EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 A local El Paso coffee company that started as a small drive-thru in 2015 is preparing to grow again, with plans for a fourth location expected to open in summer 2026 near Montana Avenue and Saul Kleinfeld Drive in east El Paso. <\/p>\n
Steven Svoboda, the owner of 2Ten Coffee Roasters, said the brand began in 2015 \u201cin a small little drive-through on the corner of Resler and Belvedere.\u201d After operating there for a couple of years and roasting coffee at a separate location, Svoboda said the company wanted to focus on \u201cfresh roasted coffee and real food\u201d and saw an opportunity to bring that concept to El Paso.<\/p>\n
Svoboda said 2Ten currently has three locations: a drive-thru at Montana and Birch; a shop at 145 E. Sunset, which he described as the first location; and a location at 4935 N. Mesa in the Montecillo development. He said the company roasts coffee on the far West Side, supplying the stores from its roastery.<\/p>\n
The planned fourth location is expected to \u201cmimic the current drive-thru layout\u201d at Montana and Birch, Svoboda said, but with a smaller footprint and a different feel. He said the new store will be \u201ca little bit darker, a little cozier.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new location will be at 11680 Montana Avenue. <\/p>\n
Svoboda said the company\u2019s menu and drink names are created by staff, emphasizing that 2Ten is not a corporate operation with a top-down menu. He said the team develops the drinks and food over time, drawing inspiration from El Paso, including Mexican flavors. \u201cWe are El Chuco,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The company\u2019s name, Svoboda said, comes from coffee brewing temperatures. He said 212 degrees is taught as the ideal water temperature for pour-overs, but \u201cTwo twelve didn\u2019t sound good, so we went to two ten.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also explained the black-and-red color scheme, though he noted \u201cThe T is always red,\u201d which he said signifies heat and ties back to roasting.<\/p>\n
At the drive-thru location, Joshua Montes, the store\u2019s general manager, said he has been with 2Ten for about five years. <\/p>\n
Montes said he enjoys the people he works with and the relationships he has built with regular customers who come in daily. He said his personal interest is \u201cinto the coffee itself,\u201d including what he described as the complex chemistry involved in brewing.<\/p>\n
Montes said cinnamon is a frequent customer favorite, adding that \u201cevery drink that has cinnamon in it\u201d stands out. <\/p>\n
He said he often recommends the blackberry mocha as something different.<\/p>\n
Lex Valdez, the manager at 2Ten Coffee Roasters\u2019 drive-thru location, said her time with the company includes seven years of work, a two-year break, and about five months since returning. Valdez said she started at the Sunset location, later helped open the Montecillo location, and has worked at multiple stores.<\/p>\n
Valdez said customers \u201clove the 210 breakfast burrito,\u201d describing it as a grab-and-go item with potatoes, eggs, green chili, bacon, shredded cheese and cilantro, served with salsa on the side. <\/p>\n
She said the Spanish latte has long been a popular drink, and she said the arroz con leche chai has recently been \u201ca hit.\u201d <\/p>\n
Valdez said she recommends ordering it \u201cdirty,\u201d with a shot of espresso, or a double shot.<\/p>\n
Svoboda said he believes El Paso\u2019s local coffee scene has grown significantly and said he is encouraged by local shops opening and staying open. <\/p>\n
He said the community \u201cthrives on local,\u201d even as small businesses compete with larger corporations. <\/p>\n
He said he hopes the local coffee scene continues to grow in a way that puts El Paso\u2019s coffee shops \u201con the map\u201d and makes them well recognized.<\/p>\n
2Ten will hold a coffee rave on Saturday.<\/p>\n
It will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at their location in Montecillo, located at 4935 N. Mesa Street.<\/p>\n
DJ Alvah will perform at the event.<\/p>\n
Coffee raves are a growing global trend in cafe culture where high-energy music, DJ sets, and dancing are combined with coffee consumption, typically in alcohol-free, morning or afternoon environments.<\/p>\n