The Tala Blog

Featured Article

Spring Drink Menu 2026

Spring is finally here, and so is our long-awaited seasonal lineup. With a mix of café exclusives and returning favorites like the Ube Latte, Main Squeeze, and Dirty Horchata, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this season.

News Joanna Tong News Joanna Tong

Summer Drink Menu 2023

With the change of each season comes the change in our seasonal drink menu. Designing genuinely delicious seasonal drinks has become a big part of what makes Tala what it is, which is why we’re so excited to share our new lineup each season.

Read More
Technical Katie Wynn Technical Katie Wynn

No-Nonsense Breakdown of Brewing Methods

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a beloved machine or method–in fact, finding a way to make coffee that you enjoy and a routine that works for you is the whole point! But if your set-up isn’t quite hitting the spot and you’re looking for a change, this is for you. 

Read More
Behind the Bar, Community Haley Horvat Behind the Bar, Community Haley Horvat

Behind the Bar with Sydney

Sydney started working at Tala as a Neighborly delivery driver in the summer of 2022. Long before she was an employee, Syd was a regular at the cafe—partly because her sister Lucy worked with us, but also because it’s where she did homework almost every day after school. After doing Neighborly for a few months, Sydney joined the cafe team and has worked steadily ever since!

Read More
Community Haley Horvat Community Haley Horvat

In Celebration of Mom

From our biological moms, to the role models and women that have built a motherly bond with us over time, we are so thankful for each and every one of you. You have brought comfort, advice, kindness, gentleness, love, and unending support into our lives. You show us how to keep going and what matters most in life. As a way to say thank you to our moms and the women who show us what being motherly means, the Tala staff has written up a quick list of our favorite things about mom.

Read More
Technical Haley Horvat Technical Haley Horvat

Spring Cleaning: Coffee Edition

Spring cleaning helps us to reset and creates a fresh new surrounding. This transition runs from our wardrobes, to our home decor, to the appliances we use all winter long. Your coffee equipment is no exception. The more use a coffee mug, maker or grinder gets, the more it will show. The good news is there are steps you can take to make your gear to look all shiny and clean if you know how!

Read More
Behind the Bar, Community Haley Horvat Behind the Bar, Community Haley Horvat

Behind the Bar with Tayah

Currently Tayah works full time as a Shift Supervisor and our Event Coordinator. She is also one of the youngest on the Tala Team, although her maturity would make that hard to guess. Even when she isn’t on shift, Tayah can often be found hanging out at the cafe. If you’re a Highwood regular, you may already know a few things about Tayah. Let’s see if you learn anything new!

Read More
Technical Haley Horvat Technical Haley Horvat

How to Read a Single Origin Coffee Label

Most people choose the coffee they are getting based off the tasting notes we use in our labels. This is a great way to choose what you think you’ll like, but that doesn’t mean you need to stop there! Reading and understanding the rest of the label isn’t a crazy puzzle that takes a lot of brain power. We’ll walk through the coffee lingo and abbreviations that may help you use the label to pick out your next bag of coffee. When it comes down to it, it’s very simple—we promise!

Read More
Recipes Haley Horvat Recipes Haley Horvat

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

First time making cinnamon rolls? No problem! We have broken this recipe down into three easy parts: the dough, the filling and the icing. Don’t worry, there is no reason to be intimidated, it’s pretty darn simple. So gather your ingredients, decide if you’re making them the night before or morning of and get the coffee brewing to make sure you have something to sip while you bake!

Read More

Keep Reading