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| Sova Wine and Espresso opens on H Street |
VOICE writes, "Sova Wine and Espresso opens on H Street
By Amy Arden
Frank Hankins spent more than a year waiting for a cup of coffee. Or, really, a place to serve coffee. Hankins, who owns Sova Wine and Espresso, opened his doors to patrons Nov. 12 in the space once occupied by R & B Coffee.
For Hankins, opening means “a lot of very happy people finally working. It’s up to me and the staff to make this place what it can be, to make this a place where people can feel comfortable either morning or night,” he said.
Sova Wine and Espresso at 1357 and 1359 H St. NE is the newest addition to a growing number of gentrified eateries and lounges.
Coffee is something Hankins takes seriously. Sova’s espresso menu features beans by Intelligentsia, a specialty roaster based in Chicago that produces single-origin coffees — premium beans that come from one country. Sova will also serve 16 tea varieties and will begin serving wine and beer next year. Food and beverages are paired in “cuppings” — coffee tastings — for the coffee menu and tastings for the yet-to-come wine menu. "
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“I particularly want to get some wines that people may not think of as wine-producing regions. There’s one company that specializes in Hungarian wines. I want to specialize in those regions you wouldn’t typically expect,” he said.
The breakfast menu includes pastries from Hawthorne Fine Breakfast Pastries and bagels from Bethesda Bagel. Melt Catering supplies salads and sandwiches, and Paisley Fig rounds out afternoon and evening fare with cakes, bread and cookies baked by the former pastry chef at Café Saint-Ex. Sova’s dessert menu features creations from Georgetown-based Patisserie Poupon. With no kitchen space, Sova shares a kitchen with neighboring establishment Rock n’ Roll Hotel.
Hankins hosted an open house in September during the H Street Festival with free espresso beverages for as long as the bean supply lasted.
“I wanted to at least have people see the space,” he explained. “At the same time, it was a good opportunity for my baristas to get under fire. I thought it was a good introduction to the neighborhood.”
Hankins estimated that about 250 to 300 people stopped by to get a sneak preview. Some have already booked private events. With artwork on the walls and a sophisticated, bohemian vibe throughout, the space feels as much like a gallery as a coffee shop. A stairway behind the espresso bar leads to a second floor capable of hosting a study session or intimate tete-a-tete.
A palette of fresh, cool greens, earthy browns, and vibrant red and umber tones unify the space. Refurbished pieces from Second Chance in Baltimore boast vividly patterned textiles, and eclectic furniture keeps the atmosphere interesting without being overdone.
On the first floor, patrons can catch a game on the flat panel television hung in the club-like room behind the main serving area. Hankins plans to use the area for movie nights and to host poetry readings and open mic nights.
“We want this to be a community place. The idea with building out the space, with four different, unique rooms [is that] we can create four different types of atmospheres,” he said.
Hankins worked with designers from Alvear Studio and Homebody, as well as designer John Giesecke and upholsterer Danielle Washington, all based on Capitol Hill.
Hankins plans to hold another open house, although a date hadn’t been set by press time. In the meantime, Sova’s Web site, by Busboys and Poets designer Jesse Thomas, will go live and MySpace, Facebook and Flickr pages are developing.
The coffee bar is open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. Hankins works with the baristas and plans on adding staff and hours for the wine bar.
Hankins said the last year has taught him a lot.
“I’ve learned so many lessons. I definitely had a lot to learn in patience. What I’m most looking forward to is bringing the people of H Street great coffee and a place to meet their neighbors.”
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Posted on Nov 15, 2007 17:29pm.
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