Photo by Selena De La Torre Photography, courtesy of Concept Coffee.
An ambitious idea pairing high-quality specialty coffee with breakfast and other culinary treats has become a physical reality with the opening of Concept Coffee in Midtown Sacramento.
The approximately 1,300-square-foot cafe was co-founded by chef and restaurateur Scott Ostrander and Kingdom Coffee Roasters Owner Ty Manukyan, with Manukyan’s childhood friend Oksen Nersisyan as a third owner.
Photo by Selena De La Torre Photography, courtesy of Concept Coffee.
Japanese and Scandinavian influences run through a crisp, modern room built around light quartz counters, a dark walnut bar front and matching stools and shelving, much of it built by Nersisyan.
Warm, spherical pendants soften the clean lines, including an oversized Herman Miller fixture, while potted plants add a note of freshness.
“We want guests to experience warmth, feel calm and inspired in this space,” Ester Nersisyan, cafe designer and Oksen’s wife, told Daily Coffee News. “We wanted to keep the space fresh, minimal and modern, but offset some of the clean lines by custom printing an oversized vintage painting to bring warmth.”
A custom-printed portrait of James McNeill Whistler by William Merritt Chase currently hangs above the bar. It’s the first in what Nersisyan said will be a rotating series of historic prints.
Photo by Selena De La Torre Photography, courtesy of Concept Coffee.
“We felt the tones complemented the space and his monocle and cane were quite cool. We believe engaging in the arts enhances creativity,” Ester Nersisyan said. “Our vision is to feature other classical artists, changing the art periodically, creating a conversation piece for our regulars.”
Of course, the main attraction is the artistry of Concept’s foods and drinks. Manukyan, who founded Kingdom Coffee Roasters in Folsom in 2017, roasts coffee for Concept on San Franciscan equipment visible to customers at the Kingdom shop, where he and Ostrander first connected through a cycling group organized by Manukyan.
In Sacramento, those coffees run through Mahlkönig grinders and a Slayer Steam espresso machine, while chocolate sauce and seasonal syrups are made in-house with fresh ingredients. A Poursteady automated pourover station helps spotlight rotating single-origin offerings.
Photo by Selena De La Torre Photography, courtesy of Concept Coffee.
Ostrander, who is also chef and owner of Gami Burger and Origami Asian Grill in Sacramento, brings his kitchen experience into a menu built around breakfast and baked goods, including house-baked bread topped with avocado mousse and colorful shaved vegetables, plus a brown butter Belgian waffle recipe the team said has been years in the making.
“Most of our menu will be always changing and evolving,” Ester Nersisyan said. “We want to highlight what’s in season and think of creative and original food and drink ideas. The spirit of the food is, ‘can we make it delicious, different and fun at the same time?’”
Photo by Selena De La Torre Photography, courtesy of Concept Coffee.
As the new shop settles into its Midtown neighborhood of apartments, homes, small businesses and schools, it may be too soon to declare whether future Concepts are brewing.
“We are still deciding if we will follow up with a grand opening,” Ester Nersisyan said. “We hope to grow Concept and continue inspiring our community with creative food and drink.”
Concept Coffee is located at 1912 P St. in Sacramento.
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Howard Bryman
Howard Bryman is the associate editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. He is based in Portland, Oregon.
