The Coffee Tree, located in Park Place (Norfolk, Va) is not only the most adorable little coffee spot with vegan options- it's got really cool history!
Now I don't know about you, but I love antiquing and thrifting and essentially anything that is retro. So long story short, Gabriel and Tomilynn Rapisardi nabbed this old brick apartment building up. This particular unit (where the store is now located) was once covered up, tucked away and filled with junk. Get this, it used to be one of those confectionary shops back in the day! They uncovered this gem and restored it and now it's a legitimately delicious hangout. Give their story from The Pilot Online a read, great read:
http://pilotonline.com/inside-business/couple-plants-a-coffee-tree-in-norfolk-neighborhood/article_9d43f637-dda2-58da-96e0-9e6a6a030bab.html
My friends took me over to The Coffee Tree just today. It was windy, overcast- perfect day for coffee, essentially. The Rapisardi's were there and we were greeted warmly and felt really welcome, like old friends. Tomilynn was behind the counter preparing and serving- P.S. she is beautiful, funny and was just charming as all get out! Anyhoo, she told us about the vegan whip they carry and we all were on board with getting our vegan smoothies and lattees topped top the brim with the stuff.
My friends got some delicious chocolatey strawberry things and warm, melty caramel things- I got the cold, tropical island smoothie and it was so tasty you guys ( add that vegan whip and it was phenomenal, be still my heart).
So the rain started coming down, as I'm wandering around peeping the local art hanging up and the quaint bouquets of wildflowers on each table (that I took far too many pictures of) when it got crazy outside, quickly! After about only 20 minutes we realized it was time to head home and get out of the weather that was coming in because rain in Norfolk is no joke my friends. Tomilynn walked us to the door (suggested we may want to take our shoes off- to which none of us listened) and my two friends and I waded through shin deep rainwater, trying to scrunch all of us under one umbrella and laughing hysterically. Might I add, we lost a shoe here and there and the sound of Tomilynn giggling in the distance (truth be told) made me almost pee my pants.
All in all, what a freakin' fantastical day at a cool place, with awesome history, with some seriously nice folks and vegan stuff to fill our bellies.
Now I don't know about you, but I love antiquing and thrifting and essentially anything that is retro. So long story short, Gabriel and Tomilynn Rapisardi nabbed this old brick apartment building up. This particular unit (where the store is now located) was once covered up, tucked away and filled with junk. Get this, it used to be one of those confectionary shops back in the day! They uncovered this gem and restored it and now it's a legitimately delicious hangout. Give their story from The Pilot Online a read, great read:
http://pilotonline.com/inside-business/couple-plants-a-coffee-tree-in-norfolk-neighborhood/article_9d43f637-dda2-58da-96e0-9e6a6a030bab.html
My friends took me over to The Coffee Tree just today. It was windy, overcast- perfect day for coffee, essentially. The Rapisardi's were there and we were greeted warmly and felt really welcome, like old friends. Tomilynn was behind the counter preparing and serving- P.S. she is beautiful, funny and was just charming as all get out! Anyhoo, she told us about the vegan whip they carry and we all were on board with getting our vegan smoothies and lattees topped top the brim with the stuff.
My friends got some delicious chocolatey strawberry things and warm, melty caramel things- I got the cold, tropical island smoothie and it was so tasty you guys ( add that vegan whip and it was phenomenal, be still my heart).
So the rain started coming down, as I'm wandering around peeping the local art hanging up and the quaint bouquets of wildflowers on each table (that I took far too many pictures of) when it got crazy outside, quickly! After about only 20 minutes we realized it was time to head home and get out of the weather that was coming in because rain in Norfolk is no joke my friends. Tomilynn walked us to the door (suggested we may want to take our shoes off- to which none of us listened) and my two friends and I waded through shin deep rainwater, trying to scrunch all of us under one umbrella and laughing hysterically. Might I add, we lost a shoe here and there and the sound of Tomilynn giggling in the distance (truth be told) made me almost pee my pants.
All in all, what a freakin' fantastical day at a cool place, with awesome history, with some seriously nice folks and vegan stuff to fill our bellies.
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