By Moriah Schranz

Located just across the street from the student parking lot, Café Stella is a hub for Maury High School students. This cafe is open Monday- Friday from 7:30am to 10:00 pm, making it the perfect study spot for students. While many customers inside Café Stella are students, people from all ages spend time inside this cozy café.

When I visited on Dec. 9, I witnessed a wide range of activities by customers: working both on computers and paper, reading books, talking to friends, listening to music, or just sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee.

Café Stella’s Roasters, commonly known as Stella’s, opened in 2011 and has rapidly grown since.

Café Stella regulars know that it is not the place to go to if you don’t want to run into people you know. When I went in for this review, I ran into an old family friend, and a friend from school. This is a regular experience for people who come to Café Stella, and the atmosphere is buzzy with conversation and laughter.

I talked to my server, a young man named Will Brooks, and he discussed with me his experience working at Café Stella.

“I’ve worked here for like, two and a half to three months,” he said. “I really enjoy connecting with the customers, especially the regulars who come in every day or most days.”

Brooks also recognizes the unique atmosphere that Cafe Stella draws.

“I think a big part of the draw here is the atmosphere, ” he said. “Stella, before she opened this, had some experiences in design,  so I think that kind of plays into the decor. I see a lot of regulars that I’ve come to now just from seeing them every day. It seems like a lot of the people who come here regularly know each other, and our friends. I think the community aspect here you don’t see in many places.“

The menu at Café Stella is quite extensive, and ranges from your typical egg sandwiches to Korean beef tacos. They serve coffees with a wide variety of syrups, including numerous sugar free options. They also serve teas and hot chocolates and have an assortment of baked goods showcased in a glass case.

When asked about the most popular options on the menu, Brooks mentions the Green Lady juice, and the Granby sandwich.

I settled on ordering the breakfast burrito and an iced latte. Because of dietary restrictions, I requested that the burrito was served without pork. The cashier offered an extra egg in the burrito, free of charge, as a replacement. I was very impressed with the ability of the cafe to modify their foods for those who do not eat meat.

The prices were pretty reasonable. My breakfast burrito was $9.50 and my single shot latte was $3.75, bringing my total with tax to $14.91 for a pleasant lunch. 


Although the store was quite busy and few tables were open, the service was surprisingly fast. Within a minute or so of my order, the latte was ready. I chose a seat outside, enjoying the warm afternoon sun, and within another seven or so minutes, my burrito was served.

The breakfast burrito included scrambled eggs, butternut squash, kale, parmesan, caramelized onion, tomato, and cilantro all in a tortilla with hot sauce. The burrito was very good, and the toasty tortilla paired well with the warm eggs, cheese and vegetables. The hot sauce provided a nice punch to the burrito, and the latte was the perfect combo to wash it down.

Overall, I would give the burrito an 8.6/10 and the latte a 9/10. I give Café Stella a 9/10 overall.