Felicitous may be the coolest cafe and coffee roaster in the Tampa area

Tucked inside a purple cottage off the main drag of Temple Terrace is Felicitous, a cafe with fresh roasted coffee and a wondrous menu of vegan, and gluten-free pastries. The cafe also has a printer and that is CLUTCH in my eyes. The walls are decorated with art by area artists. There’s a brick patio area with an ordering window, and picnic tables set up in the backyard. You may also know some wild Florida plants growing near the parking lot. Mint and other herbs have been cultivated on the property to be used in pastries and signature espresso drinks. The green area also serves as a vendor market once a month.

Felicitous has operated in Tampa for more than 12 years, but the owners, Corrinne and Paul Liou, only recently took over, and already their blueprint for crafting a space to sip brews and sing the blues is coming to fruition. An array of cozy seating options greet you after scaling the slight ramp that leads to the front door of Felicitous. Before you arrive at the counter, Felicitous offers t-shirts, teas, bags of fresh roasted beans, and handmade jewelry. It’s a boutique within a cafe and it is perfect.

Felicitous has a super unique coffee and pastry menu

The menu of espresso-based drinks is tantalizing. My personal favorite was the campfire mocha. It’s a mocha latte with toasted marshmallow, just like sitting around the fire on a Summer night, and “keeps you coming back for s’more” notes the menu description. We love a pun.

Customers would do well do indulge in one of the ultra refreshing seasonal spritzers. The unrelenting summer is here and these bubbly, fruity iced beverages are the perfect antidote to the heat. Another popular drink at Felicitous is The Dream Catcher; an irresistible mix of sweet vanilla and luscious lavender. Be prepared for soothing daydreams.

Enjoy gorgeous outdoor seating at this hidden gem

The pastry and food selections at Felicitous are quite unlike any cafe menu we’ve experienced before. Baking, cooking, and experimenting in the kitchen is a passion of Corrinne Liou. That passion was fully evident when she placed an Ube and White Chocolate Claufutis on the table. This sweet, moist, brilliantly purple pastry is the best treat I have eaten in 2022.

In addition to the French staple, Liou also brought out a snickerdoodle biscotti (perfect for dipping in the campfire mocha), a vegan Ube and Oreo cookie, a vegan cinnamon muffin, a guava and cream cheese empanada, and a vegan chorizo empanada. Rainbow bagels are also on the menu here.

Felicitous begins roasting its own coffee

Paul is passionate about coffee roasting. He notes that the shop is preparing to launch coffee tasting and coffee roasting courses in the coming year. Roasting their own beans is new for Felicitous, but the cup of Joe we savored would have convinced us this shop were roasting veterans.

More than just a space to expand upon their own interests, both Paul and Corrinne Liou want to support the pursuits of their employees. Whether that be in music, art, gardening, cooking, coffee roasting, design, or any other occupation under the sun, they want to help their baristas reach their dreams. The notion is as heartwarming as the lattes they serve.

Felicitous operates two locations in Tampa:

• 11706 N 51st St
• 14204 42nd St

Follow the cafe on Facebook for updates on upcoming concerts and local markets, and follow them on Instagram for teasers on new specials. You can order in advance online for pickup.

Savor a brand new Tampa flavor

The owners recently posted about their switch to roasting 100% of their own beans:

“Starting this year Felicitous began roasting 100% of our coffee and espresso in-house? We call that ‘branch’ Treehouse Roasters!” writes Paul. “Since we roast our own coffee, we can purchase much higher quality and very unique coffees without changing our price much, and it’s ALWAYS freshly-roasted! We also sell our coffee by the bag, and can grind it to accommodate any brewing method or machine! So if you haven’t stopped by in a while, come see us or place an order online, and ask us what we’re roasting today!”

“At the moment, we’ve just switched over to a new Guatemalan crop from the Asokape cooperative- this coffee is smooth with notes of cocoa and nutmeg, and goes great with one of our vegan snickerdoodles or cinnamon biscotti.”

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