

The Dutch are credited with spreading the coffee tree to South and Central America, where today it is the area's largest cash crop.

Approximately 70 countries produce coffee, and in 2010, the coffee industry provided jobs for an estimated 26 million people in 52 of those countries.

Coffee consumption has increased by approximately 1.2 percent every year since the 1980s, and grew to more than 2 percent in recent years.

The term "body" refers to a coffee's physical characteristics. A fuller bodied coffee has a strong but pleasant feel in the mouth.

109 W. Seventh St., Ste. 105, 512-869-7030, www.cianfranicoffeecompany.com

• Mon.–Sun. 7 a.m.–9 p.m.