Cortado, made with espresso and steamed milk. Photo by Mark Davis

Cortado, made with espresso and steamed milk. Photos by Mark Davis

After working as baristas at local coffee shops, Jonathan Meadows and Nathan Shelton realized they could do better. “The more we were learning, the more we exceeded the expectations of the shop,” Meadows says.

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So, they embarked on their own venture, Cultivar Coffee and Tea Co., taking over the former Stir Coffee storefront and sharing space with Good 2 Go Tacos at Garland and Peavy. The shop offers three to six different roasts a day, originating from Rwanda, Indonesia, Tanzania and Colombia.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzipdf-aGXc[/youtube]

For the espresso drinks, the baristas weigh every shot rather than relying on volume alone. And every drink comes in one size to maintain just the right ratio of milk and espresso. That way, you get a consistent brew each time, Meadows says. He picked up on these tricks after visiting some of the best coffee shops in the country, such as Intelligentsia in Chicago.

“That really fueled me and showed me that this is actually possible. There’s no reason to be afraid of doing something drastically different.”

Cultivar Coffee & Tea Co.
1146 Peavy, 469.387.6289
Ambiance: Hip coffee shop/taco joint vibe
Price range: $2-$5
Hours: Tues.-Sun. 7 A.m.-3 p.m.

Did you know? Jonathan Meadows placed fifth in the South Central Regional Barista Competition. Read more about the Latte Throwdown here.

| more dining spots |

 White Rock Coffee

The hot chocolate at White Rock Coffee is served with fresh whipped cream.

1 White Rock Coffee
In addition to organic fair trade coffees, the Northwest Highway location serves as a cozy live music venue for neighborhood artists.
10105 E. Northwest Highway, 214.341.4774
4216 Abrams, 214.792.9767

2 Divine Coffee
This shop attracts an older crowd, and that’s what gives it charm. Besides coffee, there’s a huge breakfast menu and an awesome cheeseburger.
10233 E. Northwest Highway
214.221.4659

3 Henk’s Black Forest Bakery
It’s hard to pass up a Chai tea latte from the coffee shop and German deli next door to Half Price Books.
5801 E. Northwest Highway
214.987.9090

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