The Sprudge Maps Spotlight series continues with a look at Pachamama Coffee in Sacramento, California. Explore the complete Sprudge Maps Spotlight archive here, proudly presented in partnership with La Marzocco and Pacific Barista Series.
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Introduce yourself to our readers—tell us about your cafe!
Pachamama Coffee was created by smallholder coffee farmers in 2006 to roast and brew their best coffees here in the United States. This cafe opened in 2018 and is located in the heart of Midtown Sacramento. Pachamama’s original roastery is at this location and open to the public for tours and classes. The farmer-owners and staff of Pachamama Coffee were honored to win the SCA’s Sustainability Award for Business Model this year.
What equipment do you use in your shop?
Slayer Espresso
FETCO Batch Brewer
Hario V60 pour-over
Chemex
Which roaster or roasters do you serve?
We roast on-site. Our original roastery is in the back of the building, cafe in the front. All coffee roasted is Certified Organic by CCOF.
What is the neighborhood like where you’re located? What’s some other cool stuff nearby?
We are located in the Lavender Heights neighborhood of Midtown Sacramento, a vibrant community filled with good food, art, and music. Every Saturday the Midtown Farmers Market is hosted less than a block away, making Pachamama the perfect spot meet-up before heading to get fresh produce and other goods from local vendors.
Did you close during a mandated Coronavirus shutdown, and if so, for how long?
Our cafes remained open throughout the Coronavirus shutdown, although all indoor seating was closed until May of this year.
How has Coronavirus impacted daily work at your cafe?
We are grateful for an amazing staff and caring customers that helped make the transition smoothly. The pandemic was an opportunity to pause, reflect, and improve. For example, we have increased efforts to sell both drinks and beans in reusable containers, while reducing the amount of packaging significantly. Customers love the refillable coffee tin program and we offer generous discounts for bulk bags of five pounds. Today we are quite a bit busier than pre-pandemic. On November 1, we are making the switch to oat milk standard for all cafe drinks (no surcharge), because our customers prefer it and its a more sustainable option.
What’s something cool or unique about your cafe you want folks to know?
The cafe’s centerpiece is large a community table that was crafted in the image of the iconic Sacramento Tower Bridge by local artist Eddie Stein. The iron work resembles the bridge and serves as a base to hold a beautiful piece of reclaimed redwood. The inspiration behind the Tower Bridge Table is near to our hearts as Pachamama itself is a bridge connecting coffee drinkers with coffee growers around the world.
Is there a community organization or charity you’d like to shout-out as part of this feature?
Yes, thanks for asking! Soil Born Farms is an urban agriculture and education project in the Sacramento area that truly embodies the region’s Farm-to-Fork mentality. They have a wonderful farm stand where the community can buy local, organic produce and experience the farm to connect with the local food system and learn about growing sustainable communities together. Soil Born’s mission is to create an urban agriculture and education project that empowers youth and adults to discover and participate in a local food system that encourages healthy living, nurtures the environment and grows a sustainable community.
Thank you!
Want your cafe featured in a Sprudge Maps Spotlight? Register your shop for Sprudge Maps, our user-driven compendium of coffee shops around the globe. It’s completely free. Sign up today!
Sprudge Maps is presented by La Marzocco and Pacific Barista Series.
Photos by Pachamama Coffee, used with permission