By Bob Yanega
What started out as a simple review of a new café in downtown Cleveland became far more complicated once I started to peel back the layers of the onion that is Nexus Café and Coffeehouse. Born out of a longtime vision of Head Chef and General Manager Mickey DeAngelo, Nexus is a multifaceted jewel in the heart of downtown.
Yes, it is a full-service café and yes, it does serve excellent coffee. But it is also a social experiment, a revitalization effort, and a “means by which Clevelanders connect with one another and their city,” to quote the official mission statement; the proof is in the fact that all of their profits are reinvested in downtown through Cleveland I Love You, their nonprofit arm which does neighborhood improvement projects.
Nexus fronts onto Prospect Avenue right next to the Colonial Arcade, and has a medium-sized outdoor seating area. The interior is large by coffeehouse standards, and has a fireplace and library area as well as general seating. Moving further back, you discover a beautiful conference room that is available for free for up to 3 hours and for a nominal charge for longer events. The conference room’s most striking features — an old, tall brick wall and a generous skylight — were discovered accidentally when renovating the space and, in keeping with the owner’s focus on sustainability, were immediately included in the plan.
Beyond the conference room, a set of double doors leads to the final surprise — a 170 seat venue that is both available for events and also is home to Gateway Church on Sunday mornings. Pastor Alex Ennes (who is also the new chaplain for The Cleveland Indians) and event manager Jason Hickerson are eager to find creative uses by the community for this space, whether it be a concert, poetry slam, or private party (see a video clip of an event with Justin Masterson from the Tribe here).
Okay, enough architectural focus — let’s get to the food and coffee. Chef Mickey’s goal is to source as much food locally as possible, and to use the freshest ingredients. So, by the time you read this the menu may have gone through one of it’s quarterly revisions to keep current with what’s in season in NE Ohio. There is a nice selection of lighter fare — soups, salads, wraps and flatbreads — and a full range of hot and cold beverages (see their current menu here).
I sampled several flatbreads including the Shrimp Pesto and the BBQ Chicken, which were both excellent. The crusts are made of locally sourced organic whole wheat dough which they crisp over an open flame before finishing them in the oven. The one slight disappointment was the BBQ sauce which was good and freshly made, but the flavor was not particularly exciting.
Another not-to-miss selection is the Salmon Pastrami topped with vegetable slaw and brown mustard. Yes, you read that correctly, and I was both curious and skeptical too. Basically, it is salmon with pastrami seasoning, giving a lighter, healthier feel to a classic sandwich. The salmon is coated with molasses, cayenne and bay leaves before spending several hours in the smoker. The slaw has an apple cider and horseradish dressing that gives it a wonderful finish.
My salmon was accompanied by potato salad, but not just any “ho hum” potato salad. We’re talking a delicious, highly addictive SWEET POTATO salad. A potato salad that may have ruined me for all other potato salads due to it’s strong deli flavoring combined with a healthier and far tastier core ingredient. Another great side is the fries, which are a fun, tasty, crispy fry reminiscent of Potato Sticks in a can, but made fresh from real, delicious ingredients.
The only breakfast item that I have tried was a $3 blueberry muffin that was, disappointingly, pretty much like a typical blueberry muffin from a large chain coffeehouse.
Finally, we need to talk coffee. As a coffee snob, I had low expectations from a local, new place that is trying to do a lot of different things with food, beverage, and saving the world. So let me cut to the chase and tell you that the coffee is first rate. Excellent. I would even say the best in downtown Cleveland, but since I have not tried every single place that serves coffee, I will stop shy of that.
The coffee has a great, bold flavor without the acidic finish that is so typical of bold roasts. There is a warm mellowness that, like so many things about Nexus, puts their own special flavor on it. And I felt great drinking it knowing that the story behind it’s sourcing is really cool. You see, Mickey went one step beyond buying fair trade coffee and actually traveled to Sumatra to sample various beans and to make a deal directly with a local farmer. So, the beans travel from the farmer to a shipper who sends them direct to Nexus in Cleveland. No middlemen, no monkey business, no loss of flavor or freshness. This is one item that is NOT locally sourced, and no one will complain!
In summary, this unique café/coffeehouse/church/community center offers excellent, fresh local food, delicious coffee, and an environment that is sure to make it a favorite gathering place for a long time to come. After a show, before a game, or to get the perfect cup of coffee, pop in to Nexus… and help change the world!
Nexus Café & Coffeehouse is a full-services café and coffee shop located at 627 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH, 44115 in the Gateway District of downtown Cleveland. 216.912.2816. http://NexusCleveland.com
Bob Yanega is a freelance writer, speaker, fountain of ideas, and renaissance man. He is also the founder and executive director for The 1990 Project, a nonprofit organization that has created a series of Choosing Success™ Programs to promote successful scholarship, entrepreneurship, and workforce training to high schoolers in NE Ohio.A lifelong Clevelander and unofficial Cleveland ambassador, Bob recently published a children’s book, The Littlest Lamppost, which has a strong Cleveland connection. His website is http://www.BobSense.com.
Cleveland, OH 44115
One Response to “Nexus Cafe & Coffeehouse: Loving Cleveland, Changing Cleveland”
Allison
Nexus is a gem of a place downtown! We are holding a fashion blogger event there this Saturday and can’t wait! They do such a great job with everything.