Page 26 - Valley Table - September/Novemebr 2024

Citrine
Cafe
If you’re a coffee enthusiast, this Cold
wSpring spot is a must-stop. BY MICHELLE HAINER
hen Brad Gilley and his wife
Eve Barnes-Corby moved to Cold Spring from New York City during the pandemic, he loved everything about the charming town, except for one thing: “I couldn’t find coffee that I really liked,”
he says. Admittedly, Gilley’s bar for beans is high: He
had a self-described “coffee lab” in his kitchen where he experimented with different brewing methods and roasts. And since he also loves to cook and entertain, it’s no surprise that the couple’s
friends often suggested that Gilley open his own place.
The idea was intriguing for the former talk show producer and retail marketer, but given that he had no experience
in the food business, he was hesitant to commit. But when a ground floor space became
matcha addiction and her passion for medicinal herbs and adaptogens.
The couple modeled
their menu after Australian café culture, where Barnes- Corby grew up. “In Australia, cafés are where you can
get a beautiful, clean meal,
24 ValleyTable | September–November2024
available in the Ascend Center + Collective building—a wellness center on Main Street where Barnes-Corby often took yoga and Pilates classes—the pair began to imagine launching a café in it. They approached the owner, Melia Marzollo, with their idea, and in August 2023, Citrine Cafe opened its doors. (The café is named for their daughter’s golden yellow November birthstone.)
The coffee is sourced from Arkansas-based roaster Onyx, which Gilley painstakingly prepares by weighing both the espresso grounds and then the cup as it fills with liquid, ensuring a perfect pour each time. There’s also a slew of specialty drinks such as a coconut maple matcha and the Shatavari rose cardamom latte, a nod to Barnes-Corby’s
something heartier than a muffin, but not as heavy as a pub meal, and have genuine conversations,” says Barnes- Corby. “Everyone knows your name and what’s going on in your life. As an expat, I really missed that.”
To that end, customers at Citrine Cafe can grab a seat
at the white marble coffee bar and order a stunningly fresh avocado toast—an Aussie standby—topped with feta, pepitas, lemon, and organic microgreens from nearby farm Glynwood. The menu also includes bowls, like the Clean Protein Bowl with pasture- raised eggs, smoked salmon, and organic greens, and sandwiches (pesto chicken, turkey) served on Balthazar bread. On the weekends, the café stocks vegan pastries from local baker Mia Klubnik.
“Her croissants are incredible. They taste like they have real butter in them,” says Gilley.
While you wait for your order, there’s plenty
of perusing to
do as the café shares space with the Collective’s artisan market, full of clothing, jewelry, décor, and more made by local creators. “It’s become
a community space,” says Barnes-Corby. “We want people
to come into the café, have an easy, delicious meal, and feel good.” And have an excellent cup of coffee.
Citrine Cafe
75 Main Street, Cold Spring citrinecoldspring.com \ 845.288.3088
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CITRINE CAFE