greenhousecoffeeslider When the Sipology coffee house on Linden and Broadway in the East Village Arts District of downtown Long Beach did its sudden disappearing act last August, its patrons were left guessing what type of business would eventually take its place. Signs appeared in the papered windows of the historic brick building in October, and the doors finally opened in November to reveal . . . another coffee shop!

The Green House is owned and operated by Hend Elarabi, who used to be a general manager of Open Sesame, the Middle Eastern restaurant in Belmont Shore, and she has done much to revamp the spot.

As the new name suggests, The Green House is a tranquil atmosphere, with walls painted a muted shade of olive green. The second floor features a corner filled with plants, and the upstairs windows are draped with bouquets of twigs and white tulle. Tables and chairs are made of distressed wood. It’s a bright and serene environment; a place that welcomes its patrons to spend a lazy afternoon sipping coffee, or browsing the books in the miniature library they have set up in the space where Sipology used to sell t-shirts and merchandise.

The coffee served at The Green House is from a Long Beach roasting company called Rose Park Roasters, the brainchild of two young entrepreneurs, Nathan James and Andrew Owen. Owen began working in the coffee industry at the age of 13, and has since roasted beans for Polly’s in Belmont Shore and Kean Coffee, owned by Martin Diedrich.

In addition to choosing quality, locally crafted coffee beans, The Green House has set itself apart by hiring a Director of Coffee. His name is Sterling, and on most mornings you will find him standing behind the counter, greeting customers and answering any questions about the various roasting blends and options for drinking them.

The Green House can come off a bit pricey—overwhelming for those who aren’t well versed in artisanal coffee-brewing techniques. A 12-ounce cup of regular-drip coffee is $2, and a 12-ounce cup of pour-over coffee is $3. With the pour-over method, the beans are ground right in front of you and brewed using a Hario V60, which utilizes a slower, more refined technique. greenhouselogo

The menu features several varieties of drip coffee arranged by region and flavor profile—similar to the way many wine lists are organized. I chose the Ethiopian Blend, which boasted flavors of chocolate and raspberry in its accompanying written description.

“You might not taste the raspberry unless you add a bit of cream to it,” Sterling advised me.

Granted, $3 is a little steep for a small cup of drip coffee; yet, this is not your average cup of Joe. Every sip I took was incredibly smooth, and the hints of chocolate and raspberry were readily apparent.

Sterling, who is a member of the Barista’s Guild of America, claims coffee has even more flavor properties than wine. The trick, he said, is in learning how to enhance them. He mentioned that The Green House plans to host coffee tastings, starting later this month.

The Green House also serves espresso-based drinks topped with leaf patterns in the foam, as well as a wide variety of teas.

At first glance, the food selection appears to be a basic sampling of salads and sandwiches. Upon closer inspection, however, these items are brought to higher levels with a few choice ingredients. For example, the breakfast Panini—offered as a daily special last Wednesday—came with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, bacon, and sliced red apples. The apples were raw and crisp, adding just a hint of sweetness to this otherwise savory sandwich. It was, in a word, brilliant.

My panini was accompanied by a mixed green salad with an apple vinaigrette. The dressing was tasty, but the idea of eating salad with breakfast threw me for a bit of a loop.

The Green House doesn’t yet have a website or social media presence, but Elarabi said plans for both are underway. In addition, Elarabi mentioned she would soon be opening a Moroccan restaurant in the space next door. If the products and the customer response for that restaurant will be anything like what she has gotten so far at the Green House, then things are looking rather promising.

THE GREEN HOUSE TEA, COFFEE, & EATERY • 149 LINDEN AVENUE. • LONG BEACH • 90802 • 562.491.1111 • MON-SUN, 6:30AM-10:00PM • CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED • FREE WI-FI