For Coffee Ride Café owners, Mario and Michelle Pemberthy, the concept for their business was as organic as the coffee they serve.
“We are both passionate amateur cyclists who love good coffee,” Michelle says. “We felt that cycling and coffee are intrinsically linked so we merged the two worlds.”
Located at the end of the Mario Cuomo Bridge inside the former South Nyack Village Hall, the café welcomes cyclists (of course), hikers, walkers, work from home employees needing a change of scenery, families with children, and last but not least, pets. In an area of town where there are no other food and drink establishments within the immediate vicinity, this sweet spot offers its customers a selection of nearly everything one could want – fair trade organic coffee from New Jersey’s Fair Mountain Coffee Roasters, teas, baked goods, sandwiches, fruit salads, vegan overnight oats, smoothies, ice cream, and fruit popsicles. Besides the culinary draw, the shop has a large private parking lot, tons of bike racks, spacious indoor and outdoor seating areas, a big deck with an outdoor ordering window, and an original fireplace which is always lit on cold days.
“Everyone is welcome at our café,” Mario says. “We were lucky that we were almost instantly accepted in the local community.”
Prior to opening Coffee Ride, Mario worked in the food industry for over 14 years and is a contractor; Michelle does product development in the corporate world. The two of them fell in love with Nyack after years of bike riding around the area and visiting local shops and restaurants. Taken together, the dynamic duo was able to create a beautiful space with free WiFi, a rustic modern décor, and a cozy ambiance.
When asked about the future of their business, the Pemberthys are optimistic about the potential for growth and community building.
“I see our café thriving,” Michelle says. “We would love to open multiple locations and work with other local businesses for collaborations and unique events. We have a family-friendly pumpkin and face painting event coming up at the end of this month and a local chess club that meets here every Friday afternoon. We hope to host more adult events this winter along with promoting different group rides and much more! We also rent out our space for private events.”
Coffee Ride Café is located at 282 South Broadway and open daily 7am-5pm. You can learn more about current promotions and events by following their social media pages @coffeeridecafe (Instagram) and Coffee Ride Café (Facebook). To place pickup orders online, click here!
Photos courtesy of Michelle Pemberthy / Coffee Ride Café
