There’s nothing I enjoy more than hanging out in a craft coffee shop.
In the early ‘80s when I moved to Boulder, the choices were meager but exceedingly cool. My favorite of the two or three was the Trident – part bookstore, part beatnik lair. The coffee was thick enough to spread on toast, and the repartee witty. On an afternoon you could chat with the likes of Allen Ginsberg (or a Ginsberg wannabee) while shrouded in clove cigarette smoke.
You can imagine my disappointment when I relocated to Gulfport in 2016 and discovered that Stella’s, which serves a terrific cup of joe, was only open until 2 pm. The closest coffee shop where I could indulge my late-afternoon coffee habit was a Starbucks in far-off St. Pete. While I grew to love that Starbucks, I longed for a café closer to home.
Enter SumitrA in 2018. At 2838 Beach Blvd. S., it’s a 6-minute walk from home (I timed it). Dark and cozy, it’s lined with Indian, Moroccan, and African tapestries and rugs. Low tables, comfy chairs, two plush couches, and soft world music invite you to linger with a book, laptop, or tarot-card reader.
And the coffee! SumitrA roasts its own in small batches. Order an espresso-based drink or be adventuresome with a vanilla beetroot latte or an incomparable brainiac. All beverages can be enhanced with CBD, with which most of the pastries and snacks come pre-loaded. Hipsters have replaced beatniks and cloves are now vaped, but the “I belong here” comfort of a great coffee shop abides at SumitrA. See you here soon!
SumitrA Espresso Lounge+
2838 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport
facebook.com/sumitraespressolounge
813-220-4533