Café Xpresso on Main Street South (Route 25) offers customers the perk of easy access pulling in and out when they come to grab a bite to eat and drink.

Marie Schlump and her husband, Bob, who runs the kitchen, are the owners of Café Xpresso. Ms Schlump says her husband has been a foodie all his life, and they saw a need for a non-chain shop where people could meet and sit with each other.

Cafe Xpresso celebrated its four-year anniversary on March 6, 2019, and recently rolled out new, easy-to-use online ordering capabilities on their website (visit cafexpressonewtown.com and click on the “Online Ordering” tab at the top of the page).

“We are all about the clean, fresh, and unprocessed foods,” Mr. Schlump explained. Café Xpresso uses farm-fresh eggs, roasts its own meats, makes its own salads and sauces, and does its baking onsite.

With nutrition in mind and wanting to cater to everyone’s needs, a variety of gluten-free products, like breads and wraps, as well as vegetarian options, are always available.

Their coffee is roasted weekly by two different Connecticut roasters. When the coffee is served, it has only been a couple of days since it was roasted.

These practices have helped earn Cafe Xpresso the title of Best Coffee Shop in Statewide and Fairfield County areas by Connecticut Magazine’s Best Restaurants 2019: Readers’ Choice.

Lucas Local Oyster Bar, a South Main Street restaurant up the road, has collaborated with Café Xpresso and serves Café Xpresso’s Italian Roast and Decaf Blend coffees to their diners.

Café Xpresso also offers full onsite or pick-up catering, which can be ordered online at their website by selecting the “Catering” tab at the top of the page.

When you walk into Café Xpresso, the most eye-catching items are the chandeliers made of dangling utensils. These creative and elegant decorations further support the spoon and fork theme, which are displayed in the logo.

The couple run their shop under the philosophy of “If we wouldn’t eat it, we wouldn’t serve it,” said Ms Schlump.

Inside the dining area, Café Xpresso seats a total of 14 people at the bar overlooking the road and at table seating. Temperate weather allows for an additional 15 patrons to enjoy outdoor seating.

The walls are adorned with a variety of photos and even a coffee-themed puzzle hanging above the booth seating. Many of the art pieces were given to Café Xpresso from customers.

“We have the best customers in the world,” Ms Schlump said. “We are glad we are here, and we look forward to being here for a long time.”

A Sample Of The Menu

Specialty Breakfast: A signature item is the bacon, egg, and cheese on a fresh brioche roll. It is served with two eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese, and maple butter that the kitchen makes onsite. Also very popular is the avocado toast, which was added to the menu last year.

Sandwiches: There are more than ten different sandwiches on the menu, including the Robusto Beef, a house oven-roasted beef, cheddar cheese, red pepper aioli, and topped with arugula on an artisan ciabatta roll.

Salad: The Turkey Popeye Salad has fresh-roasted natural turkey, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, sunflower seeds, and goat cheese over a bed of spinach with raspberry vinaigrette.

Wraps: A local favorite and vegetarian option is the lunch menu’s veggie wrap. It includes house made hummus, red onion, cucumbers, sprouts, shredded carrots, and onsite oven-roasted tomatoes in a red pepper wrap.

Coffee/Espresso: With a full selection of handmade coffees and espressos, there is something for every customer. The Espresso Macchiato is steamed milk with a double shot of espresso. All the milk is from Arethusa Dairy Farm and is 2 percent cow’s milk, unless otherwise noted or requested.

Smoothies: Customers can choose from a selection of classic smoothies, like the Mango Tango, and signature smoothies, like the Banana Split. All are made with 100 percent real fruit with the option of adding rice protein and an immunity or antioxidant booster.

Treats: The display case is fully stocked with a variety of dessert treats, including cake pops and homemade granola bars. The latter item is so popular that it has become one of Café Xpresso’s best-selling snacks. Many weekend customers buy the bar, made plain or with chocolate chips, in bulk, to ensure they have one for breakfast every morning.

Café Xpresso, 150 South Main Street in Newtown, across from the Citgo gas station, is open Monday through Friday, from 6:30 am to 5 pm; Saturday, 7 am to 5 pm; and Sunday, 7 am to 4 pm. Catering and cake orders are accepted by calling 203-304-9955. For more information, visit cafexpressonewtown.com or its Facebook page at facebook.com/cafexpressonewtown.