Steven A.
Yelp
I've been going to Cairo a lot since it opened so this review is based on lots of time spent there, not one visit. Monica, the owner, is def the heart of the joint. She's super friendly and very tapped into what's happening in the city. An unexpected surprise is that I've learned a whole lot about coffee. She lets me ask all kinds of dumb questions and never made me feel like I was bugging her. It's kind of turned me into a coffee snob though lol. I've learned what it means to appreciate coffee from thoughtful roasters brewed by someone who knows what they're doing.
In terms of the vibe, I like the mix of people. A lot of other joints only cater to "New Detroiters." There's a lot of that's here too, but you'll also see a lot of people from the neighborhood (Eastern Market), Saavy Chic's long-time clients (the boutique Cairo is in), local artists, corporate dudes, etc. In a city that often feels super disconnected, it's nice to see so many different types of Detroiters here.
Detroit is changing so fast, and there's new places opening all the time. The result of all that newness can distract from nailing down which are the cool joints and which are quality. Cairo Coffee is both.