hile the chefs of a noodle bar on Luongo Square begin their day prepping for dinner in the back, the front-of-house is bustling with a different service – coffee. The barstools are occupied by patrons lingering over their first morning espresso while baristas pour cappuccinos instead of cocktails. This is the kismet of Pickerel and Reprise – two distinct establishments under one roof – and the transformation is literally day and night.
The dream arrangement took shape when Nick Berry, then a barista at Nitro Bar’s Broadway location, was busy honing his craft, immersed in all things coffee – from training other baristas on traditional drinks to developing buzzy specials. He serendipitously attended a pop-up inside Pickerel hosted by his friend, coffee roaster Justin Enis, and found himself struck by the adaptability of the space. Berry got to know Pickerel owners Scott LaChapelle and Spencer Smith, who frequented Nitro Bar when he was working, and when he pitched the idea of manning a specialty “coffee and vittles” in their restaurant during the morning hours, they let him run with it.
“I really respect what the guys at Pickerel do,” says Berry. “They just know their market and they stay true to themselves. That was kind of the idea behind how I wanted to run my business, too, of giving a lot of attention to detail but in a super chill way. I wanted to create a place that really focuses on the basics of coffee,” elaborates the barista, who relishes in the social exchange of the job as much as he does nailing an espresso shot or cup of drip coffee.
Berry explains the operation as a science, whether that entails steaming the milk of a latte to the exact temperature to bring out the natural caramelization of the sugars or elevating drip coffee to its highest flavor potential. Newer coffee processing technology simplifies the latter, but Berry recalls, “Back in the day, I was making tons of batches of hot coffee, sipping them, and frying my palate trying to figure out, ‘does this taste good or not?’”
The story of Reprise comes full circle, as any great cup first requires great beans, and all of the shop’s brews are made with
single-origin coffee from Enis. Well-known for his tenure at Bolt Coffee, Enis was just starting to heat things up with his business, Enjoy Coffee Roasters, around the same time Reprise opened. It was an easy choice to use his brand exclusively. “It’s just a cool little culmination of characters who have been in the Providence coffee and food scene all coming together,” says Berry.
It may not come as a surprise that chefs frequent Berry’s coffee shop. Though he basks in the praise of folks in the industry commending the attention and labor that go into a well-made espresso, he’s equally humbled by non-connoisseurs appreciating his work. One of his goals is for Reprise to be a gateway into an obsession. The vibe is approachable, yet with artistry – no judgement will be cast on customers wanting milk in their single-origin brew, and Berry isn’t afraid to put drinks on the menu that raise eyebrows (he swears by basil syrup to add a refreshing spin to coffee beverages). “A big part of my job has always been trying to make things that tasted objectively good,” he says, having developed a sense for what resonates even if it doesn’t align with his personal preferences.
Since opening in November of last year, Reprise has asserted itself in the West End neighborhood as a spot to linger and appreciate an artfully made beverage with a pastry, even in a market filled with standout brunch restaurants and grab-and-go cafes.
“We’re just kind of staying in our lane right now,” says Berry, who’s optimistic for the future. “I would love to develop the concept and do whatever makes the most sense for us and whatever helps us stay true to who we are and what the people of Providence want to see out of us. The response from the community has been the most rewarding part.”
3 Luongo Square
Thursday-Monday, 7am-1pm
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