Specialty Coffee House Opens in Historic East Haven Building

Photos of Eric Ciolino and Chrisine Ucich and inside of One World Cafe & Espresso Bar

EAST HAVEN, CT - A new coffee place opened recently on North High Street in East Haven but it's not your regular "Cup A Joe" kind of shop and it's not in your run of the mill location.

One World Cafe & Espresso Bar has opened at 967 North High Street. It is two blocks from T&J Market. It is open from 6:30 to 11 a.m., Monday through Friday.

It is owned by husband and wife Eric Ciolino & Christine Ucich.

It is at the Holt House, built in 1775 by Daniel Holt, a farmer and lieutenant for a militia in the American Revolution, the space has captured local interest as a memento of a past era.

"We chose East Haven mainly because we love this property," said Ucich." "It has a rich history and we thought it would be a way to feel more like a part of the town."

“When people walk in, right away they’ll see the big eco-friendly coffee roaster I use every day and smell the incredible aroma of its freshly roasted coffees brewing in the café,” said Ciolino, who is also the chief roaster. "There’s nothing quite like that in the area, and this kind of direct connection to the customer is a tribute to the building’s history,” he adds.

Ucich said that they eventually plan to expand to Saturday hours and host monthly eventss such as accoustic music and board game nights.

Ucich said the proximity to nearby I-95 has been a bonus for the morning traffic it brings to the shop.

As far as the type of coffee house, let Ucich explain:

"Every morning, we serve specialty coffees and espresso drinks including shots, lattes, cappucino, americano and machiattos. There is also a different flavored or seasonal latte each month, and in January, it's a vanilla almond latte.

"All coffees are fair-trade and organic. We roast and serve only 100% arabica coffee beans (specialty coffee) as opposed to most commercial coffee chains.

"Customers are also able to see the coffee roaster through a viewing window into the roastery. The coffee roaster is a Diedrich IR-5 model which has an infrared burner that uses natural gas and produces low emissions making it one of the most eco-friendly roasters available.

"Every two years, we travel to one of the origin countries that produce our coffees. We have visited Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru and Guatemala.

"We roast coffees for wholesale and online retail. Our wholesale customers include several departments at Yale University, several cafes and restaurants in New Haven county and two craft breweries that use our coffees in their coffee stouts.

"The freshness and quality of locally roasted coffee is phenomenal. Our beans are roasted within 48 hours of grinding or delivery. The taste is exceptional with flavor that you wouldn't be able to get at most larger coffee chains which need to transport their coffee from far distances. Often, that coffee sits on a shelf for 3-6 months before getting to the consumer.

"Learn more about us at www.oneworldroasters.com. Our website also has a blog section for all things specialty coffee."

Photos supplied by Eric Ciolino & Christine Ucich.