The smell of roasted coffee beans. The cozy lighting and quiet space. The historic, homely feel while being downtown. These are all what you might experience when you walk into Franklin House Cafe, downtown Athens’ newest addition to the ever-growing range of places for students to study, grab a bite to eat, or simply spend some time alone.
A Taste of the World
Before opening up Franklin House Cafe on January 5th, owner Zeeshan Khan and his brother Arslan traveled around the world finding flavors to bring to Athens. Zeeshan (aka Z) was sure to take note of what kind of foods he encountered in his travels so he could recreate them for his store.
They have weekly food and drink specials like Nutella waffles or Fog of London tea lattes.
Everything available at Franklin House Cafe is something that Z and Arslan tasted in Europe or Asia. They are constantly trying out new ideas in their restaurant, and when they have something new, they let whoever is in the restaurant at the time give their new creation a taste.
While they pride themselves in their coffee, they also sell smoothies and tea as well!
A Passion for Coffee
No stranger to coffee, Z worked hard to find the best coffee roasters for his customers. Intelligentsia was chosen as their main supplier after tasting 13 different roasters from across the US, with Octane being added to the cafe’s stock for their favored espresso beans.
Intelligentsia operates through direct trade, meaning that they don’t go through a third party for their coffee purchase. This was one of the main reasons why Z decided to choose them.
Real Competition
Z has big ideas for how he can compete with other many Athens coffee shops. He constantly wants to create what his customers are interested in, and he even has plans to create a space on the wall where students can write what they would like to eat or drink. The option they like best will be on their specials board for the entire next month!
With their outstanding drink choices, crafty flavors for food, and warm welcome, these brothers have created something for everyone.
Stop by for a cool new study spot, a shot of espresso or smoothie to go, or new food ventures like ZK’s Special Toast. The friendly atmosphere will bring you in, and the wonderful menu items will keep you coming back for more.
