What: Norfolk Coffee & Tea Co.
Where: 212 E. 18th St., Norfolk, VA
Hours: Monday–Friday 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
More Information: https://www.norfolkcoffeeandtea.com/
For more than 100 years, Norfolkians have started their mornings with coffee roasted by the Stephanitsis family. Current Norfolk Coffee & Tea Co. owner Chris Stephanitsis is happy to keep that tradition going. And, as you might guess, he still prefers to do things the old-fashioned way.
“Everything we do is done by eye, by experience,” Stephanitsis says, giving a tour of the shop’s roaring, century-old roasting equipment. “We know when we hear that third crack of the coffee when it starts crackling, we know how to finish it.”
A Century of Family Tradition
The story of Norfolk Coffee & Tea Co. dates back to 1918, when Stephanitsis’s grandfather emigrated from Greece. In search of a better life, he made his way to Norfolk, partnering with a fellow immigrant to roast coffee and sell it up and down the street by the pound.
The business found its first official home downtown on Market Street, later moving to the 400 block of Church Street as Liberty Coffee & Tea. Eventually, city redevelopment led Chris’s father to purchase the current lot on 18th Street for just $3,000, bringing the original roasting equipment with him. Today, that exact same machinery is still turning out literal tons of coffee every year.
“All this equipment came from Church Street,” Stephanitsis says. “It’s 100 years old. But it works well, it does the job. Which I like better, because now these new coffee roasters, you press a button and it just works automatically. But sometimes, it could not cook the coffee enough, or cook it too much.”
The Art of the Roast
While Chris and his brother Nick carry on the family legacy, the intricate art of roasting falls to Nico, the shop’s master roaster. Sourcing only top-tier Arabica beans through long-time brokers, they tend to shun cheaper, earthy Robusta varieties.
The shop boasts enough flavor profiles to keep you mornings busy for a long time. Regulars flock to the beloved “Virginia’s Choice” (the quintessential Downtown Norfolk blend) and the Dark Manhattan. For those looking for single-origin experiences, the shop sources specialty beans from Kenya, Sumatra and the Brazilian Cerrado region. Stephanitsis also utilizes a specialized water process for his decaf, entirely eliminating the chemical aftertaste found in mass-produced brews.
The Secret to Staying Power
So, how does one keep such a good thing going for more than 100 years? It’s partly the perfectly-time roast, but it’s actually more about community, Stephanitsis says.
“My grandfather, my father, always taught me that you give the best product you can at the most reasonable prices you can. And make a connection,” Stephanitsis says. “Because you go to the store now, all you’re doing is talking to a machine or something. You gotta take the trouble to see what your customer likes.”
That connection spans generations, both in front of the counter and behind it. While Chris handles the traditional, analog side of the business (he much prefers printed paper and handshakes to text messages) his daughter Kassie manages the modern backend, running the website, Instagram and online orders.
Together, they’ve ensured that Norfolk Coffee & Tea Co. remains a resilient, comforting fixture in the city’s culinary landscape. Whatever your taste, they’re ready to take great care of you.