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Hello from Zocalo!
A love note to our community.
Let's face it. The past few years have been wild. We have all moved from one day to the next, filled with more uncertainty than ever before when asking ourselves what was lurking around the next corner. But there is one thing our team never lost faith in: YOU.
It is a testament to you all that our doors are still open. And for that, we give you our most sincere thanks. You have proven time and time again that this community is not only our workplace, but our home.
You have shown your commitment to us and now it is time for us to do the same. As a team, we are working incredibly hard to remain a safe space for all in this community to visit. We are continuously updating our COVID-19 protocols to ensure the protection of both staff and customers. We are enhancing our media content to use our platform in a way that better aligns with our values. We do not just want to promote coffee. We want to help build a community that is continuously kinder, fairer, and more hospitable each and every day.
We hope that you follow along with us throughout this journey - as we learn to be better neighbors, better advocates, and of course, better baristas.
New Coffee Profiles
Our roasters have been working hard to develop new flavor profiles for each of our coffee offerings. Order a bag online or come on in and enjoy a cup with us. Want to learn more? Check out our offerings here!
Craft Coffee Cans
Have you tried our new craft coffee cans?
We may be your second home, but this is the perfect way to enjoy Zocalo from the comfort of your couch.
Swing by and grab a 6-pack for your week!
Get to Know Zocalo
Our new social media series.
It is important to remember that working at Zocalo is only a portion of our staff's lives. We see you every day, we know your tastes, now it's time for you to learn ours! Follow along with us on social media Not into insta? No worries! We will also feature employees in our newsletters, too, so keep on reading!
Get to Know Our Owner, Sara
Sara (she/her)
Hey folks! I’m from Louisville, Kentucky. I moved here with my partner, Dan in late-2005 and have worked at Zocalo since 2006. First as a barista, then coffee roaster, and now the captain of the ship. Outside of work, Dan and I have an 8 year old daughter that we love hanging out with, even though she doesn’t think we are that cool anymore.
I think my favorite thing about Zocalo is the community that develops and grows in the space. When I first started working at the shop, I knew absolutely no one beside my partner and our dog. But that didn’t last long after I started working at Zocalo and a community emerged alongside me. Probably why I never left.
Need an Order Idea?
Try out Sara's favorites!
Favorite Zocalo Drink: A freshly dialed espresso
Favorite Zocalo Roast: Ascender
Favorite Zocalo Food: Avocado toast
Coffee with Cathy
Don't miss our four-part interview series with Zocalo Roaster, Cathy Davies! Part One is up on our website now! Here's a preview:
First of all, can you tell me a bit about your journey to get here? How did you find Zocalo?
Yeah, so the week I graduated from UCSC, I applied for a job at the coffeehouse down the street from my grandmother’s house in San Leandro. While I had never worked in coffee before, I had worked in customer service most of my life. Growing up I helped my folks manage a ski lodge in Tahoe, so it seemed like it could be a good fit. Within a month, I was enmeshed within an immersive community filled with friendship, art, and support. For going on 11 years, I have been fortunate to build lasting relationships with this amazing Zocalo community.
Oh, so you learned the basics here? That's lovely. What was it that switched you over to roasting?
I fell in love with coffee as a bebe barista working here at Zocalo. Before I started, I preferred my coffee with cream and sugar, thinking coffee on its own was bitter and sour.
How did you get over that?
My manager inspired a love for espresso shots. We were taught we had to pull the perfect espresso shot every time and to learn how to do that we learned to taste the difference between a good shot and a bad one. So I drank a lot of espresso in the early days.
I learned to recognize visually what a perfect shot would be, and how that rich syrupy liquid would translate to a sweet, chocolate malt with acidity that complements, rather than detracts. Finding the balance between the grind, the temperature, humidity, age of coffee beans was immensely gratifying, because it just tastes so good.
Our shifts always started with a ritual. Splitting a shot of espresso and celebrating how well we had dialed in the espresso before we opened the doors.... Keep reading at www.zocalocoffee.com
Celebrating International Women's Day
Zocalo Person of the Month
Dolores Huerta
In honor of International Women's Day, Zocalo proudly names Dolores Huerta as our person of the month.
"At 89, Dolores Huerta continues to work tirelessly developing leaders and advocating for the working poor, women, and children. As founder and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, she travels across the country engaging in campaigns and influencing legislation that supports equality and defends civil rights."
For more info, please visit: doloreshuerta.org
Women-owned businesses to support!
Local Businesses:
Etsy Shops:
Pairs Well with Coffee
Pairs Well with Plants
Pairs Well with Sustainability
Women-focused resources
Domestic Violence Support:
- International Institute of the East Bay
- Ruby’s Place
- Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments (SAVE)
- A Safe Place Hotline: (510) 536-7233
- Community United Against Violence Hotline: (415) 333-HELP
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-SAFE
Shelters:
- Building Futures with Women and Children
- Eden I & R/2-1-1
- Emergency Shelter Program, Inc: (888) 339-7233
Sexual Assault Support:
- Bay Area Women Against Rape
- Bay Area Women Against Rape Hotline: (510) 845-RAPE
- HGH Sexual Assault Crisis Line: (510) 437-4688
- National Sexual Assault Hotline: (800) 656-4673
In Response to Recent Events
Life in our time is trying. Every day, we are bombarded by tragedies, hardships, and arguments. It is impossible to get away from. You turn on the news, open your laptop, scroll through social media, and there it is. All the horrors of the world manifesting in front of you.
The past month has been especially taxing. People are being targeted, threatened, and attacked because of the greed and ignorance of others. In Texas. In Ukraine. Fear and anger are understandable responses, necessary even.
But we cannot let these feelings consume us. We must process these emotions and throw the energy back into the world in the forms of compassion, generosity, and genuine hospitality.
We urge you to support the resources and campaigns listed here, to support those who need us most today.
To Support Transgender Youth
Central Texas Transgender Health Coalition
- An organization that facilitates access to quality health care resources for the transgender and nonbinary community.
Transgender Education Network of Texas
- An organization dedicated to ending discrimination through social, legislative, and corporate education.
- An initiative that provides resources on LGBTQIA+ youth's rights and encourages advocates to defend trans rights.
- A cultural and social programming organization that connects and mobilizes queer people of color.
- An organization that works to empower children, families, and educators on creating safe and celebratory environments for gender expression.
- A community center that supports LGBTQIA+ youth experiencing homelessness in San Antonio.
- An LGBTQIA+ community center based in Houston.
The National Center for Transgender Equality
- An organization that advocates for the equality of the transgender community at the policy level.
- A hotline that provides trans peer support.
To Support Ukraine
- An organization that is raising money to prepare first aid medical tactical backpacks for paramedics and doctors on the front lines.
International Committee of the Red Cross
- Not the US Red Cross. A Switzerland-based organization aiming to help people affected by the conflict and support the work of the Ukrainian Red Cross.
- An organization raising money for its Ukraine Crisis Fund, which will provide immediate aid including food, water, hygiene kits, support services, and direct cash assistance.
- A global nonprofit delivering primary health care and mental health services in eastern Ukraine since 2014.
- An organization that provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters, and to victims of armed conflict.