Cafe Blue

Micah Jones worked the counter at Cafe Blue before buying the place in July 2023 at the age of 23, which is a shorter route from barista to owner than most people manage. It is Black, Yapese and queer owned, and it is small enough that the details are what you notice rather than the scale.

Those details are specific. Greenery sits on every window ledge. The plates were hand thrown by the previous owner, so the crockery is a piece of the shop's own history rather than restaurant supply. Pastries are baked here every morning on a rotating list, and the house blend is made with Steed Coffee.

The drink to order is the rosemary and lavender oat milk latte, which is the sort of thing that sounds like a trend and turns out to be the reason people come back. There is free wifi, a handful of outlets, and a few tables outside for when Fairhaven weather cooperates.

Position is part of the appeal. McKenzie Alley puts it in the walkable heart of Fairhaven, and Fairhaven parking is genuinely easier than fighting for a metered space downtown. The catch is the clock: Cafe Blue closes around 2pm most days, so this is a morning plan.