Mello Grounds is brewing a new era of specialty coffee in Cleveland

Starting a small business is never easy, especially a cafe. But most folks don’t really see the blood, sweat and tears that often go into establishing a neighbourhood coffee spot. For many, the finished product is all they ever witness – not the grind that comes before it.

When setting up her first cafe – buzzy Cleveland haunt Mello Grounds – Zantia Thompson decided to give everyone a warts-and-all peek at what it takes to go from signing the lease to opening the doors.

Instead of unveiling a perfectly polished space on launch day, she documented the messy middle.

“You see so many influencers and a lot of very polished stuff on social media now,” says the 21-year-old. “But I wanted to keep it really raw and unedited, to show not only the realities of doing something like this so young, but that you can actually do it.”

Whether by design or coincidence, Zantia’s vlogs resonated with the community. By the time Mello Grounds opened just under a month ago, the cafe had already built an avid following. That early investment from locals paid off – by all accounts, Mello Grounds is a breath of fresh air for Cleveland’s hospitality scene.

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“There’s heaps of good cafes and coffee shops in the Redlands, but there’s nothing that focuses on and has a real passion for specialty coffee,” says Zantia. “The locals said they were screaming out for some good coffee.”

Mello Grounds occupies a former juice bar on Middle Street, a short walk from the nearby canals. Zantia has transformed the high-ceilinged site into a bright, welcoming meeting point for Redlands locals. Though cosy, with just a handful of dine-in tables inside and on the front patio, Mello Grounds also spills out onto the lawn, where milk crates and timber picnic tables offer additional spots to perch.

While Zantia’s slice-of-life videos may have brought people in, it’s Mello Grounds’ menu of light bites and eye-catching beverages that has kept them coming back (“Simple stuff, but it hits the mark,” Zantia tells us). In addition to cabinet goodies (including fresh pastries from Creative Crust, bacon-and-egg muffins, and banana bread), guests can munch on toast (topped with avocado and goats cheese, cream cheese and tomato, or peanut butter, jam and banana) or dip a spoon into loaded acai bowls.

On the drinks front, Mello Grounds slings silky cups of Single O coffee alongside a host of specialty beverages. Central to this section is the cafe’s ‘Over Ice’ section, which includes cold-brew coffee, iced matcha and iced coco clouds. The must-try move is to add a layer of cold foam to the top of your drink, which is elevated week to week with special enhancements (last week, it was a maple sea-salt cold foam).

“People are driving from all around to come get our cold brew, which is really cool,” says Zantia.

Though Zantia admits that she’s been running on adrenaline (and probably more than a few coffees) throughout her cafe’s infancy, the early support has made the late nights and early starts worth it.

“I have worked every day since I got the keys,” Zantia admits, with a chuckle. “But I love being here and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now.”

Looking forward, Zantia is eager to transform the early hype into long-term success. With a foundation of top-notch coffee and an old-school, people-first approach to hospitality, the future is bright for Mello Grounds.

“I wanted a place where people could come and hang out,” says Zantia. “A sense of community is a big thing for me – everyone gets a hello when they’re entering the door. I’m very passionate about knowing our regulars’ names and their orders.”

Mello Grounds is now open to the public – head to The Directory for more.