Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Sip on the Brown Bear latte at Cahoots Cafe in Ann Arbor

tANN ARBOR, MI his Ann Arbor shop offers the three things most important to any working professional -coffee, carbs and coworking.

Cahoots Cafe opened in January 2020 to cater to members of Cahoots tech hub along with anyone else looking for a pick-me-up.

“(Cahoots Cafe) was always meant to be a space open to the public, but it was also a really great perk for members,” Chelsea Hohn, executive director of Cahoots, said. “It was meant to be something that was nice for them to just pop down and grab coffee.” customer that ordered the latte so much that he came up a name for it, Hohn said.

The space is meant to be a “comfortable” experience for people as they explore what Cahoots has to offer, Hohn said. She said the cafe hosts some of its own events like markets and open mic nights. The space is also open to the public to host clubs and other events.

“It’s really straightforward, but it’s just really good,” Yeary said.

Other popular drinks include the Fig and Cardamom Latte and the 5 Spice Latte made with fennel, cinnamon, clove, star anise and Szechuan peppercorn. Yeary said fig and cardamom can be used in an espresso latte or a matcha latte.

Yeary has been in their role for five months now but has seven years of experience as a barista. They said they are hoping to bring some new drinks to the Ann Arbor coffee scene.

“We try to have a rotating set of seasonal drinks, so ... we’re always looking for new syrups and new flavors,” Yeary said.

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“We want this to be more than just a place where you can come and have a surface level conversation,” she said. “...It’s been like a second home for me... so I hope it benefits and brings comfort to others as well.”

When it comes to coffee, the cafe’s Brown Bear is one of its top sellers, Cahoots Cafe manager Abby Yeary said. The latte is made from espresso that melts over a pump of maple syrup and brown sugar topped with steamed milk.

The drink was inspired by a regular

Milk + Honey pastries tend to be the cafe’s staple during the weekdays, Yeary said, adding the business will feature Bird Dog Baking on the weekends. Pastries may include anything from muffins, scones, cookies, rye tea cakes to egg, cheese and sausage hand pies.

There is also a rotating selection of breakfast burritos from Juicy Kitchen and a Vietnamese dish called banh mi from Ginger Deli.

Yeary said the cafe is planning to bring bagel sandwiches and make its own homemade overnight oats and chia pudding in the near future.