SAN MARCOS — Coffee lovers in San Marcos can now get their caffeine fix at a new shop.
Jackson Craft Coffee Bistro, which opened its doors on Mission Road this month, is offering fresh coffee from a local roaster and a distinctive menu that features goods from nearby farms.
It’s also a family-driven business, which owner Barbara Jackson Hernandez hopes customers will notice.
Hernandez, who has lived in San Marcos since 1986, is a trained chef that has owned an architectural firm for 30 years with her husband.
“(Jackson Craft Coffee Bistro) is about family,” Hernandez said. “It’s a lot of family recipes from my grandmother who was an amazing baker and my Uncle Bert. There are a lot of family touches throughout the whole restaurant, starting with the family name.”
Hernandez, who said opening her own restaurant is a dream come true, said Jackson Craft Coffee Bistro will offer pastries deriving from family recipes such as, almond squares, German chocolate cupcakes and her grandmother’s beloved red velvet cake.
“Red velvet cake is really supposed to be something that just melts in your mouth,” Hernandez said. “It’s more than just a red cake. We’ll be offering authentic desserts.”
Hernandez said the food menu will be complete with sandwiches, acai bowls, yogurt parfaits and American waffles.
“We’ll only use products found in California,” said Hernandez, who designed the menu herself. “All of our foods are locally grown and we’ll only serve seasonal food. As we grow, we’ll be adding more and more items to the menu.”
But customers won’t just get homemade foods. Hernandez said she takes pride in the coffee and espresso that her business will offer.
In fact, Hernandez said she used to drive miles for high-quality coffee beans before deciding to just bring the coffee to San Marcos.
“I love tea and specialty coffee, especially hand-picked beans,” Hernandez said. “The coffee tastes so good. It actually tastes how it smells. I would love for everyone to enjoy freshly roasted coffee because of all the antioxidants. When you drink fresh coffee, you still get all the benefits.”
Hernandez said Jackson Craft Coffee Bistro will offer fresh brews daily, including a lineup of espresso drinks and gluten-free options. The beans will come from San Diego-based company, The WestBean Coffee Roasters.
But, more importantly, Hernandez hopes customers will take notice of the effort behind the menu.
“I’m really trying to bring quality food and coffee to the marketplace up here,” said Hernandez, who has six employees. “Plus, the business is surrounded by neighborhoods so you can just walk to get fresh coffee. I hope customers will walk away knowing we brought them something really delicious and special. I hope they get the sense that we really care about what we’re selling them.”
Jackson Craft Coffee Bistro is located at 1252 East Mission Road. It’s open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
For more information about Jackson Craft Coffee Bistro, go to jacksoncraftcoffee.com/.
