Cafe Blue values menu variety with consistent, ‘familiar’ atmosphere
Cafe Blue, a coffee shop in Syracuse’s Inner Harbor, basks in the morning sunlight. Owner Olivia Orlando said the cafe’s focus remains on community. Tara Deluca | Asst. Photo Editor
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On Tuesday morning, customers filter into Cafe Blue. Some stop in for a quick coffee, while others settle down with their laptops and a sweet treat. Customer conversations, espresso machines humming and clinking mugs from behind the counter create a rhythm felt throughout the cafe.
“I love it here,” Cafe Blue regular Teresa Clarke said. “I love the food, the atmosphere and there’s something about the vibe that makes it worth the drive.”
Clarke, who’s from Marcellus, has been making the drive to Syracuse’s Inner Harbor daily. Cafe Blue has grown into a local staple since opening its doors in 2023. For its two-year anniversary last May, the coffeehouse has expanded its seating — reflecting a growing customer base of regulars and visitors passing through the city.
Cafe Blue’s menu offers around 50 food and beverage items, balancing variety without being overwhelming, cafe owner Olivia Orlando said. The cafe serves breakfast all day — or at least until it closes at 2 p.m. on weekends and 3 p.m. on weekdays — with options ranging from smoothie bowls and avocado toast to egg sandwiches and house-made pastries.
The cafe’s sandwiches, known as “Sammys” on the menu, include options like the Chicken & The Fig, made with oven-roasted chicken, apple slices, brie and fig jam, as well as more classic choices like a chipotle turkey panini and a chicken Caesar sandwich.
Still, coffee remains central to the menu with drinks like classic drip coffee, espresso-based options and the cafe’s nitrogen-infused vanilla draft latte — which Orlando said customers are “obsessed with.” The cafe also rotates monthly specials like April’s Peach Dahlia draft and Petal+Berry lattes, giving returning customers new options while maintaining staples like the americano.
While Cafe Blue prioritizes its menu quality, the balance between food and experience is what resonates with customers, Orlando said.
Angelina Rodriguez, a Le Moyne College junior, has frequented the cafe for the last three years. She returns weekly with her friend Mackenzie Ples, another Le Moyne College junior, for the menu and atmosphere. The cafe’s recent expansion feels like a second home, especially the plant wall, Ples said.
“The vibe is really nice. The music, the staff and the food is always great when we come together,” Ples said.
Iced beverages at Cafe Blue feature encouraging messages. In March, the cafe introduced a food truck, catering to customers outside of the storefront. Tara Deluca | Asst. Photo Editor
Even for customers like Clarke who go out of their way to visit Cafe Blue, the consistency makes the drive worth it. Clarke said she passes several coffee shops on her way to the cafe, but prefers the staff, the quality of the food and the cafe’s “energy.”
She often orders a smoothie bowl and settles at a table in the back with a book. Clarke said seeing the same staff regularly adds to the experience, making the space feel more “familiar.” That familiarity has helped Cafe Blue build a loyal customer base, Orlando said.
The cafe sees a mix of longtime regulars and new customers, including travelers staying in nearby hotels. Many of those customers visit daily — sometimes multiple times per day.
“We’ve done really well. I’m super grateful, and I couldn’t have done it without my team,” Orlando said.
The cafe continues to expand beyond its storefront, Orlando said. In March, Cafe Blue introduced a food truck for catering events, reaching customers outside of its Van Rensselaer Street location.
Despite the cafe’s success, running a small business in Syracuse still comes with challenges. Orlando emphasized rising food costs, noting that “even as a normal consumer, it’s expensive.” She added that operational costs require constant adjustment, from sourcing ingredients to maintaining menu prices while keeping cafe offerings accessible to customers.
Even so, Orlando said her focus remains on community. Cafe Blue prioritizes creating a safe environment for its customers and plans to continue building that message moving forward, she said.
“We’re super strongly based on community and family,” Orlando said. “We try to make our space as inclusive as we can for every person. We want it to be a place for gathering, for meetings, for work, we want it to be for everybody.”
