Skip the corporate cups and support local coffee cafes that care about communities and employees, not just profits. According to the American Independent Business Alliance (Amiba), your dollars recirculate through your local economy two to four times more than money spent at a chain. As your dollars move through Sonoma County, the money generates more jobs, community wealth and charitable contributions.
Independently owned cafes offer more than just a caffeine fix; they provide an inviting atmosphere with distinct flavors and a sense of connection that beats a mass-produced cup of coffee. Here
are four local coffee cafes near the Santa Rosa and Petaluma SRJC campuses that offer community-friendly alternatives to Peets, Starbucks, Dunkin’ and Dutch Bros.
A’Roma Roasters (Santa Rosa)
A’roma Roasters has brought a variety of coffee, tea, breakfast and lunch items to Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square since 1991 in the historic brick building that formerly served as baggage claim adjacent to the train station. At Sonoma County’s oldest roaster, employees roast locally sourced beans in-house, filling the shop with a cozy coffee aroma.
Popular drinks include the addictive Iced A’roma, Caramel Locomotive, Coffee Milkshake with added coffee grounds and any drink made with their locally-sourced chai.
The cafe serves both breakfast and lunch items from omelets and quiches to sandwiches and burritos. Local artwork decorates the walls and a community bulletin provides a space where locals can post and learn about upcoming gatherings.
Original co-owner Dayna Irvine likes to donate some of the shop’s profits to nearby schools and small organizations that focus on diversity.
“Those are my goals: good customer service, good products and treating people with respect,” she said.
Cowboy Coffee (Santa Rosa)
Across from the Santa Rosa campus on Mendocino Avenue, Cowboy Coffee, a Western-themed cafe, is perfect for picking up your before-class brew. With 11 years of experience from barista to coffee shop owner.
Antonia Wise spends over three hours perfecting the shop’s signature coffee blend to ensure each cup is rich, smooth and full of flavor. The shop shows its inclusivity to all caffeine connoisseurs,
with a wide array of different matchas, lattes, teas and Redbull infusions, as well as pastries from Village Bakery.
Popular drinks include the New Year Bliss, a matcha topped with vanilla and strawberry cold foam, the Dubai Matcha, and Bows Brew, an espresso blend dedicated to Wise’s dog, Bow.
To make all customers feel welcome, baristas remember customers’ names, drinks and collaborate to craft personalized recipes. Beyond coffee, this cafe hosts community events such as pet adoptions and donates to local organizations like the city’s police and environmental departments.
“We’re not just a storefront making money,” Wise said. “I want everyone to come in and feel welcomed, ask questions and my employees to work with everyone and be personable.”
Cafe De La Olla (Santa Rosa-Roseland)
Cafe De La Olla is a small, growing coffee truck that brings its own flair to coffee in Roseland. Owner Agueda Ulloa offers Mexican-inspired drinks and pastries with weekly specials based on customers’ feedback.
Cafe De La Olla’s most popular drinks like the fresas con crema and tres leches lattes bring a flavorful twist on the coffee classics, paired with a variety of concha pastries.
Unlike corporate chains, Cafe De La Olla has only four employees who provide a more personalized experience, getting to know their customers and trying to create a meaningful connection.
She sources coffee beans, labels, stickers and cups from other locally owned family businesses to support the community.
“One cup of coffee is supporting multiple small businesses,” Ulloa said.
Petaluma Coffee & Tea Co.
Whether you get your caffeine from herbs or beans, Petaluma Coffee & Tea Co has you covered. The cafe offers more than 150 loose-leaf teas and 40 different coffee blends with mushroom additives and made-in-house syrups.
Petaluma Coffee & Tea Co. employees try to create a comfortable place for customers to connect. Lattes or matchas with added syrups are some of the most sought out drinks here. “It’s a place since they were created for people to come together to have community, to share the ups and downs of life,” said store manager Ashley Harris.
Within the store is a corner called “Petaluma Hometown Hatches” with wares such as homemade coffee mugs and natural jams from local vendors on sale.
“Rising tides raise all boats,” Harris said.
