Amid the cozy, rustic good looks of Davis Street Espresso, owner Shannon Neffendorf takes a sip of his coffee and describes his new endeavor: “I like to think of it more as a coffee showroom than a coffeehouse.” The statement could easily be misconstrued as coffee snobbery. But Neffendorf is quick to point out that nothing could be further from the truth. His Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters is a labor of love that he started six years ago when he and his wife, Jenni, started roasting coffee on a converted gas grill in their garage. Today, his coffee can be found in more than 50 restaurants and retailers across North Texas. Located in North Oak Cliff’s burgeoning Tyler-Davis neighborhood, their new coffee shop is in a circa-1940s auto garage and adjacent to their roasting facility. Neffendorf was inspired by his travels throughout Europe, where patrons actually sit, sip, and converse at streetside cafes. He wanted his new shop to become a connecting point for the Oak Cliff community and a place to showcase his coffee. That’s why you won’t find paper to-go cups. “It taints the coffee’s flavor,” Neffendorf says. Nor will you find WiFi service. What you will find is a coffeehouse packed with moody vintage charm and industrial flourishes courtesy of local designer Gary Buckner, whose work can also be found at Stampede 66, The Foundry, and The Belmont Hotel. It all makes for the most stylish spot to sip coffee in Dallas.
For more information about Davis Street Espresso, visit our shopping guide.
