The spot at 231 E St., which has been sitting empty since Peet\u2019s closed in January will soon be brewing coffee again when Camellia Coffee Roasters opens mid-June, according to owners Rob Watson and Ryan Harden.<\/p>\n
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I met the pair early one morning as they emerged from the space they are working diligently to renovate so they can open next month. We walked back in and they shared that it \u201cfelt really great\u201d just to paint the space and make it brighter than it had been. That small change already made the place feel welcoming and Ryan laughed and wondered why it had been so dark.<\/p>\n
He shared that they had once taken over a Starbucks which had been cleaned \u201clike they weren\u2019t there,\u201d its previous occupants even taking the bathroom sink and the tiles off the walls. \u201cBut coming into Peet\u2019s, they left everything, they just walked away. Two very different styles.\u201d<\/p>\n
I was curious to hear what the two men believed they could do that would be better than their predecessor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not owned by Dr. Pepper, that\u2019s a good start,\u201d Ryan responded and laughed. \u201cIt\u2019s just us,\u201d he continued, adding that they, \u201cjust want to make a place that\u2019s fun and people can come have a cup of coffee and kinda enjoy their day and ritual.\u201d\u00a0 Their staff is, \u201ca really big important factor\u201d in their other location at 1200 R Street in Sacramento so they believe that\u2019s going to be \u201can important factor here too,\u201d so customers can feel comfortable about frequenting the place. Rob added that they have, \u201cvery low turnover\u201d and that they have \u201cquite a few people that have been with us five plus years,\u201d so it sounds like they\u2019re doing something right. \u201cSome days,\u201d Ryan joked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just want to make it fun\u201d Ryan explained. \u201cIf you wanna come just have coffee, come have coffee and get out of here. If you wanna come have fun, and sit down,\u201d that\u2019s okay too. By fun Ryan means that he doesn\u2019t want to have a place that\u2019s pretentious. At Camellia\u2019s, you don\u2019t need to know a lot about coffee and can simply order and enjoy a cup.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a previous conversation we\u2019d had over email, Rob had explained that that their, \u201cbranding is light, approachable and fun\u201d and that he thought it, \u201creflects our general coffee ideology. Specialty coffee can be a little intimidating and we really try to take that edge off. Coffee is also an important ritual for many people, we want to be a community institution that fosters that ritual and creates relationships. We buy great coffees and take great care in the process. We believe that milk is a vital part of the coffee experience and is often overlooked. We try to source some of the best milk available, we use Strauss from Sonoma County and Minor Figures for our oat milk and chai. Quality is important to us, not just our ingredients, but the customer experience as well.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He added that he and Ryan, \u201chave both been in coffee for many years, working throughout Sacramento,\u201d and that Ryan roasted coffee while he managed cafes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2016, we started Camellia as a wholesale roasting company, supplying coffee to local bars and restaurants. In 2018 we secured a cafe space in the WAL Public Market, a shared building with other local small businesses. In 2022 we moved into 1200 R St. and split the building into a caf\u00e9 and production space. In 2025, we moved our production space to a warehouse to handle higher wholesale volume. We’ve always wanted to grow organically and it’s quite fitting that we found our second location as we celebrate our 10-year anniversary.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur idea was always to make coffee approachable and fun by focusing on customer service. Our roasting style is unique to us and aligns with our motto: \u2018Coffee with character.\u2019 We really like Davis and think we will be a good fit. As we make the space our own and meet all city requirements, we hope to open by mid-June.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rob also explained that they, \u201croast medium, but our roast profiles are tailored to highlight the coffee’s region of origin. We buy many different coffee processing methods from around the world, but we really like natural-processed coffees. This process involves drying the coffee with the fruit still on it, these coffees tend to have a heavier body and noticeable sweetness. You have to be careful with natural coffees because they can be inconsistent and lack clarity. Choosing them requires special attention.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Back in the caf\u00e9, Ryan explained that \u201cpeople are very adamant about the way certain things should be done,\u201d referring to the coffee making process, while Rob added that \u201cthere are multiple\u201d ways and that everybody has their own. So they\u2019re trying to eliminate the fuss and simply invite people in to enjoy a cup of coffee in a relaxed atmosphere.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore of like a daytime bar\u201d Rob added, \u201cminus the shenanigans, I guess \u2026 just like a safe place for people to come where they know they\u2019ll be comfortable instead of a stuffy or a little uptight type of deal, just laid back.