Empire Roasters & Records
Espresso bar · Columbia City ·
Espresso, waffles, records, and a rooftop patio.
Espresso, waffles, records, and a rooftop patio.
"Empire seems like it’s just a coffee shop inside of a narrow renovated garage. But it’s actually much more than that—they serve some excellent food that’s way better than refrigerated breakfast burritos and sad muesli bowls. We are very big fans of their made-to-order belgian waffles, whether they’re topped with blueberries and powdered sugar or maple syrup and butter. You should order one of these and a homemade date-sweetened cashew milk latte at this Columbia City coffee shop. And if you’re in need of a gluten-free and/or vegan waffle, they serve those, too." - Aimee Rizzo
"Empire might seem like it’s just a coffee shop inside of a narrow renovated garage, but it’s so much more than that: they have a lounge and record shop upstairs, a serene rooftop patio up some more stairs, and serve made-to-order belgian waffles. Wash it all down with a homemade date-sweetened cashew milk latte." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Empire seems like it’s just a coffee shop inside of a narrow renovated garage. But it’s actually much more than that—they serve some excellent food that’s way better than refrigerated breakfast burritos. We’d be happy coming in every morning for their powdered sugar-topped Belgian waffles. As far as coffee goes, spend the extra buck for their creamy homemade cashew milk." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"There are few things more satisfying than an 11am waffle. Except for an 11am vegan waffle with a toasty exterior, savory cornbread-like fluff, and gritty homemade peanut butter sweetened by bumps of berry compote. It’s all happening at Empire alongside some exceptional lattes made with homemade cashew date milk." - aimee rizzo
"For peace and quiet, the very secret rooftop at Empire in Columbia City gets the job done. All you have to do is head up three flights of stairs—past the record store and the restroom with the galaxy cat shower curtain. At the very top, you'll find a small patio with a great breeze, fast WiFi, and complete silence. That is, a few besides bird chirps, distant fire truck sirens, and ice cubes clanking around in your cup, which is more like ASMR." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente
