Opening a small restaurant & Coffee shop

[HDV64]

Dear Forum Users,

Hello! I am new here and I'm glad I found a place where I can get good advice.

Please note that I am NEW to this field, so please PLEASe excuse me for my lack of proper terms and my lack of experience.

I'm about to open a restaurant/coffee shop and I need a good machine that's professional. I do not know what to get.

I like the Jura Giga range X9 etc, but I'm concerned that people/customers will not see this as a professional machine. I want to serve great coffee.

On the other hand, if I were to use those semi-automatic machines with the door handles sticking out of them (or whatever u call them - ) surely this is harder to use? Also, it seems more wasteful.

I mean, after I add coffee into one of those holders and I tap it down, I have to throw away the coffee from the holder ? That's wasteful! And then, surely its longer to make a coffee with one of those machines?

What about quality of the coffee... I want the best coffee.. i want to serve a good cup of coffee.

Let's assume that I serve using the Fully Super Automatic espresso machine - would the coffee from this be any different than that from a good semi-automatic machine or a manual machine??

Thanks

 

[CoffeeJunky]

Hello there.
I think this is going to take awhile to explain.
So here is my suggestion.

1. Please specific on what you need. If you need to serve just regular coffee, you surely dont need espresso machine

2. If you are asking espresso machine, there are many out there you need to consider. How many cups are you planning on serving per hour max. Are you planning on hiring Baristas or planning to train your current staffs to make your espresso

3. Are you planning on purchasing coffee locally or buy bulk from national coffee company like folgers, maxwells.

I see you do not have any ideas about coffee and you need to educate yourself before you can find or serve great coffee to your customers.

Good Luck.

 

[HDV64]

Hello there.
I think this is going to take awhile to explain.
So here is my suggestion.

1. Please specific on what you need. If you need to serve just regular coffee, you surely dont need espresso machine

2. If you are asking espresso machine, there are many out there you need to consider. How many cups are you planning on serving per hour max. Are you planning on hiring Baristas or planning to train your current staffs to make your espresso

3. Are you planning on purchasing coffee locally or buy bulk from national coffee company like folgers, maxwells.

I see you do not have any ideas about coffee and you need to educate yourself before you can find or serve great coffee to your customers.

Good Luck.

Hello! Thanks for your response.

As we speak, I'm reading up like crazy about coffee.

I just have ONE main question:

Is the espresso from a semi automatic / manual coffee machine better in ANY WAY than that produced from a good/premium high end fully automatic machine?

 

[CoffeeJunky]

It really depends on the machine. Most of the barista will tell you fully automatic machine will give you only decent espresso but I think it does good job and it will be better to have automatic if you are not planning on having full time experienced Barista at your restaurant. Only down side to the automatic machine is the cost and maintenance issues.

 

[PinkRose]

Hi "HdV64"

You said that you're opening a restaurant/coffee shop......how much of it will be a restaurant, and how much of it will be a coffee shop? Will it be a restaurant that also offers coffee and espresso-based drinks, or will it be a coffee shop that also sells food?

A good fully-automatic machine will produce good coffee - and obviously much better than drip, but not as spectacular as having a barista on staff making the coffee drinks for you using a semi-automatic machine.

I have a feeling that a fully-automatic machine is going to be the best choice for your needs.

Rose

 

[John P]

A decent coffee shop takes a lot education, expertise, and execution, a decent restaurant is even more difficult.

...maybe consider another line of work.

 

[CoffeeJunky]

I think people have to start somewhere. And I think he is learning the idea of difficulty of owning a business. Its not as easy as it looks but it is not impossible to learn. We all had to learn from somewhere....

 

[topher]

HDV64. I suggest you hire a consultant. Because from what I am reading you are not going to succeed. I am not trying to be mean...just realistic. Coffee shops are a wee bit like tattoo shops in that sense. You can't just open up and wing it. Feel free to ask any questions...but please hire someone to train you.

 

[CoffeeJunky]

I also think you can learn tons by just searching this site or few others. And watch youtube videos also helps. But it would be much easier to hire a person to help you run the business or find a equipment supplier who does this type of consulting at low cost.

 

[PinkRose]

Hi again HDV64,

Are you really about to open a restaurant/coffee shop, or are you still in the dreaming/planning phase?

From what you've written so far, you don't seem to have much experience with coffee-making equipment, etc. and I can't help but wonder if you're jumping into a new adventure without getting the proper training, experience, and consultation.

You're probably going to need to get the training yourself, or hire someone with experience - such as a counsultant, or go into business with someone who's "been there and done that."

Rose

 

[michaelpowell44]

I feel that I am in a similar hulled boat as OP. In beginning stages of formulation of a coffee based business that offers food. Should I buy a home style grinder and espresso machine to learn the art or buy the commercial style equipment and use it at home until I secure the lease?

 

[CoffeeJunky]

Do you have any friends who owns coffee shop?
I have purchase few different coffee/espresso maker. I also have purchased commercial grinder at home.

But I do not recommend buying commercial machine to use at home.

 

[topher]

I would love to have a commercial machine at home If you are going to have a coffee business you need to learn on a commercial machine. Where are you located? There are several schools out there that teach "baristas"
MBS Class Schedules | Coffee School | Barista Techniques | Espresso Learning | How to Start A Coffee Shop | Midwest Barista School | Holland, Michigan
Barista and Roaster Training | Los Angeles | Klatch Coffee
ILBA Coffee School and Barista Training Classes
American Barista & Coffee School | Coffee School, Coffee Consulting, Coffee Business

 

[CoffeeJunky]

Those are great school. I didn't think about that.

There are few single group commercial machine you can actually use at home. They are 110v and you can use the flex waterline for the water. But that means you should get great grinders, commercial grade temper and the all the little fixings that you would need like stainless pitcher, thermometer and few hand towels etc....

 

[John P]

I agree with the previous posters, "Pro-sumer" espresso machine (with PID) ($1400+ minimum) and commercial grinder to start assessing espresso, and learning/refining your barista skills is a necessity. It's also a good occasion to learn latte art as well.

I believe the more beneficial aspect is taking the time to assess various espresso to find one that has the best taste for you that you can achieve with consistency. We've roasted our own for about seven years, but when we started nine years ago, we tested between 100 and 120 separate espresso from all over the country before we opened, and when we got to our top 5 (all blind tasting), we were not surprised to have all well-regarded entities there. True excellence is not a gimmick. Develop your shot pulling skills first, and trust your tastebuds.