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New Orleans, Louisiana · Specialty Coffee Brand Deep Dive

Applied Arts Coffee

Editorial sacred-geometry artwork for Applied Arts Coffee; not a documentary photograph
IndependentRoasts its own coffeeSourcing: Farm level
TagsApplied Arts CoffeeLouisiana coffee roastersColombiaMexicoGuatemalaEthiopiaIndependentFarm levelRoasts in-house
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Applied Arts Coffee is a New Orleans-based roastery and cafe that treats coffee as an affordable luxury through a culinary lens. Founded by a chef and his partner, the brand combines high-quality, responsibly sourced beans with a Scandinavian-inspired food program in their Bywater neighborhood location.

Ownership
Applied Arts Coffee is an independent, family-owned business founded and operated by chef Baruch Rabasa and Melissa Stewart.
Founded
2021
Roasting
Reported to roast in-house.
What it's known for
The brand is known for applying a fine-dining, chef-driven approach to specialty coffee and pairing its roasts with a Scandinavian-inspired menu featuring smørrebrød.
Sourcing countries
Colombia · Mexico · Guatemala · Ethiopia
Farm-level sourcing
The brand sources from various importers and maintains a direct relationship with the El Tesorito farm in Colombia, which is operated by the co-owner's family. They offer a mix of single-origin coffees and house blends, often highlighting specific processing methods like carbonic maceration.
Notable coffees
  • — Project Pijao (El Tesorito, Colombia)
  • — Mexico Oaxaca Sicobi
  • — Guatemala Huehuetenango Primavera Sisterhood
In the news

Recent news and media coverage about Applied Arts Coffee, as documented by outside outlets. We link to the original reporting and do not rewrite or endorse it.

2025-10-15 · Daily Coffee News
Norway Meets NOLA at the Applied Arts Coffee Cafe

Applied Arts Coffee opened its first full-service cafe in New Orleans' Bywater neighborhood, featuring a chef-driven Scandinavian brunch menu alongside their house-roasted specialty coffee. The cafe, located next to the brand's existing roastery, highlights the founders' culinary backgrounds through a focus on house-made breads and ferments.

2025-10-14 · MyNewOrleans
Applied Arts Coffee Joins Restaurant August in New Orleans

Applied Arts Coffee has entered a partnership to become the exclusive espresso provider for the renowned New Orleans fine-dining establishment, Restaurant August. This collaboration marks a professional homecoming for founder Baruch Rabasa, who began his culinary career at the restaurant before transitioning into coffee roasting.

Sources used in this deep dive
Research disclosure — this profile was compiled from public online sources on 2026-10-21. This company overview is not a tasting review. Original tasting reviews are labeled separately when they exist. Ownership, roasting and sourcing details are attributed to documented sources. While the brand's founding year is cited as approximately four years prior to their 2025/2026 coverage, a specific calendar year of incorporation was not explicitly stated in the provided sources.

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