A mural decorates the exterior of Bare Roots Coffee House. -STEFANIE KEMPTON / FLORIDA WEEKLY

A new coffee shop in downtown Fort Myers is striving to “serve others with love.” Bare Roots Coffee House on the corner of W. 1st St. and Bayside Parkway opened its doors in early 2026. But the business is a passion project years in the making.

Juliana Zedeker is the owner of Bare Roots Coffee House. She also owns another popular downtown Fort Myers business, Bare Roots Salon. She was looking for a new building to move her salon into when she came across the old Bennett’s Fresh Roast coffee shop location.

“I had a plan that I wanted to open a coffee shop one day, maybe in three to five years,” said Zedeker. “We went to look at the Bennett’s building, just to move my salon, because I’ve been downtown and I love downtown. But it felt like it was a sign that it was the right time to do it, you know, it was the perfect location, the perfect building (for a coffee shop).”

Owner Juliana Zedeker opened Bare Roots Coffee House in January 2026. -STEFANIE KEMPTON / FLORIDA WEEKLY

Zedeker says the idea to open Bare Roots Coffee House came from her own love of coffee and an admiration for the atmosphere of coffee shops. Having a hair salon already downtown, she had also established great relationships with customers in the community.

“It all started with a passion for coffee,” said Zedeker. “I also love community and loved going to coffee shops. It became my thing just to visit coffee shops. I just loved how, I don’t know, there’s something different about coffee shops…there’s just more community.”

Zedeker’s love of coffee and community shines through in every aspect of Bare Roots Coffee House. From the décor to the service to the staff, Zedeker has created a place where anyone can go, relax, and enjoy part of their day.

“I just want people to come in and feel good,” said Zedeker. “I just love the hospitality industry. My hair salon and the coffee shop, they’re both all about hospitality, and I think they’re both similar in a way. I’m very big on customer service, that’s my biggest focus point…to just serve others with love.”

The coffee house offers indoor and outdoor seating. Inside, there is a wide range of places to sit and enjoy your coffee. Small tables for two, countertop seats, and comfy cushioned chairs are dotted throughout the café. Towards the back, there is a more private space with a larger table that can accommodate up to eight people. The outdoor deck offers several tables that look out at the tree-lined Bayside Parkway. An overhang allows for shade during the hotter months, and there are plenty of tables in the sun for those who want to enjoy the beautiful Southwest Florida weather with their coffee.

Because the coffee shop is located in the heart of downtown Fort Myers, it’s very walkable, with some people choosing to take their coffee to go. If you decide to drive, there is plenty of free parking.

Zedeker makes all of her food fresh in-house. -STEFANIE KEMPTON / FLORIDA WEEKLY

Bare Roots Coffee House offers a diverse menu of food and drinks. All of the coffee is certified organic and locally roasted. All of the flavored syrups are made in-house. Or if you’re in the mood for something more potent, you can try an espresso drink like The Roots Latte made with hazelnut crème, honeyand warm spices. Not a coffee drinker? No problem. Bare Roots Coffee House also serves up matcha lattes, chai tea lattes and a variety of teas and cold-pressed juices.

All of the food on the menu is made in-house. Some customer favorites are the honey sausage egg melt, which features a house-made egg patty, sausage, white cheddar and arugula drizzled with hot honey and sandwiched between two pieces of toasted ciabatta bread, and homemade baked goods like lemon blueberry loaf and banana pecan loaf. Zedeker also includes rotating seasonal specialties like cake pops sparkled with pink and white for Valentine’s Day.

Zedeker focuses on making her food fresh with nutrient-dense ingredients, too. Nutrient-packed items on the menu include energy bites filled with chickpeas, oats, and almond butter and smoothies that are packed with tropical fruits and spices, like mango, pineapple and turmeric. You can also add extra protein or immunity boosts to your liking.

Though she’s called Southwest Florida home for the last 24 years, Zedeker is originally from Brazil. Her Brazilian influence can be seen throughout the menu, with items like the Brazilian acai bowl that contains organic acai, fresh fruits, house-made granola, cacao nibs and honey, and pão de queijo or Brazilian cheese bread.

“It’s just like little things, just to make sure you can indulge in it without guilt,” said Zedeker. “It comes back to just adding more things to be nutrient-rich. So, our egg patties have cottage cheese for extra protein. The loaves I make, I add Greek yogurt for extra protein, too.”

There are also gluten-free options on the menu, like gluten-free quiches and gluten-free cheese bread, both made with tapioca flour. Another unique aspect of the menu is homemade, fresh alternative milks. Zedeker makes her own fresh oat milk and almond milk for customers who can’t have cow’s milk or simply want to try something new.

“I think it’s something unique and super cool and I don’t think anybody else has it,” said Zedeker. “I make my almond milk and my oat milk in-house, so there are no preservatives.”

Bare Roots Coffee House offers outdoor seating both in the shade and in the sun. -STEFANIE KEMPTON / FLORIDA WEEKLY

Zedeker says she likes to update her menu every once and a while to keep things fresh and interesting. She just added new antioxidant-packed acai bowls and a few more lunch options like chicken sandwiches. The menu also offers a rotating soup of the day that is based on seasonal and fresh ingredients.

And while Bare Roots Coffee House has only been open for a few months, Zedeker says the community response has already been overwhelming. Having owned and operated Bare Roots Salon downtown for ten years, she sees a lot of the same people between her two businesses and have built relationships with many in the downtown Fort Myers community and beyond.

“The community has been amazing,” said Zedeker. “I’ve been in downtown for 10 years, so I know a lot of the people who are here already. Everybody is just so happy to have another local business; everybody wants to come in and talk to me and say hello. I’m very proud of what I’ve created.”

Zedeker wants Bare Roots Coffee House to be more than a quick-stop coffee shop, though that certainly is an option for people on the go. She wants her space to be a place where people can truly enjoy and relax.

“The main goal was to create a space where people come in and just be themselves,” said Zedeker. “Just slow down, take a minute of the day to just slow down. And a cup of coffee and good homemade food makes it all better.”

Bare Roots Coffee House is located at 2011 Bayside Pkwy in downtown Fort Myers. It is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Bare Roots Coffee House is located at 2011 Bayside Parkway in downtown Fort Myers. -STEFANIE KEMPTON / FLORIDA WEEKLY

Look for updated menu items on their website and social media pages.

In The KNOW:

WHERE: 2011 Bayside Parkway, Fort Myers.
WHEN: Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
MORE INFORMATION: barerootscoffeehouse.com/ or  239 237-2973.