Family Owned Cafe and Roastery Opening in Winston-Salem

Viva Barista Cafe

WINSTON-SALEM, NC — Viva Barista Cafe, a specialty coffee concept focused on roasting and education, is preparing to open at 229 W 5th St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.

Owner Ricardo Hidalgo told Business Debut the team recently passed a rough inspection and is awaiting final inspections, with hopes to open in the spring and potentially by the end of the month if approvals move quickly.

The project is a family venture led by Hidalgo and his son, Ricky Hidalgo, a senior at Reagan High School who developed the concept and oversees much of the coffee program and operations.

What to Expect

Viva Barista Cafe will operate as both a specialty coffee shop and a roasting operation designed to introduce customers to single-origin coffee and the broader specialty coffee process.

“The idea is not just to be a coffee shop,” Hidalgo told Business Debut. “It is to be a coffee roaster, because a coffee shop is more like a window for you to show the people how specialty coffee is made.”

The space is designed to encourage guests to stay and learn about coffee. Seating areas will be available along with features such as televisions displaying coffee education content and a table that can convert into a pool table or ping-pong table.

The roasting equipment will also be visible within the shop so customers can see the process firsthand.

Menu and Vision

The cafe will focus on single-origin coffees rather than blends, highlighting beans from specific farms and regions to showcase their unique flavor profiles.

“We would like people to experience the different flavors and aromas that you can get from different origins,” Hidalgo told Business Debut.

The shop will also host interactive experiences where guests can roast small batches of coffee themselves using small roasting machines and take the beans home. The concept is intended to introduce customers to the roasting process while deepening their understanding of specialty coffee.

Ricky Hidalgo has spent the past several years studying specialty coffee and earning certifications through the Specialty Coffee Association, including professional barista and coffee roasting training. The family has also invested in professional-grade brewing and roasting equipment designed to ensure consistency in their roasting profiles.

Opening Timeline

The team is targeting a spring opening, with the possibility of opening by the end of the month depending on final inspection approvals.

Hours

The cafe plans to operate six days a week, Monday through Saturday. Specific hours are to be announced.

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