Step inside Adesso Coffee in downtown Mason and you’ll immediately realize it’s more than just the typical neighborhood coffeeshop. It’s an experience.
That’s why owner Chuck Pfahler put “Adesso Coffee + Moments” on the signage.
“We aren't just a place to come and buy stuff and leave,” Chuck says. “We have our incredible menu featuring locally-sourced coffee and espresso drinks, small bites, wine, cheese boards, charcuterie, craft cocktails, gelato and desserts.”
In addition to the must-try beverages, Adesso has a learning kitchen where Chuck plans to offer coffee brewing workshops, home espresso courses and food workshops.
The word “adesso,” which means “now” in Italian, is significant to the coffee connoisseur. Chuck’s primary mission is celebrating the diversity of regional produce by offering a simple, seasonal heart-and-soul menu while still remaining true to the birthplace of espresso.
“It's really important to provide a place that is welcoming, inviting and feels like the community living room,” he says. “I want people to feel like they can unplug from the distractions of everyday life and savor the coffee/drink before them. Adesso is about savoring the moment—enjoying the beauty before us and celebrating the people we are with.”
Chuck certainly takes that sentiment to heart. In order to honor his father who passed away unexpectedly during Adesso’s first week of operation, Chuck added his stereo cabinet to the shop. He plans to convert the back-corner table into a “record table” complete with headphones, so customers can listen to vinyl, cassettes or 8-tracks while hanging out.
He is also no stranger to the coffee scene (or Mason) as his life has revolved around the beloved beverage for almost 20 years.
Chuck began La Terza Artisan Coffee Roasterie, a Cincinnati-based wholesale coffee provider, and developed a love for sourcing, roasting, supporting coffee shops and training baristas on how to make the perfect cuppa. However, he knew there was something still missing.
“I've always wanted to start and operate my very own brick and mortar coffee shop,” he says. “I sold La Terza to focus on this dream and have been working on putting this together for the past two years. It's good to come back here to my roots in Mason.”
Chuck’s dream became a reality in early March when Adesso opened, just days before Ohio began closing down due to COVID-19.
“We opened our doors in probably the weirdest time in this country's history,” Chuck says. “But despite that, this community has really stepped up to the plate and has been supportive, encouraging and absolutely wonderful in every way. Very quickly, every single one of our regulars have become friends.”
According to Chuck, it’s important that Adesso is open.
“We offer products that people need, especially during difficult and trying times. Although the world around us feels uncertain and scary, we would love to serve as an oasis to our community by offering a menu that celebrates the beautiful things our region has to offer,” he says.
Whether you try the Black Walnut Maple Latte, infused with maple syrup-soaked roasted black walnuts, or opt for the coffee-cocktail fusion and house favorite, the Sauvito, the baristas at Adesso will find a drink for your unique preference.
“Caffeine is a drug. People drink it out of habit every morning—I get that. I'm not in a good place in life if I don't have my daily fix,” Chuck says. “But, I really want our coffee to be more than that. Coffee is done right when it’s sourced from producers that care about what they are doing. It needs to be put into the hands of coffee roasters who think about how they are roasting and that it’s being sold as fresh as possible,” