the Cup
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BY JEFF KORBELIK / GZO
Kristin E. Rozsa’s coffee/sandwich shop has been open since October, but she has yet to figure out her clientele.
“It’s a good question,” said Rozsa, who co-owns thé (pronounced “tay;” French for tea) Cup with her husband, Michael, in the old bottling building at 25th and Randolph streets.
She has a fair number of students from the arts and humanities high school, which also makes its home in the building.
643 S. 25th St., Suite 7
Atmosphere: Casual
Specialty: Soups, panini sandwiches, coffees and teas
Cost: Sandwiches and salads, $4.25 each; soup, $2.50 to $2.95
Payment: Cash, checks, Visa and Mastercard
Hours: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday
Phone: (402) 475-0494
Web site: www.thecuplincoln.com
Notes: Parking (in back), takeout, no alcohol, catering, free wifi, live music
Food: 3
Service: 2½
Atmosphere: 2
Vegetarian friendly: 3
The Last Bite: thé Cup complements its extensive organic tea selection with panini sandwiches, baked goods and soups prepared on the premises.
Rating system: Outstanding 4; Good 3; Fair or uneven 2; poor 1
As for the rest of her patrons …
“We don’t know who they are,” she added. “We haven’t been able to pinpoint one particular group. They seem to be coming from all parts of town.”
That’s a good sign, because Rozsa wants her shop to be a destination place — one where diners can either get a quick bite to eat or sit and converse with friends for a couple of hours.
Taking the lead from such coffee shops as MoJava, Crescent Moon, The Blend and Meadowlark, Rozsa is combining food and live music with her hot beverages.
What sets her apart from the others is her specialization in organic teas. She has 40 — up from the 15 she started with — from Octavia Tea in Batavia, Ill.
She also sells hot espresso drinks, gourmet coffees and other hot and chilled drinks.
Another draw is her panini sandwiches, which, along with her baked goods, she makes on site. Rozsa prepares them fresh each morning and then warms them up on the panini grill and serves them with a small side salad with balsamic vinaigrette. Each sandwich and salad combo costs $4.25.
They were worth the stop. I enjoyed a roast beef panini made with a horseradish and blue cheese spread. My companion went with a grilled portabella with vegetables (on this day, spinach) and asiago cream cheese.
We also tried Rozsa’s homemade soups — a delicious New England clam chowder and a Moroccan tomato, which was as good as Grateful Bread’s. A cup is $2.50 and a bowl is $2.95. The soup selection changes daily.
thé Cup is big, with seating for 70 people. It has a bit of a warehouse feeling because of its size, but Rozsa is working on that.
One corner features living room furniture for those who like to kick back. She also rotates works from local artists. Margaret Berry is hanging her pieces this weekend.
Live music is a recent addition. thé will present jazz or folk music on Friday nights. Rozsa is planning an open mike night, which has worked well for Meadowlark, on Tuesdays.
Our service was good, but we arrived at 11:30 a.m. before the lunch rush. It’s counter service, so patrons order and then have food or drinks brought to them. Warning: There could be a wait if the shop gets slammed.
I enjoyed my experience and will go back with friends. thé Cup is great for a quick, inexpensive lunch as well as place to hang and relax.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
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