Valhalla Coffee & Kava

Sebastian residents, are you looking for a new spot to hang out and relax in the neighborhood? Valhalla Coffee & Kava Lounge is the scene for you. As soon as you set foot in Valhalla Coffee & Kava, you are transported to Valhalla, the Viking’s concept of heaven. The smell of freshly brewed coffee lls the air, and a view of newly baked French pastries catches your eye. Spend your day in this relaxing atmosphere snacking and sipping coffee or Kava. Valhalla Coffee & Kava Lounge is owned by a Sebastian family, Rich and Rita Lowry, and Rita’s son Carlin. When the doors opened for coffee and kava on February 10th, 2023, Valhalla Coffee & Kava became Sebastian’s rst Coffee and Kava Lounge. I enjoyed sitting down and getting to know the family behind Valhalla Coffee & Kava Lounge. Owners Rich and Rita fell in love with Sebastian while on their honeymoon and Sebastian has been their home for the past 10 ½ years. Valhalla Coffee & Kava Lounge was previously known as Valhalla Vape Lounge since 2016; Rich stated they were all vaping when they rst moved to the area, and Carlin and nephew Kyle suggested they open a vape shop. The family chose the name Valhalla due to their shared love of Norse mythology and the show Vikings. Unfortunately, like many businesses the pandemic had an impact on their bottom line and they used the opportunity to expand their horizons. The couple always shared a passion for coffee. While on a trip to Savannah, GA, they visited many unique coffee houses that inspired them to open their own coffee shop one day. After they traveled around Florida visiting different coffee shops they knew they wanted to open a coffee shop with the unutilized space in their already established vape business. Kava wasn’t in the business plan until Carlin brought up the idea. The Kava industry was booming, and Carlin knew this was the right move for the future of their business and Sebastian Kava drinkers who didn’t have a local Kava Bar. The family once again traveled up and down Florida’s east coast, visiting multiple Kava Bars to learn more about the industry. They stated that the Kava bars they visited were bene cial in educating them about Kava and they kept saying how friendly the Kava community truly was! After learning more about this community, they decided this was the right move, and Valhalla Coffee & Kava lounge was born!

Albeit popular, Kava remains an elusive concept to many people. What is Kava? Kava is a beverage made from the roots of Piper methysticum, a plant native to the South Paci c Islands. Kava has been consumed for centuries due to its calming and relaxing effects; the beverage tastes slightly earthy. Kava is known to reduce anxiety, improve your mood, and relieve stress. Some people turn to Kava as an alternative to alcohol. At Valhalla Coffee & Kava lounge, they serve the Kava in coconut shells. While we were on location for this ad they had two types of Kava available. Each strain has a slightly different effect and Valhalla rotates a variety of strains throughout the month. Upon receiving the Kava shell, you raise the shell with others in the lounge and say “Bula,” which loosely translated means to have a long life and good health, and then drink your Kava. The overall process is simple: the Kava tasted earthy, but Rich provided a mocha- avored Kava shot to balance the avor. You should feel the effects of Kava almost instantly after you drink it; I felt a sensation of relaxation about a minute after consuming it. I also got to try Valhalla’s new weekly avor infused Kava, Lemon Drop; it is an excellent option if you prefer a citrus-like taste, and this one was my favorite. Rich, Rita, and Carlin were accommodating and informative for someone who knew nothing about Kava; they guided me correctly. Valhalla Coffee & Kava Lounge is a great place to sit back and have a shell of Kava after a long day.

Visiting a local coffee shop can be an excellent experience for anyone, but if you have yet to visit Valhalla Coffee & Kava Lounge, you must! With so many chains serving coffee, nding the perfect cup of strong coffee has become impossible. Most of the time, I will order a coffee and be disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised when I took my rst sip at Valhalla Coffee & Kava. The rich, bold taste brought a smile to my face. While most espresso has a tart taste to it, this espresso was perfectly balanced. I followed up that shot of espresso with a latte with oat milk. I asked Rita, one of the owners and operators of Valhalla, for a double shot in the latte, and she informed me, “that’s how we do it here at Valhalla.” I lit up like a kid on Christmas morning, and I must say this is a latte I would drink every morning as the delicious espresso paired oh so nicely with the oat milk. Paired with a freshly baked pastry imported from France, I could spend my entire day here.

Valhalla’s food and beverage menu is modest but with a nice variety, it has something for everyone; from breakfast items, sweet baked goods, and all day snacking options, they have you covered. Sitting in Valhalla, you will rst notice the pastry display; it’s lled with all things yummy such as croissants imported from France, jumbo muf ns, chocolate avalanches,