Just a twenty-minute drive from Montclair, Essex County locals can indulge in authentic Caribbean culture and cuisine — no passport necessary. Hidden in the Mount Pleasant, Lower Broadway neighborhood of Newark sits the Haitian coffee spot Caribbrew at 73-87 Clay Street. Providing a vibrant interior and a menu of Haitian-style drinks and pastries, Caribbrew has served as the Gateway City's local island oasis since the fall of 2024. Read on for a look inside Newark’s tropical-inspired bakery and coffee joint, Caribbrew, and the inspiration behind it all.

Behind Caribbrew

Passionate coffee lover and Newark resident, Beverly Malbranche, migrated from Haiti to attend college in the United States. Growing up in the Caribbean, Beverly saw the hardships of her community at a young age, and after receiving a college degree in Business Administration, she wanted to use what she learned to give back to the Caribbean community of Newark, New Jersey.

That is when the inspiration for a Haitian-inspired cafe was born. “I always wanted to create something that not only celebrates high-quality coffee but also makes a meaningful social impact,” Beverly told The Montclair Girl. With a desire to contribute to the ever-growing melting pot of culture in Newark, Caribbrew officially opened as a flagship shop last November and has been serving island-inspired brews and pastries ever since. While its brick-and-mortar cafe is only a few months old, the company has been operating since 2018.

Read More: A Trip to Orange Sky Coffee Roasters in West Orange

The Space

The interior design of Caribbrew was inspired by the historic city of Cap-Haïtien, located on the north coast of Haiti and best known for its French colonial architecture. Caribbrew was designed to feel like “a breath of fresh air in the middle of a bustling city,” Beverly told MG. From the shop’s sunset orange wall accents to its wicker-style seating to the adornments of coastal florals, “every detail [was] designed to transport our guests to the warmth and charm of the islands,” she said.

The Menu

The menu of Caribbrew is just as deeply rooted in Haitian culture as the decor. With the goal of supporting the farming community of Beverly’s home country, Caribbrew sources its beans from over 1000 coffee farmers + 3,000 cacao farmers in the southeast and northern areas of Haiti, per its website.

At Caribbrew, locals can find a menu of Haitian coffee drinks with a signature twist, such as the Caribbean Spiced Latte, a cinnamon spiced coffee, C.S. cold brew with vanilla cream (the shop’s special spiced cold brew topped with vanilla cold foam), and Kafe ak Let, a Haitian dark roast coffee served with whole milk and cane sugar. MG pro tip: Order the Cremas Latte, made with notes of vanilla, coconut, and condensed milk.

The menu also includes caffeinated favorites like Americanos, espressos, flat whites, and macchiatos, as well as teas and chocolate-based beverages like the chocolate PB smoothie, toasted almond hot chocolate, and house made mocha.

No coffee drink is complete without a sweet (or savory) treat, especially during a morning pick-me-up. Along with light bites like the Cajun egg + sausage sandwich or Haitian patty, Caribbrew also serves desserts like rum cake, guava cream cheese cupcake, key lime pie, and MG’s favorite: the Haitian hot chocolate cake.

See More: Coffee for Commuters: Trackside Jo Cafe Soft Opens in Hoboken Terminal

Local foodies can order all this and more during weekdays from 7:45AM to 6:30PM, on Saturdays from 8:30AM to 6:30PM, and on Sundays from 12PM to 6:30PM.