Looking Meadow Coffee Co is opening its first storefront in Maplewood in early 2023

After almost two years as a mainstay at Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, Looking Meadow Coffee Co will open a brick-and-mortar café in Maplewood, most likely in early 2023. The vegan café is moving into the space vacated by Stone Spiral Coffee & Curios at 2500 Sutton Blvd.

Owner Jamie Herman launched Looking Meadow Coffee Co in October 2020. The business was originally run out of a rehabbed vintage camper, selling vegan-friendly coffee drinks and baked goods. The camper was retired in July 2021 following an accident, but Herman persisted and can be found at Looking Meadow’s table every Saturday at Tower Grove Farmers' Market, as well as at other markets, festivals and private events.  

Looking Meadow’s brick-and-mortar cafe will expand on the range of espresso drinks – lattes, cappuccinos and more – Herman has offered at her market booth for the past two years. All drinks are served with vegan milk options. Herman also offers chai lattes and matcha lattes, and makes her own syrups, as well as homemade sparkling lemonade and sodas. At the new space, she hopes to secure a liquor license, which will allow her to add cocktails to the menu. 

On the baked goods side of the ledger, Herman’s market booth cycles through a range of items she bakes herself, including fried yeasted donuts, cinnamon rolls, cookies, brownies and more. A family zucchini bread recipe has been one of her favorite items since the beginning, and she also regularly sells out of her individual vegan quiches. Switching from a commissary kitchen to her own space will open up new possibilities. “That's why I'm excited about having a café, I'm going to expand that menu,” Herman said. 

That expansion could include sandwiches and salads during the week and a brunch menu on weekends. “I want to do anything you would find at a brunch place, but made vegan,” Herman said. “Brunch is my favorite thing to make ever, so I want to make it big and fun.”

Having just taken over the lease on the Maplewood space, Herman’s plans are still taking shape. She hopes to open up room for a larger coffee bar and to add a full kitchen, but said she’s still running ideas by contractors to find out what is feasible. “As far as the seating, those areas will stay the same, I’ll just be redecorating and trying to find the best fit for my vision,” she said.

Former Stone Spiral customers have also been anxious to know if Looking Meadow will carry on its predecessor’s tradition of live music on the patio. “I hadn’t really thought about that,” Herman said. “But if that’s what everyone wants, I’m happy to do patio music!” The patio will also be dog-friendly, for customers who want to bring their canine pals to the café.

Herman said that her “optimistically” target launch date is December 2022, but that realistically, Maplewood may need to wait until February 2023 for its newest café to open its doors. Follow Looking Meadow Coffee Co on Instagram for the latest updates.