Evie Chapman Blogger: Build-Outs Of Summer: Cafe Moka In Charlotte, NC

We’re back in Charlotte for another exciting Build-Out of Summer, this time coming from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Heading 350+ miles west towards their new home, Cafe Moka is the newest addition to an already exciting Charlotte coffee scene. The vibe is approachable but make no mistake about it, they are not skimping on the coffee quality. As a multi-roaster, Cafe Moka has upwards of five different roasters on offer at a given time, showcasing some of the best in the region (and from the other coast as well). So let’s get cozy and check out the new Cafe Moka in Charlotte, North Carolina.

As told to Sprudge by Roark Basham.

For those who aren’t familiar, will you tell us about your company?

We are a multi-roaster, espresso, and brewed coffee bar. Owned by three brothers. Roark Basham, along with Rowman and Rhett Basham. We started in 2010 in Virginia Beach, VA. We still have a shop there, on the campus of Regent University. Rowman moved moved to Charlotte in 2016, and we felt like Charlotte would be a fantastic spot for Cafe Moka. So I (Roark) moved there this spring to open and operate the shop.

Can you tell us a bit about the new space?

Vintage Americana, worn in, repurposed materials, hand made. I myself (Roark Basham) designed the entire space from the layout, to the interior finishes. I made most of the signs and some of the furniture. I designed the various logos seen throughout the space.

What’s your approach to coffee?

We offer a menu that has something for every level of coffee palate. For the purist, we hand-brew each cup, with offerings from four different roasters daily. Fruity espresso for straight consumption or small espresso beverages. We offer a heartier espresso with more milk, and tons of flavor options. We feature matcha drinks (Swallowtail Tea), chai (Prana) and golden Turmeric, hot or iced tea, smoothies, hot cocoas, blended coffee, and coffee-free drinks. Each season we have a seasonal menu. Our most popular off our summer menu is our signature Blackberry Coffee Lemonade. We sell it, as well as our Summer Crush Teas, and our Ice Brew Coffee by the cup or growler.

Any machines, coffees, special equipment lined up?

We use an old La Marzocco FB-70, custom painted orange. We use Baratza Forte BG grinders, Curtis hot water tower, Acaia Pearl scales and mainly v60’s to hand-brew each cup. Right now we use Hex Coffee (Charlotte, NC), Red Rooster Coffee (Floyd, VA), Barista Parlor (Nashville, TN), and Cirque (Tulsa, OK) on brewed coffee and Dillanos (Sumner, WA) and Red Rooster (Floyd, VA) on espresso.