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two chose Camellia as the name of their caf\u00e9 since the original location is in Sacramento, the camellia capital of the world. \u201cWe\u2019ve been doing stuff with the Camellia Society so that\u2019s always been fun\u201d Ryan shared. \u201cWe do their big flower show with them and do espresso service \u2026 they come in a lot. We\u2019ve done videos with them about how to take care of your camellias.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rob added that they \u201ctry to bring a younger crowd to the idea of the Camellia Society \u2018cause they\u2019re all getting up in age a little bit and, we\u2019re not totally in tune with like the internet end stuff, but we are more so than them so we \u2018re trying to \u2026 breathe some life into it and keep the tradition going.\u201d<\/p>\n
I also found out that their \u201cclaim to fame\u201d is their breakfast sandwiches. \u201cThey\u2019re great. They\u2019re hearty, they\u2019re good \u2014 you\u2019re gonna get full,\u201d Ryan said, adding that they consist of a \u201ctwo-egg omelet and then it\u2019s folded \u2026usually on brioche \u2026 it\u2019s easy eating, people like them, very, very popular.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rob added, \u201cWe do really great coffee, too\u201d and Ryan laughed quite heartily at that. \u201cI think that the two pair really well,\u201d Rob continued. \u201cA match made in heaven, but the breakfast sandwich does get quite a bit of attention. People like to post pictures on the internet.\u201d<\/p>\n
The space will be transformed over the next couple of weeks as they work on \u201cmaking it not look like Peet\u2019s\u201d as Ryan said, and giving it their \u201csignature look\u201d which will include pink tiles around the counter, a new bar top, espresso machine, and drip brewer among other changes, including a deep cleaning because, \u201cit was filthy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
I asked if there was anything else they wished to share and Ryan declared that Rob is \u201ca really good dancer\u201d at which point more hilarity ensued.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll keep you posted about the coffee and the sandwiches, but I can\u2019t make any promises about the dancing \u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Jazz guitarist Barry Finnerty plays at Cloud Foret Caf\u00e9\u2019s Saturday at the Patio series.<\/p>\n
Karen Levy\/Enterprise photo<\/p>\n
Cloud Forest Caf\u00e9,\u00a0at 222 D St., has already hosted three music groups this season as part of its Saturday at the Patio series. For the past three Saturdays, proprietor T.H. Fang has provided a lovely way to spend an afternoon, clearing the deck on which patrons usually enjoy wonderful drinks and fantastic paninis among other delights, and turning it into a stage for a variety of musicians.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So far, audiences have enjoyed The Recreation Jazz Projekt\u2019s classic jazz, followed by renowned jazz guitarist Barry Finnerty and his Quartet, as well as Cloud Shine, a rock and jazz group from Sacramento. And on Saturday, May 16, Julie and The Jukes will grace the patio with their electric blues.<\/p>\n
Among their members is Julia Simon who plays bass and is a professor of French at UCD where she also teaches in the music department. She shared that, \u201cTH does a wonderful service to the Davis community hosting these Saturday concerts. He creates a welcoming place for folks to gather and listen to local musicians. We are so appreciative.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his generous way, T.H. hires these groups, sets up chairs and tables along the sidewalk in front of his caf\u00e9, yet does not take advantage of the crowd that gathers and closes for business during those two-hour performances from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. when everyone is welcome to sit and take in a free concert. I\u2019ve seen people of all ages enjoying themselves; children dancing to the beat, elderly men tapping their toes, young couples out on dates, older couples holding hands as they sit in the shade of trees and umbrellas, delighting in the music.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If you haven\u2019t had a chance to come down to the Cloud Forest Caf\u00e9 for a concert yet, there are a few music groups to go \u2014 Folk Music Folks on May 30, Sour Diesel James on June 6, and The Big Band on June 13. And of course, check out the Cloud Forest Caf\u00e9\u2019s unique food and drinks \u2014 Tuesdays\u2013 Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sundays 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Mondays.<\/p>\n
The music, food and family fun of Picnic in the Park returns to the Davis Farmers Market on Wednesday, May 20.<\/p>\n
Picnic in the Park features a variety of prepared food vendors, farm-fresh produce, and artisan goods, making it easy for visitors to build a picnic dinner straight from the market.<\/p>\n
Guests can also enjoy local craft beer from rotating breweries, wine from local wineries, and, new to the market in 2026, mead is available, offering a taste of the region\u2019s vibrant food-and-beverage scene.<\/p>\n
The musical act on May 20 will be According to Bazooka.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The next Davis Craft and Vintage Fair will be on Sunday, May 24, under the Farmers Market Pavilion in Central Park.\u00a0<\/p>\n