At what point did coffee shops and laptops become sworn enemies? We’ve collectively agreed that cafés are places to read books for three hours, journal about our feelings, and have four-hour first dates that go nowhere. But open up Microsoft Excel for twenty minutes, and suddenly you’re a threat to society?

Meet our new favorite drink to sip on: the Chantala Matcha. Going hand in hand with our pivot to unsweetened matcha, the Chantala Matcha combines our decadent, earthy matcha with a balanced vanilla syrup and our homemade blueberry-strawberry whipped cream, garnished with tangy freeze-dried raspberries. Trust me, it tastes and looks as good as it sounds.

To better understand how our specialty menu came to life, we sat down with co-owner Joanna to talk through her process in creating each drink for our opening menu, the stories behind them, and what inspired them in the first place. Cheers!

Tala Coffee Roasters, in addition to specialty coffee, often hosts a line of cyclists snaking their way through the cafe on weekdays and weekends–opting for more traditional fare like the single shot or Gibraltar. The history between Tala and the cycling community runs deep, extending back to when the Highwood cafe first opened its doors in 2018, and has expanded ever since.

When you walk into Tala, the first thing you notice is the atmosphere: the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee, the soft hum of conversations, and the comforting hiss of the espresso machine. But there’s another key ingredient to our cafe’s vibe—the music. The playlists you hear are handpicked by our baristas, adding a personal touch to your Tala experience. Ever wonder what they’re queuing up while they’re behind the bar? Let’s dive into our Highwood baristas’ favorite tracks and discover the sounds that fuel their shifts.