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People’s Pub in Bayport has a new tenant by day.
Cement Coffee Company has taken over the restaurant during daytime hours, serving coffee, pastries, breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
Once coffee service wraps up, the equipment comes down and People’s Pub gets ready for dinner.
“All my equipment is portable,” Cement Coffee owner Jake Leone told Greater Long Island.
Leone said the idea came from his time in Brooklyn, where he saw restaurants put their spaces to different uses throughout the day.
The two businesses began discussing the idea in May. After a few weeks of conversations and meetings, they worked through the lease and put together a mock menu before making it official.
Cement Coffee operates independently from People’s Pub, giving the restaurant a use for its space during hours it would otherwise be closed.
At 281 Bayport Ave., Cement serves a full coffee and pastry menu along with breakfast and lunch options, including sandwiches and grab-and-go items.
Pastries come from Pat’s Bakehouse, a Long Island micro bakery, with fresh selections that can change from week to week.
Leone said Cement puts an emphasis on knowing where its ingredients come from. Its coffee products and syrups are organic, while its beans are roasted locally by ACE Coffee Outpost.
The company sources its coffee directly from farms, with a focus on the beans’ origins and ethical sourcing.
“If you’re a straight coffee drinker, or if you want a matcha or specialty latte, you’ll get that here,” Leone said.
The partnership has even carried over into the evening.
Cement Coffee has worked with People’s Pub on several cocktail collaborations, including espresso martinis made with its coffee for the restaurant’s dinner service.
Leone said the Bayport location has also introduced Cement to customers from outside the immediate area, with people coming from Patchogue and farther east to check it out.
The arrangement works the other way, too. People’s Pub regulars are discovering Cement Coffee, while daytime customers are learning about the restaurant.
“It’s a cool opportunity for both of us,” Leone said, adding that some coffee customers have discovered People’s Pub and called it a “hidden gem.”
Meanwhile, Cement Coffee is getting closer to opening a permanent shop of its own.
Leone has been working for more than a year on a Main Street location in Islip, the community where he grew up.
Until the storefront is ready, Cement’s mobile coffee truck is stationed behind the future shop, giving locals a preview of what’s to come. The truck is open Thursday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Leone started Cement Coffee selling coffee and cold brew at farmers markets before expanding into pop-ups and other locations. He previously worked as a barista at several cafes and spent time in Brooklyn before bringing the business back to Long Island.
Even the name has a family connection.
Cement is a nod to Leone’s father, who owns a construction company. Leone studied architecture and design and has had a hand in the design and branding of the upcoming Islip shop.
Leone said the response in Bayport has been strong, particularly in an area where he saw an opening for specialty coffee.
“There’s no specialty coffee in this area,” he said.
Cement Coffee at People’s Pub, 281 Bayport Ave., is open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Take a look inside
Photos by Julianne Mosher
Follow their journey
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