The Avocado Toast comes adorned with sprouts and fresh tomato—and a fried egg makes a delicious add-on. Photos: Chris Emeott
Coffee and community reign at You & Me Café.
It’s been 30 years since Cheers ended its 11 season run on NBC, but the legacy of creating a space “where everybody knows your name” lives on at You & Me Café in Stillwater.
Just seven months on from its soft opening in April, You & Me Café is already attracting daily regulars with its welcoming service, fresh coffee and made-from-scratch food menu. Online reviews rave about its customer service, and its reputation as a go-to spot continues to grow.
Owners Dariush and Sarah Moslemi say creating a community gathering space was one of their goals. “It is such a South Hill hangout, and we are so honored to be a part of that,” Dariush Moslemi says. “We live locally on the North Hill and have always talked about creating a neighborhood spot. From the coffee to pastries to food, everyone seems to be really happy.”
The Moslemis are veteran entrepreneurs in the area. Together, they are the founders and owners of Carpe Noctem Candle Co., Studio One Yoga, The Velveteen Speakeasy and The Wild Hare.
“In our other spaces like The Velveteen, a regular is someone who pops in weekly. At The Wild Hare, [a regular comes] a couple times per week,” Moslemi says. “But [at You & Me], we see people every single day, which is so awesome to build relationships, know everyone’s name and their orders. It’s kind of like a Cheers, but in the coffee world.”
Moslemi says when he and Sarah decided to open a café, the couple wanted to have “an awesome breakfast and lunch menu,” with everything made from scratch and a heavy focus on coffee. “Basically, we wanted to create a space with an awesome ambiance, great coffee, food and community, plus now we have our liquor license so we offer beer, wine, cocktails, etc.,” Moslemi says.
You & Me Café is in the building of the former Chilkoot Café—a favorite of the Moslemi family.
“When our kids were younger, we went there all the time,” Moslemi says. “Both Sarah and I loved having a local spot on the South Hill to go to, and we really loved the opportunity to create our own space in one that meant a great deal to us.”
So, they got to work. While throwing around ideas for the name, You & Me Café stuck out as a favorite, inspired by a line in the movie Reality Bites. “Ethan Hawke and Winona Ryder are just sitting having coffee and good conversation, ‘That’s all we need Laney, you and me,’” Moslemi says, quoting the film.
With the name and location secured, it was time to build a menu. Moslemi says the intention is to make everything from scratch, be kid friendly and include several gluten-free options. Fresh pastries, muffins and scones fill the case in the mornings, with a full menu of breakfast and lunch items, including vegan garden skillet, biscuits and gravy, sandwiches, bowls and salads available all day.
The classic French Toast is two slices of brioche, served with berries and maple syrup.
“Inclusivity has been our motto with every business we have opened,” Moslemi says. “The house-made corned beef Reuben is hugely popular, and the biscuits and gravy are simply the best we have ever had. A dish that was fun to create is the Egg Smootchie, which is a [pureed roasted garlic potato whip], a poached egg and toast. It’s so good.”
Recent and upcoming introductions include an online ordering system and specialty dinners on Friday and Saturday nights.
“We have a large and awesome team of chefs in our restaurants and thought this would be a great space to feature a lot of their talents,” Moslemi says. “They would be very heavily geared towards [seasonal] changing menus, sit-down, full-service—the works. Basically, a chef’s dream.”
Splendid Sips
At You & Me Café, coffee is an art. The café serves fair trade, organic beans from European Roasters located in Le Center, Minnesota.
“That’s where we take it the rest of the way,” Moslemi says. “We decided to upgrade and get all new state-of-the-art equipment. Our grinders measure to the micron, so we can create extremely customized grounds, perfect for our machines.”
Moslemi says consistency is everything. “One big piece of new technology we acquired is the Poursteady,” he says. “It is meticulous to the gram in water portioning, timing and the weight of the grind. All that brings together all these beautiful hidden tones that are typically lacking in an average cup of coffee. This thing is amazing to watch work, and when you try your first cup from it, you’ll never go back.”
Moslemi says the café’s top blends–cOMmunity Blend and The Velvet Rabbit—will be available for purchase on You & Me Café shelves.
You & Me Café
826 Fourth St. S., Stillwater; 651.342.0854
Facebook: You&MeCafe
Instagram: @youandmecafe.co
