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Since opening in 2010 as a coffee shop and coffee roaster, San Juan Bautista’s Vertigo has become a nationally recognized brand. More importantly to its local customers, it has become a cultural and culinary magnet, hosting pop-up events, poetry slams, live music and open mics.
“We wanted to do something more to draw people in,” said manager and coffee roaster Ryan Morris. “It requires a little bit more attention on our part and a lot more creativity.”
Morris has been with Vertigo since it opened, initially intending to move on to grad school but instead falling in love with the coffee business. At the time, he said, opening a new business in San Juan Bautista was challenging.
“Several restaurants had closed,” he said, “and there was not much going on. We offered something unique and of high quality, and people responded well. Being a modern business in a historic town also helped. It was something fresh.”
Vertigo, located on 81 Fourth Street, quickly became known for the varieties of ethically sourced coffee it carries, which number about a dozen at any given time, depending on the season. In his search for quality coffees, Morris has traveled as far as Antiqua to secure inventory.
“Around this time of year coffees from regions like Ethiopia or some Central American countries are starting to arrive,” Morris said. “Later in the year, other coffees will start to come in from Peru or Kenya. You need to be forecasting what you need a year in advance.”
Within six years of its founding, Vertigo expanded its services by building a pizza oven and applying for a beer and wine license to supplement its coffee sales.
“We slowly became more of a restaurant,” he said, “without being a full-service restaurant. We started extending our hours into the evening, and now that’s become a pretty active time for us.”
Along with a light breakfast and lunch menu that includes scrambled egg burritos, salads and banh mi, they offer a variety of pizzas in the evenings. On certain evenings, they are joined by select food trucks, most notably the Hapa Bros. and El Guapo.
“It doesn’t really act as competition to us,” Morris said, “even though we’re selling pizzas and they’re selling their food. It brings a lot of people here and it brings life and energy to the space. It’s a win-win for us and it elevates what we’re doing.”
Morris has a particularly close relationship with the Hapa Bros., saying that convincing trucks to come to San Juan Bautista is not easy and that the brothers were quick to fill Vertigo’s needs.
“I had reached out to others,” he said, “But they wanted guarantees of traffic or volume. I tried the Hapa Bros. the first day they opened, and that has helped us to establish what we are doing on Friday nights.”
Having the food trucks as a draw also makes it easier to bring in different kinds of entertainment, giving Vertigo the freedom to host a wide range of events.
“I’ve always wanted to feature DJs, especially if they are vinyl collectors, because it is a unique experience,” Morris said. “But vinyl DJs are not going to necessarily be a draw in a town with only 2,000 people. But when you combine that with food trucks, you have a package you can build on.”
One of the most popular features is the evening open mics, which, according to Morris, has developed a dedicated following.
“It is gaining momentum,” he said, “and a whole community has sprouted up here. There are people who have now formed bands and play music together who have met at our open mics. So it does something more than just drive sales on a Wednesday.”
Steve Harris, who plays with The Dead Cowboys band and regularly participates in the open mics, agrees that Vertigo has had a positive impact on the local creative community.
“It has brought a lot of us together,” he said. “The musicians, the spoken word artists, and other little groups we didn’t even know we had. It has made for a lot of fine conversations and some long-lasting relationships. It has been a very good thing for our town.”
Besides Open Mic Wednesdays and Food Truck Fridays, Vertigo hosts trivia on Thursdays, as well as a DJ on Sundays along with a food truck. Morris has been hosting live music on some Saturdays.
Cupping four coffees at Vertigo Coffee Roasters
Morris and the Vertigo staff try samples of every coffee they are considering stocking. The fairly elaborate process of tasting coffee is called cupping, which he demonstrated with four newly arrived varieties. “This is something we do to develop tasting profiles and periodically for training purposes,” he said.
First, the aroma is judged by placing a portion of ground coffee in a cup. Water is then added to test the wet aroma. After letting the coffee brew for a few minutes, the crust of the risen grounds is broken and skimmed off. The coffee is then tasted with a spoon.
“The complexities can be compared to wine tasting,” Morris said. “There are different regions and climates, and they all make a difference.”
Since I don’t drink coffee, my taster was local poet Manuel Rocha Jr., who also participates in the Vertigo open mics.
Copacabana, from the Caranavi Region of Bolivia – Morris described it as having notes of blackberry, dark cherry, and cola. “The aroma is spicy, almost like a chili,” Rocha said. “There is also a little cinnamon, and it is nice and robust.” On tasting the Copacabana, he said that the aroma only hinted at how powerful the flavor was. “It would be an excellent coffee for strong coffee drinkers,” he said.
Yerin Sagastume, from the Santa Barbara Region of Honduras – Morris described it as having tropical notes of citrus and stone fruit. “This has a savory quality, like cumin,” Rocha said. “This is what you imagine coffee smells like. Just a beautiful coffee smell that’s not overdone.” The Yerin Sagastume, according to Rocha, had a surprising taste. “If this were wine, I would say the tannins were very strong,” he said. “I love strong coffee but I also get a little bit of a tangy flavor with this one, a tartness.”
Worka Sakaro, from the Yirgacheffe Region of Ethiopia – Morris described it as having notes of raspberry, stone fruit and sweet caramel. “The aroma on this one is delightful,” Rocha said. “One thing I would notice about this one compared to the other two is the fruity quality with a slight sweetness like a savannah surrounded by tall grass.” Rocha said that, with the Worka Sakaro, he was tasting what he had smelled. “I do get a grassy flavor here,” he said. “This one is right on the money. I am really excited about this one.” This was Rocha’s favorite of the four.
Coocentral, from the Huila Region of Colombia – Morris described it as having notes of green apple, toffee and dark chocolate. “You can smell the roast,” Rocha said. “This one is really mild, and I know from the aroma that it is going to be nice.” The Coocentral, according to Rocha, was a very straightforward coffee. “There’s no tricks or illusions with this one,” he said. “It has a nice taste, but to me, it just tastes like what coffee should taste like. If I were unsure of what to order, I would go with this as the old reliable.”
Recommendations for future Eat, Drink, Savor articles can be emailed to roberteliason@benitolink.com.
BenitoLink thanks our underwriters, Hollister Super and Windmill Market, for helping to expand the Eat, Drink, Savor series and give our readers the stories that interest them. Hollister Super (two stores in Hollister) and Windmill Market (in San Juan Bautista) support reporting on the inspired and creative people behind the many delicious food and drink products made in San Benito County. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
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