Friends’ Cafe
A New! Friends’ Cafe’ Emerges at the Health Sciences Library
The Health Sciences Library’s role in education, research, and information access is essential to the UNC Medical Campus. The Friends’ Cafe’, located in the lobby of the Health Sciences Library, was created to provide a comfortable space for collaboration amongst all health affairs students and faculty. On March 2nd the Friend’s Cafe’ opened under new management and joined the family of two other UNC-based cafe’s, The Daily Grind and Global Cup Cafe’s. All are locally owned and operated by Jane H. Brown.
Counter Culture Coffee of Durham supplies the cafés’ coffee beans, many of which are Direct Trade Certified. Friends’ Café and its sister shops are proud to be involved in the direct trade certification process which ensures a product of quality, fair payment and full transparency for all parties in the farm-to-cup process. Friends’ features different “single origin” coffees every few weeks to highlight individual farms from around the world that produce unique coffees with distinct flavors.
All of the certified baristas at the café go through intensive espresso training and must pass a thorough exam before preparing drinks for customers. For customers who prefer variety beyond a hot, traditional espresso drink or mocha, variety abounds. Friends’ provides a Magical Mocha in tasty flavors such as Crême Brulée, Milky Way and frozen fruit smoothies. Baristas also are able to make any traditional hot drink over ice or frozen (blended with ice). Be sure to check the chalk sign outside for specials for each day of the week.
Friends’ Café is eco-friendly. All cold drinks are served in biodegradable cups made from corn. The Java Jackets used to keep drinks warm are recyclable, and staff will gladly accept your return jacket.
Hungry? Stop by Friends’ to see the fresh, flavorful options for breakfast, lunch or quick snack. Friends’ buys fresh from local restaurants and catering companies that appeal to every taste, such as chicken diablo and guacamole burritos from El Cielo, vegetarian samosas from Kerala Curry, and jasmin chicken wraps and pasta salads from Mediterranean Deli to name a few. There are also several vegan lunch items, and cookies and soy bars from Alternative Baking and Delight Foods.
Let Friends’ handle your next catering! With a few days notice, Friends’ can provide airpots of coffee and tea and any of our pastries or lunch items to assist you in hosting the perfect gathering of colleagues. For a full drink menu and specific catering information, please visit the Daily Grind Web site until the official Friends’ site is activated – http://dailygrindespressocafe.com/catering.
If you work in or around the hospitals, pass by the Health Sciences Library, or are simply waiting for the bus, stop in! Chad Barton and Justin Mejia, the new managers at Friends’, will make sure you find exactly what you’re craving. All of the baristas at Friends’ would love to make you something delicious today!
