Mar. 15, 2023 Elijah Hamilton
When it comes to delivering authentic coffee from around the world, few do it quite like Honey Moon Coffee Shop in Ridgewood.
The coffee shop, located at 517 Onderdonk Ave., has been open for two weeks now and has already made an impression on the neighborhood.
(Courtesy of Honey Moon Coffee Shop)
“I think that it has resonated with people so far,” Ryan Naideau, co-owner of Honey Moon Coffee Shop, told QNS. “The majority of the people that come in there are people that like live in the neighborhood or live a five- or 10-minute walk away and just like have been coming every day and some people twice a day.”
The idea for the coffee shop was born when co-owner Mike Naideau spent time in Ecuador and learned about the local coffee there. He would then share the coffee with his brother Ryan and their friends. When they tried it and enjoyed the taste, they decided to start their own roasting company and cafe selling imported coffee from Ecuador.
“We got some coffee from Ecuador, roasted it with our friend and tasted it. Then we were like, ‘Hey, we could like sell some of this,'” Ryan Naideau told QNS.
(Courtesy of Honey Moon Coffee Shop)
According to the Naideau brothers, coffee in Ecuador is harder to come by than other countries because there isn’t as much of it, which was why they wanted to sell it stateside, so others could experience the taste.
“Ecuadorian coffee is something to value if for no other reason than the fact that there simply isn’t isn’t very much of it,” said Mike Naideau. “Compared to some of its larger, nearby neighbors (Colombia, Peru and Brazil), the country’s coffee production is quite low, yet the quality is extremely high.”
The brothers decided to open their coffee shop in Ridgewood after learning of how friendly the neighborhood could be.
“I kind of just like the people that live out there,” Ryan Naideau said. “I feel like they are super nice. The corner spot we found was perfect because it had just been empty for a long time, it was available and the owners were really receptive to our concept.”
Along with its imported coffee from Ecuador, the shop also offers coffee originating from around the world and also serves as a book store and record store. It sells other Honey Moon Coffee Shop merchandise, such as mugs and tote bags.
“Hopefully, people come in and want to get a cup of coffee and maybe wanna buy a record and a book,” Ryan Naideau said.
Residents looking to taste the Ecuadorian imported coffee at Honey Moon from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.
Follow Honey Moon Coffee Shop on Instagram @HoneymoonCoffeeShop for more information.