Good to the last drop
Golden Drops Cafe brings South American coffee and snacks to Clairmont Road
Occupying the former Sobban Korean-Southern diner space on Clairmont Road, Golden Drops dubs itself an “American and Latin coffee bar.” Owner Victor Ramirez held a soft opening this past October and is working on plans for a grand opening the second weekend in December.
Ramirez, who hails from the Dominican Republic, is passionate about coffee and prioritizes quality sourcing. Golden Drops supports coffee farmers in El Salvador and a specialty coffee farm called 4 Monkeys Coffee Roasters located just outside the capital.
Interestingly, Golden Drops Cafe got its start in China. A boom in Beijing coffee shops inspired Ramirez and his friend Rafael Puquirre of 4 Monkeys to open the initial iteration of Golden Drops Café in Beijing last October. While the café only lasted a few months, Ramirez considers the experience an important trial run and hopes it will pave the way for a more long-term situation here in Atlanta. “People liked the concept, our business plan was sound, and it was the perfect training to get this one started,” Ramirez says. “I am confident because I now have people with talent and experience.”
One of these people is barista William Hernandez, who has been helping Golden Drops perfect its signature beverages for the past two months. Like the coffee he brews, Hernandez hails from El Salvador. He won the country’s National Barista Championship in both 2013 and 2014, and got third place in Australia’s World Barista Championship in 2014.
“Roasting is a key part of our coffee process, and our profile is different from most vendors,” says Hernandez. “Big companies roast really dark, which makes most coffee bitter.”
The barista says he makes over 60 cups per day of the cafe’s signature Golden Latte ($4.28). Fresh coffee is blended with raw sugar, ginger, cinnamon, sweet pepper, and a few secret ingredients for a distinctive sweetness with a hint of spice. Hernandez finishes his traditional cappuccino ($3.08) by carefully drawing little animals in the milk foam on top.
Brazilian chef Cleo Mota serves up traditional Latin American fast food items. Savory croquettes, a Brazilian cheese bread called pão de queijo, and chocolate brigadeiros tempt from the deli case. Coxinhas, a popular Brazilian street snack of shredded chicken, cilantro, and cream cheese wrapped in dough and deep-fried, are a specialty. Golden Drops even has its own coxinha crusting machine, specially ordered from Brazil for its ability to create that singularly satisfying crunch.
Ramirez draws inspiration from his mother, a Brazilian singer-songwriter who helped him design the cafe. The pair hopes to establish Golden Drops as a hub for open mic nights, book signings, and themed parties. “You may come in one day and see a singer playing the guitar,” says Ramirez. “We will be more than happy to facilitate a place that promotes cultural understanding through art.”
Golden Drops Cafe. 1788 Clairmont Road. Decatur. 404-968-9981.