Excelsa Coffee Company is opening the first U.S. café exclusively dedicated to the unique Excelsa coffee bean in Ocean Beach at 1855 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.
The company, owned by Olin Patterson and Michael Mazzotta, plans to open its first brick-and-mortar location next to its corporate office in March 2025, according to a news release. Excelsa Coffee Company specializes in low-caffeine coffee made from 100% Coffea Excelsa beans, which have a tart and fruity flavor and are resilient to climate change. This opening is significant for the San Diego coffee community, as Coffea Excelsa makes up only about 7% of global coffee production.
“It all started with a simple desire for a smoother, less anxiety-inducing coffee alternative,” according to the company’s website. “Co-founder Michael, a full-time commercial real estate broker, researched his way into finding the naturally half-caffeine Excelsa Coffee Bean and was instantly hooked. Sharing his discovery with his friend Olin, a consumer package expert with a history of scaling successful products like Avocado oil, sparked a new passion.”
Mazzotta and Patterson embarked on a multi-year personal quest to savor a unique type of coffee and explore the world of coffee sourcing. They traveled to various farms around the globe, handpicking beans and sharing their discoveries with friends and family. As requests for more Excelsa coffee increased, they recognized a significant gap in the market. They now aim to introduce this lesser-known coffee option to the Ocean Beach neighborhood of San Diego.
“Our Excelsa Café is more than a coffee shop—it’s a journey,” according to a news release from the company. “Imagine stepping into a scene from Indiana Jones or Robinson Crusoe. Every detail of our space is designed to transport you to an exotic world of discovery. Excelsa coffee remains unrefined and unenlightened, and every day, we’re driven by our passion to define what makes the perfect Excelsa cup.”
Excelsa coffee is celebrated for its distinctive fruity tartness that delights the palate. This unique coffee offers a naturally “half-caff” profile, making it an ideal choice for discerning coffee enthusiasts who seek a more thoughtful and balanced cup. In addition to its captivating flavor, Excelsa coffee is climate resilient; its hardy nature allows it to thrive in challenging growing conditions, ensuring that coffee lovers can enjoy this exquisite variety even as the climate changes. Adaptable and robust, the company considers this the coffee for the future.
