Fans of Rosella Coffee’s rich roasts and cult avocado toast have a reason to celebrate this week. A second location, Rosella at the Rand is now open in downtown San Antonio.
Although the new location will offer some of the same favorites served in the original loft space, the concept is not a carbon copy. Rosella at the Rand will offer later hours (including a new dinner menu), a full bar with craft cocktails and curated wine and beer programs, and a Sunday brunch.
Yes, customers can still get a quick coffee on the go, but Starbucks this ain’t. The decor takes a detour from the industrial vibe of the original location to match the character of the historic Rand Building. Deco-inspired chandeliers dominate the mostly white space, punctuated by a gold accent wall and moldings. And leather and pale green velvet banquettes and bentwood chairs hug marble tables, giving the feel of a French brasserie.
The dinner menu is filled with the kitchen’s take on comfort food mainstays like steak frites served with a garlic, shallot, and black pepper compound butter; buttermilk-marinated fried chicken with braised greens and a root vegetable mash; and cavatelli tossed in a rich pork and wild mushroom ragu. The signature burger, The Rosella, is a hearty blend of beef chuck, brisket, and short rib with melted fontina cheese and a smear of spicy aioli.
Those with lighter appetites will find much to like too, like a caprese salad drizzled in a balsamic reduction and a tuna poke, here with a Southern twist of a sesame oil and Kentucky Bourbon dressing. The happy hour menu (served from 4-6 pm Monday through Saturday) features clever mash-ups like a lox rangoon and pretzel croissant with a side of beer cheese. Avocado toast devotees will also have a new way to enjoy the Rosella favorite — as bite-sized toast points.
The brunch offers a lot of carbs to soak up all the Sunday Funday booze. Classics like buttermilk waffles, French toast, and bagels and lox join sure-to-be hits like a ham and fontina omelette with the intriguing addition of lime cream; a BKT salad (that’s bacon, kale, and tomato); and the Egg Cloud sandwich with tarragon aioli, prosciutto, arugula, and white cheddar. A brioche covered in berries and mascarpone and drizzled with Texas honey takes care of the sweet tooth.
Owners Tom Schleuning and Charles Gonzalez are hoping the new shop becomes a destination for both locals and tourists to have an evening drink. The curated wine program has many by-the-glass wines from California, Spain, and Italy, with affordable rosé and sparkling selections. The beer selection is mostly devoted to local craft breweries, with selections from HighWheel, Alamo Beer, Big Bend, and Real Ale, but a few international picks like Guinness and Newcastle Brown Ale also sneak into the list.
Cocktails range from time-honored sippers like old fashioneds, French 75s, and vodka gimlets to Rand’s Tonic, a vodka drink made with peach shrub, grapefruit, and mint. Before a night on the town, it’s likely to wake you up as much as a cappuccino.
Deco fixtures and gold accents punctuate Rosella at the Rand's dining room.
