A Very Cherry Day, the Perfect Shot, and a Whole Lot of Love
It can feel quite vulnerable to take something you’ve created and introduce it to a new community for the first time. A few weeks ago, that’s exactly what we did - and we loved every bit of it! On April 5, we had the wild, beautiful, caffeine-charged honor of showing up as Cherry Coffee Shop at Dallas Coffee Fest 2025 — and it’s hard to describe how special it was to see our little one-of-one cafe holding it down on the big stage (and it was our first time ever participating in an event like this). Along with our sister company and roaster, Novel Coffee Roasters, we shared a big ole booth and brought the full Cherry experience to life, one cup at a time.
And yes, despite the very rainy load-in (shoutout to our soggy, hustling team who powered through), it turned out to be a truly phenomenal day.
A Booth That Felt Like Home
We wanted our booth to feel like Cherry: warm, kind, dialed-in, and a little unexpected in the best way. We had a full espresso bar running all day, serving up espresso, cortados, and cappuccinos, plus a dedicated pour-over station so folks could taste the range of what we do — whether they were seasoned pros or just there to wander and sip.
Our coffees for the day included Hang Around, Daybreak, and La Roca — each chosen with intention to represent the range, personality, and heart of Cherry.
Hang Around is our signature espresso blend, and for good reason. It’s the blend we use every day behind the bar at Cherry, and it holds up beautifully whether you're pulling it as a straight shot, stretching it out with milk, or brewing on drip. With tasting notes of chocolate-covered caramel and a hint of citrus, it’s approachable enough for someone new to specialty coffee, but layered enough to keep seasoned espresso lovers engaged. It was a joy to watch attendees sip a cortado or capp and then circle back, lean in with a smile and whisper—“That’s good.” Yeah. We know.
Then there was Daybreak, our house drip (formerly known as Laboyano), and one of the most beloved coffees on our menu. It’s the kind of coffee that meets you where you are — warm, steady, and welcoming. We like to say it’s comfort in a cup, but don’t mistake that for boring. It has a structured sweetness and a soft brightness that gives it character. With tasting notes like sugarcane and red fruit, it’s a go-to morning brew that somehow always feels familiar.
And finally, we brought La Roca, one of our current single origins and an absolute showstopper on pour over. This coffee turned heads all day — a smidge floral, big time juicy, and bursting with notes of pomegranate molasses and peach rings (whoa!). It’s the kind of coffee that invites curiosity. You sip it and suddenly you’re asking, “Wait… what is this?” A honey processed coffee grown in Colombia and meticulously roasted to highlight its clarity and vibrancy, La Roca offered a totally different flavor experience — one that made people pause, smile, and come back for seconds. (sometimes thirds.)
Across both bars, we got to share not just what we brew, but why we brew it. The stories behind the beans, the sourcing, the roasting, and the care that goes into every cup. These conversations — between pours, over merch tables, while people waited in line — are what make events like this feel personal and powerful.
Equipment, Ingredients, and a Whole Lot of Gratitude
A huge part of our success at Coffee Fest came down to the people and partners who helped make it possible.
La Marzocco graciously loaned us a KB90, their game-changing espresso machine with built-in shot counters and automatic flushing — both of which made our service faster, cleaner, and more consistent. With this setup, we served over 250 drinks and pulled shot after shot that hit the mark.
Minor Figures donated their Organic Oat Milk, and we blew through over 10 cases of it. The milk steamed like a dream and complemented our espresso beautifully — and we love that it’s sustainably produced.
And when it comes to water, quality makes all the difference. Our entire setup ran on Rain Fresh H2O, a Texas-based water filtration company whose extensive purification process gave us incredible clarity and consistency across all drinks. You can read more about their 12-step process here.
The Cherry Crew: All In, All Day
From start to finish, the energy behind the bar was something special.
Vanesa, our Hospitality Lead, and Brandon, our Tech & Production Assistant, ran the espresso station with so much heart and rhythm. Brandon even said it was one of the best days of his coffee journey — which pretty much made it one of ours too.
On the pour-over bar, Marisa, our Head Roaster, led the charge with guidance, grace, and her usual impeccable palate. She brewed alongside Katherine (Cherry’s owner), Matt (Director of Production at Novel), and Sarah (our Cafe Director). The whole setup was collaborative, educational, and full of those tiny moments of connection we live for.
Another meaningful part of our booth was the handmade backdrop, crafted by our own Director of Operations, Abbey. Inspired by the upcycling mission of The Welman Project, she sewed together over 200 square feet of jute coffee bags — the same ones our green coffee arrives in from origin.
Each bag carries a story, and we gave them a second life, creating a beautiful, textural reminder of where our coffee begins. It was one of the most commented-on pieces of our setup and a perfect reflection of Cherry’s values and partnership with The Welman Project.
Liz, our Business Development & Sales Manager, definitely talked to more people than any of us. She stood alongside those waiting in our line and introduced Cherry to what felt like hundreds of curious attendees. Her energy and passion for what we’re building helped people get it — not just the coffee, but the heart behind the shop.
Meanwhile, Hilaire, our Marketing Manager, spent the day chatting with folks new to Cherry and Novel, sharing our story, and holding down the merch table. We launched a new crop top and ballcap, sold countless Cherry EK43 keychains, and of course, bags of La Roca were a big hit!
What It Meant
Dallas Coffee Fest gave us so much more than a day of serving free coffee — it gave us connection. It gave us time and space to introduce Cherry to new people, to pour side by side with our roasting partners at Novel, and to celebrate the work we do in a setting that felt both big and deeply personal.
We got to rep our corner of Fort Worth to the Dallas coffee community. We got to witness how far we’ve come — and dream about where we’re going next.
It was busy. It was joyful. It was fun.
We’ll See You Again Dallas
We’re already dreaming about the next Dallas Coffee Fest. But until then, we’re right where we’ve always been — holding it down in Fort Worth, brewing what we love, greeting you with a warm smile and a “welcome in.”
Whether you met us for the first time in Dallas or have been part of our Cherry story for a while now, thank you. Your support fuels everything we do.
Come see us soon. The espresso’s dialed in, the pour over’s waiting, and we’re always down to talk shop.
