FINANCIAL DISTRICT — A new specialty coffee shop is perking up a somewhat desolate subway corridor in the Financial District.
Voyager Espresso, a sleek, modern cafe, opened in December beneath 110 William St., in hopes of bringing "quality specialty coffee, in an unpretentious way" to a neighborhood dominated by Starbucks and other coffee chains, said owner Aaron Barnard.
The cafe, in an otherwise sparsely populated underground concourse, focuses on "seasonal coffee" — meaning it features coffee roasters that use coffee beans from around the world that are in season.
For example, the cafe is currently featuring two types of coffee originated from beans harvested in different areas in Ethiopia, and roasted by Portland's Heart Coffee Roasters.
"These beans were harvested and roasted at peak freshness and we think that's important," said Barnard, 28. "Ultimately it affects the flavor of the coffee."
Barnard said the shop prominently displays where its coffee comes from, and welcomes conversation about its brews. But customers don't have to be coffee geeks to enjoy the java.
"If you just want to come in and grab a drip coffee quickly, that's fine with us," Barnard said. "Some specialty coffee shops seem a little intimidating, I think, but that's not what we're about."
Along with the focus on seasonality, the cafe offers another somewhat unique coffee feature: an alternative to cold brew. The shop uses a "Japanese flash-chilling" method to get its cold coffee, brewing extra-strong coffee that drips directly onto ice, instantly making it cold.
The method "captures all the aromatics" of coffee in a way that cold-brew — which is made by letting coffee grounds steep in cold water overnight — just can't quite do without the infusion of heat, Barnard said.
As for running a coffee shop underground, Barnard said customers have been "steadily trickling in" since it opened on Dec. 14. "Most people are still just surprised to see us here," he said. "But it seems they're liking our coffee, and we'll keep tweaking what we do."
Voyager Espresso is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., underneath 110 William St., via the John Street subway entrance, between William and Gold streets.
