5 May 2023
Congregation Coffee has ceased roasting operations. | Congregation Coffee
Plus, a top pop-up lands a permanent kitchen space, a farewell to Rahm Haus, and Bayou Boogaloo gets THC seltzer sponsor
A nationally-acclaimed New Orleans coffee roaster loved by the city’s restaurants and its home-delivery customers has closed its roasting facility, reports the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate. Congregation Coffee Roasters has ceased operations at its Tchoupitoulas Street roastery with its Algiers Point cafe soon to follow, though both may reopen under new ownership. Founder Eliot Guthrie says he is in negotiations with a local group interested in maintaining the brand, but that the cafe may close temporarily or limit hours in the meantime.
Guthrie and Ian Barrilleaux started Congregation Coffee in 2015 after working together at Cochon Butcher, finding success supplying top local restaurants and eventually grocery stores and growing a huge subscription business. In 2018, Food and Wine named it the best coffee roaster in Louisiana. Guthrie, now the sole owner, told Axios he has been wanting to move on “for some time.” Guthrie is also an owner at Duke Walter’s, which operates out of the kitchen at Finn McCool’s.
Top pop-up lands permanent kitchen space at beloved bar
Since late 2021, Get Your Mom and Dim Sum has been serving some of the most exciting Chinese-American cuisine in town, and now chef Chef Andrew Lu and team have landed a permanent kitchen space at Holy Ground Irish Pub. Lu has fleshed out his menu, which is loved for dim sum like dan dan dumplings, shrimp cakes, and black pepper beef and mashed potato dumplings, with large plates for Holy Ground. The menu will be available from 5 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and 2 p.m. to midnight on Saturdays and Sundays at Holy Ground, and Get Your Mom and Dim Sum will continue to pop up at other bars and breweries (like Miel and Pal’s) on a limited basis.
A farewell to Rahm Haus
It’s the last weekend for game-changing ice cream shop Rahm Haus, which Jillian Duran started in 2020 as a pop-up before establishing it as a full-blown retailer operating out of Courtyard Brewery. A farewell party will take place Saturday, May 6 at the brewery, hosted by Krewe of Krampus, featuring a “super secret” final menu, live performances, art vendors, and more. Stop by 6 to 10 p.m. to load up on pints of Duran’s wildly inventive but balanced flavors while you still can.
Local THC seltzer sponsors Bayou Boogaloo
The vibes at this year’s Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo may be especially chill thanks to a new drink sponsor, the locally-founded Crescent 9 THC Seltzer (produced by Crescent Canna). Boogaloo, which takes place on the banks of Bayou St. John May 19-21, says it’s the first local music festival to be sponsored by a THC seltzer, adding an alternative to alcoholic beverages. The seltzer launched earlier this year during Mardi Gras, and is legally available to all adults 21 and older.