Nestled among the small, brightly colored buildings of the blooming Henderson District of Dallas is a new place where students, friends and pets can take life on the half shell. The Pearl Cup Espresso Bar is an independent coffee shop that owners and Austin natives, Rita Davis and Carlene Saelg, established to bring a little bit of weird to North Texas.
“We feel that Dallas is lacking the independent places Austin has,” said Davis. “We wanted a place where everyone feels personally welcome.”
Since its official opening on Valentine’s Day, The Pearl Cup has already acquired a group of regular customers, and it’s easy to see why. The sea-green building is quaint and inviting with sofas and fresh tulips on every table. The décor is modern, accented with boxy, stainless steel tables and a solid, bright-orange countertop at the bar.
It’s easy to get lost among the scenery displayed in the photography and paintings from local artists that line the chocolate-brown walls. The shop also has one wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, letting sunlight radiate to every corner of the building. The Pearl Cup has an outdoor patio complete with a Wi-Fi network. The ambiance is overall relaxation to a modern rock soundtrack.
Not to mention their amazing coffee.
The Pearl Cup is a progression back to the basics in coffee making and flavoring. Using only the simplest ingredients, The Pearl Cup succeeds in highlighting the natural flavors of its beans and making every cup taste as authentic as the vision that brought the shop to Dallas.
Their signature drink, the pearl latte, is a secret blend served at the perfect temperature in a mug big enough to hold the ocean. The foam on top even resembles a pearl. The shop represents places from all over the western hemisphere with drinks such as the American cappuccino, French press and Mexican hot chocolate. The Pearl Cup also specializes in Sterling Tea and everything served is available on ice for an extra 40 cents.
Breakfast paninis, an assortment of finger pastries and house-made hummus are a few examples of available food. The menu is simple yet diverse, just like the crowd found there, and it proves that Davis, Saelg and the rest of the staff rely on the quality of their product to attract customers.
While this might seem like the perfect environment for studying during the week, on special nights The Pearl Cup hosts free live music. On March 13 and 14, the shop will celebrate its grand opening with DJ Schwa and a variety of local music acts. Performances will start around 6 p.m. on Friday and noon on Saturday.
So if you’re looking for a grab-n-go coffee, Henderson Avenue may not be the place for you. A trip to The Pearl Cup Espresso Bar is a like a personal relationship – it takes time and effort. But believe me; you’ll never want to leave.
The Pearl Cup Espresso Bar is located at 1900 N. Henderson Ave. across the street from Barcadia. Store hours are Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. -4 p.m.
