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For over 20 years, Chris Fernandez began his days by dropping off his children at school and heading over to Café Kubal to chat with friends, sip coffee and visit the coffee shop’s owner, Matt Godard. Café Kubal represented the type of familial closeness he felt from his childhood in Syracuse.

“I told him, ‘If you ever want to sell the shop, I’m your guy,’” Chris said. “He would say ‘No, no, stop heckling me!’”

A year ago, Godard called Chris to let him know he was selling the cafe’s original Eastwood location, and Fernandez was immediately willing to buy the space. When Chris asked his wife, Kate Fernandez, if she thought they should go all in, she told Chris she trusted him. If he were really passionate about it, Kate would be there to help.

Caffè Così, Chris and Kate’s newest business venture, celebrated its grand opening on Wednesday in Eastwood. The cafe boasts Tuscan-inspired decor with imported coffee beans from Guatemala, Indonesia and Brazil and signature menu items like caprese paninis and prosciutto egg sandwiches.

Inspired by their travels across Europe, Caffè Così is a manifestation of the hospitality they experienced abroad, Kate said. She wanted to bring the ambience of Italian eateries and Spanish cafes to Syracuse, inspired by their trips to Spain and Italy.

The space itself is warm and open, with several tables and high tops for patrons to sit in. Large, comfortable couches line the back of the shop with coffee tables. The walls are filled with frames of art and landscapes that fit its aimed Tuscan feel.

The display case of pastries includes coffee shop basics like croissants and Italian goods like mozzarella and pesto sandwiches. The menu includes classic drinks like cappuccinos and more modern options like iced lattes.

“We want to inspire the type of hospitality people feel in Europe,” Kate said. “Come in and stay a while.”

Chris grew up on the Northside of Syracuse, surrounded by coffee shops and an Italian and Argentinian family. As a Mexican man with only “a bit” of Italian heritage, Chris said he was influenced by the immigrant families surrounding him and picked up some Italian dialect.

“There’s two kinds of people,” Chris said. “People that are Italian, and people that want to be Italian. I’m the latter.”

Sfogliatella, also known as lobster tails in the United States, is on Caffè Così‘s menu. Jewell Fernandez, the owners’ daughter, is in charge of the cafe’s pastries and supply. Eli Schwartz | Asst. Photo Editor

Translated from the Italian phrases Chris picked up as a kid, Caffè Così means “coffee like this,” reflecting the family’s values and ideals for the cafe, Kate said. The Fernandez family wants people to feel at ease and excited to come to Caffè Così to experience their “signature hospitality,” Kate said.

Syracuse University freshman Arianna LeDuc visited the cafe for the first time on Saturday morning. Walking into the cafe, she said she felt welcomed and “at home.” Despite the drive, LeDuc was compelled to visit the cafe. LeDuc said she and her friends found Caffè Così through social media and liked its “vibe.”

“It’s nice to find an off-campus space catering to the community,” LeDuc said. “I’ll definitely be back with more of my friends.”

The Fernandezes said the neighborhood and community have been incredibly receptive to Caffè Così. They hope to continue a mutually beneficial, “symbiotic relationship” with the local customers.

Part of the couple’s reason for creating a welcoming space for members of the community, locals and students is their daughter Jewell Fernandez, an SU freshman. Jewell was raised in a tight-knit family with weekly “Sunday dinners,” she said.

“Going to SU meant that I could be close to my family and the cafe,” Jewell said. “It was a big priority for me.”

Caffè Così is just one of the Fernandezes’ various business ventures, but it’s the first venture their daughter has been involved in. Previously working at the local Biscotti Cafe & Pastry Shop, Jewell has experience working with pastries and coffee. Caffè Così was a new experience that was more “up her alley,” she said. Jewell is in charge of pastries and supplies at Caffè Così.

“I love working in pastry,” Jewell said. “I feel like it’s impossible to be sad when you have a pastry in your hand.”

From floor plans to final touches, the couple works together on almost every aspect of the business. With a background in retail business ownership, Kate said she was new to the restaurant industry until opening Caffè Così. She credits all the food and cooking to her husband.

“She gives me too much credit,” Chris said. “I’m not a chef, I’d call myself a short-order cook.”

After they bought the cafe, they dove into the remodel almost immediately for about a year. While Chris renovated the space, Kate worked on designing the inside.

Caffè Così is an environment where anyone can relax and let go, Kate said. As the interior designer of the cafe, she drew inspiration from a restaurant she visited in Nashville, Tennessee, and the eateries she visited in Europe.

Kate and Chris have been overwhelmed and “stunned” by the initial response from the community to Caffè Così. Their opening day was so successful that there was “barely anywhere to sit,” Chris said.

“We appreciate our community so much,” Kate said. “We can’t wait to keep welcoming people to experience Caffè Così.”

Published on April 20, 2026 at 9:28 pm