Have you ever driven up Route 23 near the Willowbrook Mall and wished there were a good, immediately accessible drive-through coffee place? I have. Many, many times. Well, friends, the wishing is over. Caffébene’s new location, in Little Falls (previously the Entenmann’s outlet location), is up and running, and ready for customers who are looking for a quality sit-down experience as well as those who are on the go.
The new location, which opened last week, seats just over 80 patrons, but with its drive-through, it can help far more than that number of people get their coffee fix at any given time. Ettore Turano, owner of the Little Falls location (and who takes his espresso “short, with no sugar”), said, “The drive through was [already] there, so we decided to keep it. Also, we wanted to make it more convenient for the locals.”
Amy Park, a marketing associate for Caffébene’s corporate office, told us about the coffee itself. “Medium roasting is one of the methods we use to bring out the best in our coffee,” she said. “Coffee beans are usually divided into light roast, medium roast, and dark roast. Medium roast brings out the origin of the coffee bean while minimizing any unnecessary flavors. We aim to keep the best taste of the high quality beans, instead of burning them through dark roasting.”
With locations in cities all over the world–and many more coming to the Garden State, Park said, “Caffébene hopes to bring a different type of coffeehouse and café to the suburbs.” She broke it down for us: “A family can come in after dinner to enjoy a cup of coffee for the parents, bubble tea for teenagers, gelato for the younger ones, and freshly baked waffles for everyone.”
And while the fare is top priority, the experience is also an important consideration. “The unique interior design appeals to many different customers,” Park said. “The book café area provides a space for students to come in to study or do homework or gather together for group projects, while the spacious tables and comfortable chairs make it a place for them to stay for as long as they like.”
Photos courtesy of Caffébene.
Caffébene
1 Newark Pompton Turnpike
Little Falls
Rachel Bozek is a writer and editor based in suburban Essex County. She loves interviewing chefs and restaurateurs—especially the ones who love New Jersey. She grew up in Bergen County, and has lost track of how much time she’s spent on LBI and in the Wildwoods. After graduating from James Madison University, Rachel spent 10 years at Nickelodeon, where she was an editor at Nickelodeon Magazine. Now she does a range of editorial and marketing work, including trivia writing for all ages, kid-friendly content, marketing research, and of course, Jersey Bites! Through it all, her search for the perfect pancake continues. You can find her on Twitter (@rachelbozek) or view some of her work here.
