Curiosity Coffee Bar
If there is something that locals who have been in Columbia over the past several years can agree on, it’s that everyone loves Curiosity Coffee Bar. From their wide selection of coffee and specialty drinks to their locally driven food menu to their emphasis on community, there is much to love at this Earlewood neighborhood staple.
Co-owners and partners Sandra Moscato and Greg Slattery opened Curiosity on April 18, 2017, then sharing a space with wine and beer retailer Vino Garage. A year later, 2327 Main St. became fully their own, allowing them to eventually build out a kitchen and turn the building into a hub for community activity. Somewhat ironically, coffee was not in the cards for Slattery until he met Moscato.
“I never drank coffee in college,” says Slattery. “My dad drank Folgers and Bustelo. It just never appealed to me. Sandra loved coffee though.”
It was a cupping—the coffee equivalent of a wine tasting—at 1000 Faces in Athens, Georgia, with Moscato where Slattery found himself a quick convert. Together they took roasting lessons and began their vast exploration of the world of coffee. Over the years, they moved back to Columbia with a desire to craft the experience they were looking for in a coffee shop.
Though coffee is the mainstay at the heart of what they do, they’ve expanded their caffeine exploration over time with signature specials like the Cold Brew Dirty Chai or Strawberry Matcha and out-there creations like the Elderberry Orange Coffee Sangria, which features a Columbian coffee co-brewed with hibiscus, rose hips, elderberry and sliced oranges with a squeeze of agave for sweetness, to offer a light and completely unique option for those seeking something out of the ordinary.
Not to be outdone, their new food menu offers a wealth of options full of locally sourced goods. Their mushroom melt is a quiet favorite, featuring lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms from Lowcountry Fungi with onions and peppers and cheese on a fresh New York bagel.
Curiosity Coffee Bar has evolved far beyond just a coffee shop. From farmers’ markets to food truck Mondays, trivia evenings to music shows and open mic nights, the neighborhood hangout has become a central point of Columbia culture.
Slattery and Moscato’s dedication to fostering growth in the Capital City as a whole is a large part of what’s made them stand out in the community. For a long time, it was hard not to find at least one of them posted at an event ready to serve. Their commitment to taking part in helping grow the city is a large reason they’ve become a beloved cornerstone of the Columbia community.
Curiosity Coffee Bar
2327 Main St., Columbia, South Carolina 29201
Hours:
6am–5pm, Monday–Friday
7am–5pm, Saturday
8am–3pm, Sunday
