Take a peek inside the two newest coffee shops in Fresno’s Tower District
A caffeine run in the Tower District is looking a little different since two new coffee shops opened.
One, Component Coffee on Olive Avenue, is still plenty familiar to fans of its predecessor, The Revue, though the menu has changed.
Over on Wishon Avenue, Alchemist Coffee Lab has opened in what used to be Hi-Top Coffee.
Both are locally owned. But each have their own vibes and their own take on coffee, with very different menus.
Here’s a look at what to expect at each, and what drinks set them apart.
Alchemist
Alchemist Coffee Lab opened in mid-December. The coffee shop is the baby of Hamzeh Mahmoud, one of the owners of Fresno-based Q29 Roastery. That company has been roasting beans from all over the world and selling coffee at farmers markets and to coffee shops for three years.
At Alchemist, the focus is on the coffee. Think flights of espresso and pour-overs, Turkish coffee served in little copper pots, and various brewing methods designed to bring out the best flavor.
One of the more eye-catching methods is a siphon brew. It’s a method that’s been around since the mid-1800s and involves equipment that looks like it came from a chemistry lab.
Water in a glass bulb is heated over an open flame, which pushes up into another glass beaker-like container holding the coffee.
Like pour-over coffee, the process can take several minutes. But if you’re just looking for a quick cup to go, Alchemist has drip coffee available until about noon or so.
The menu also includes lattes, cappuccinos, iced teas, matcha and more.
“The things we don’t do are the Frappuccinos and whipped creams,” Mahmoud said. “We want the coffee to shine.”
Get him talking and Mahmoud will wax poetic about how he likes to roast coffee beans using his senses, not machines. He’ll listen for the crack of the beans, keep tabs on their scent and check their color.
He said he deliberately chose the Tower District for a cafe because he thought people here would be most receptive to the type of coffee he makes.
A Bullard High grad, Mahmoud’s background is Arabic, specifically Palestinian.
“It’s a big part of my culture,” he said. “To make the coffee shine is a part of me. I’m a purist.”
Alchemist also offers food, like scones and cookies baked by one of its baristas. Avocado toast, oatmeal and yogurt bowls are on the menu, too.
One trivia tidbit: The logo on the windows appears to feature artistic swirls in a cup of coffee, but those swirls actually spell out the word Alchemist in Arabic.
Details: Alchemist is at 1306 N. Wishon Ave. Hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Component Coffee
Walk into the coffee shop that used to be Revue on Olive Avenue and it doesn’t look like much has changed at first glance.
A few things have been moved around and the sofas are gone, but the general vibe is the same. The same employees are slinging espresso drinks. The endless string of strangers are still chatting outside. The Revue sign is still there, now hanging in the plant-filled back room.
Visalia-based Component took over the coffee shop this month after Revue’s owners decided to focus on their own businesses (including Ampersand Ice Cream) and careers.
Component Coffee Lab has had a coffee shop for more than four years on Main Street in Visalia. For the Fresno location, it dropped “Lab” from its name.
The Fresno location has been selling the coffee that Component roasts for years, so that hasn’t changed.
But the menu is a bit different.
Gone are the waffles and the whiskey-caramel latte. Although there are limited food options available now, more are on the way.
As for the drinks, there are still the basics: iced coffee, hot coffee, cappuccinos, and lattes, such as lavender, matcha and chai.
There are some interesting new options co-founder Jonathan Anderson recommends people try.
If you’re a fan of vanilla lattes, try the sweet latte. It’s sweetened with raw organic sugar for a subtle, caramel flavor.
Revue’s Mexican mocha has been replaced with an Aztec mocha. The Aztec version is spicier, with cayenne and chili pepper flavors.
Want something different? Try an espresso tonic.
This is an iced drink where espresso is poured over tonic water. A wedge of orange is squeezed into the drink, taking the edge off the espresso and adding a bit of flavor.
This one, said Anderson, is “polarizing.”
“Either you love it or you hate it,” he said.
So far, the changes haven’t seemed to have fazed customers. The coffee shop is still as bustling as ever.
The separate space behind the coffee shop that used to host special events, The Backroom Events, is not continuing its lease for this year. (Not to be confused with Component’s back room full of booths and plants. That’s still there, with some new lighting.)
Component’s name was inspired by a component stereo system in Anderson’s parent’s garage. And it’s a metaphor.
“We want to be a component of your neighborhood,” he said.
He wants it to be a place where people can hang out and relax.
“I know that it’s a change for people,” he said. “I’m excited to be there and prove to them that we can be part of the community and make some good coffee.”
Details: Component Coffee is at 620 E. Olive Ave. Hours: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
This story was originally published January 18, 2023 at 10:44 AM.
