![]() Branching out could mean getting a little less milk in that espresso drink or maybe seeing what those fancy brew coffee machines are all about or even trying something off of Onyx’s constantly changing signature drink menu. Everything about the shop is designed to promote engagement, to gently nudge folks out of their coffee shop comfort zones and into a more experimental headspace. Sure, someone could go in and just order a drip coffee to go, but they would be missing the Bentonville lab at its best. Five white Nuova Simonelli Mythos One Clima Pros, four white Baratza Fortes, and one Mahlkönig EK 43 (white, of course) occupy the three islands, serving as the primary grinders for the Modbar, Seraphim, and Steampunk stations, respectively.Īnd with 11 hoppers in total, customers aren’t given a freedom of choice so much as a mandate. Even the three white Acaia Pearl scales at the pour-over counter space have been inset for maxi-minimalism.Īnd all grinders-the only things that seemingly can’t be put below deck-have been moved to three white hexagonal laminate island bars around which the 360° counter revolves, with each node performing a specific function. And manual brew duties are split between four bright white Curtis Seraphim and two white Alpha Dominche Steampunks. The espresso bar is comprised of three Modbar espresso modules end-capped by two steam modules. Anything that can be moved under the counter has been, leaving hyper-clean, open workspaces at every point of service. This feeling is heightened further by Onyx’s glut of machines-enough to give pause to the most hardened of gear geeks-and their placement around the bar. This raucous hello imparts a sense of “otherness” to even the lackadaisical onlooker. ![]() ![]() Dark walnut slats of various sizes run up the adjacent walls and across the ceiling above the coffee bar, creating a natural frame for Onyx’s aesthetically intense introduction to Bentonville patrons. The 360-degree edgeless bar-the shop’s centerpiece and truly a sight unto itself-is covered in one inch white hexagonal laminate and is cast against a backdrop of a three motif-ed wall-the first third comprised of hickory paneling, the second concrete with a neon sign proudly boasting a cursive “Onyx Coffee Lab”, and the third, a navy and mustard cubic pattern. Upon entering through the glass doors, there’s an immediate sensory overload of shapes and textures. Their new design-heavy Bentonville lab is the apropos-of-nothing sort of a place that makes you say, “I have no idea where the hell we are, but we sure aren’t Here.” “Here”, in this instance, just so happens to be Northwest Arkansas.īrought to life by owners Jon and Andrea Allen, the beautiful coffee fever dream that is the new Onyx Coffee Lab is art at high volumes. The newest shop from Onyx Coffee Lab, however, requires no such context. Half of knowing a shop is understanding the place from which it sprouted, and much of what makes a shop truly interesting would be completely overlooked were its history erased. Luckily, I had Adrienne to help me with all of this.As a coffee writer covering the southern part of the United States, where cafe cultures aren’t quite as well-known as our neighbors on the coasts, I find myself expending quite a few words to contextualize a coffee shop. I was super excited to order a bit of everything, it was hard to choose. Super good vibes. At this point I was thinking, seriously? This place, this nice, this gear, these people, this city? No way! It was all very fun and I was wishing I had an Onyx in my hometown. He will be the guy with a big smile on his face. Look for him when you go, you'll know him when you see him. His name was also Anthony but he went by "Bear". ![]() In spite of a long line, they took the time to walk me through their offerings, their favorite options and really laid everything out for me. It was 4th of July weekend and the Saturday Farmers Market was fully up & running, right in front of the shop. ![]() Truthfully, it's the last city I thought I'd find a place like this. I have to say that this shop was likely the coolest shop I have visited in the states. I found that there were a few locations but a good friend of mine told me that I would absolutely love shop #3. I found myself in Bentonville, Arkansas and I hadn't really explored this city in the past but I knew they had an amazing coffee program over at Onyx Coffee Lab. ![]()
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