Months after the closing of its former window location at Canal Street, Xela Coffee Roasters reopened on Richmond Avenue on June 13, now offering customers indoor seating in its new, fully dedicated space, officials confirmed.
How we got here
Owned by Benji Aguilar and Kaitlin O’Brien, Xela Coffee Roasters has been a part of Houston’s coffee scene for the past several years.
The pair launched the brand in 2014 and opened Xela’s walk-up roastery in the city’s Second Ward in 2018. After permanently closing this location back in January, they have relocated the business to the Montrose area with the same emphasis on exotic roasted coffees.
Respecting the craft
The coffee shop’s name derives from the shortened version of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, locally known as “Xela,” which is the city where Aguilar’s parents are from, officials said.
These ties to Central America combined with Xela’s modern roasting techniques and collaboration with local artisans directly influence the roastery’s menu options, atmosphere and identity as a specialty coffee hotspot, per its website.
From its menu, patrons can enjoy permanent and seasonal coffees inspired by Xela’s selection of internationally imported coffee beans. The coffee shop also serves teas and flavored sodas, all handcrafted alongside made-in-house syrups and toppings.
Final takeaways
Xela Coffee Roasters is located in the same building space as Nonno’s and The Toasted Coconut along Richmond Avenue.
For patrons interested in brewing their own menu favorites at home, they can visit Xela’s official website for individual or bulk orders of featured coffee bean bags.
