Westerville is home to a sizable population of independent coffee bean roasters and quaint cafés, each gearing up for fall. As temperatures drop and the leaves change hue, pop into one of these locations, or any of the many other local coffee shops, and find the drink that warms your soul.
Ethos and Co. Café - 6576 Africa Rd.
Winding through the green fields and suburban neighborhoods north of town, motorists on Africa Road will eventually see a big, white barn.
Inside they’ll find a sleek, modern space bathed in natural light, with a variety of long tables and low chairs for working, studying and relaxing. Outside large back windows, sit clusters of Adirondack chairs, face the surrounding nature.
This is Ethos and Co., a non-profit café that disburses its channels its profits to various organizations in the community. Drink offerings include several drip and espresso options as well as nitro cold brews. For fall, barista Morgan Powell recommends ordering a gingerbread chai for a light, spicy and festive kick.
Ethos offers a substantial sweets and baked goods menu, including Johnson’s Real Ice Cream. Food trucks serve customers on occasional Fridays. The café is open during the week and can be rented out on Saturdays.
To drink are several drip and espresso options, as well as nitro cold brews. For the fall, barista Morgan Powell recommends their gingerbread chai for a light, spicy and festive kick to the day.
Family Room Coffee and Bake Shop - 545 S. Otterbein Ave.
Entering Family Room, strikes first with the distinct smell of baked goods strikes you first.
The barista-recommended salted caramel mocha is a dessert in a cup. It’s just the right amount of sweetness, with saltiness coming through to balance out the syrups poured on top of smooth espresso. From the oven, Family Room offers a plethora of cookies, cinnamon rolls, and other light meals including sandwiches and wraps.
Customers walk into a comfy and spacious dining room full of couches and café tables. Shelves of books and board games line the walls, creating a friendly space for the whole family.
It opened in November 2023, filling a space in the shopping mall off of South Otterbein Avenue.
To drink, the barista-recommended salted caramel mocha is dessert in a cup. It’s just the right amount of sweet, though, with the saltiness coming through to balance out the syrups on top of a smooth espresso.
Espresso Air Coffee Terminal - 25 N. State St.
Stepping into Espresso Air is like being transported to to a mid-20th-century airfield.
Wooden propellers spin on the ceiling and the back wall. There’s just enough room to hang out inside and chat with regulars as customers filter in and out. Centrally situated in the heart of Uptown Westerville, the whole place brings a very vintage feel to your experience.
It serves a standard array of coffee offerings, specialty teas and smoothies. Consider trying a steamed London Fog -- a base of black tea with a topping of cream.
Along with drinks are several Turkish cuisine menu items such as börek and baklava. Espresso Air also sells packages of its coffee grounds and espresso beans to take home.
Java Central Café and Roaster - 20 S. State St.
On the other side of State Street is another uniquely-styled coffee joint. This colorful “music and arts” café has been a Uptown staple since 2007 and is committed to ethically sourcing its coffee. It’s a cozy spot aiming to make all who enter feel comfortable.
Java packs a full bar brewing espresso, coffee and several teas. It has 42 flavors of syrups, including a sugar-free version of the autumn classic, pumpkin spice. Try a barista-recommended Cubano, a small, sweet and balanced espresso drink that goes down easily.
Alongside the brews, Java Centralthey serves an array of vegetarian and gluten-free food options, including baked goods, eggs and more.
Recipe
Simple but delicious, Vanilla Honey Latte
Ingredients
- Two cups of black coffee
- 6-9 ounces of steamed milk of any kind (whole dairy milk works best)
- 1 tsp. of honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Ground cinnamon to sprinkle on top
Jake Ruffer is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
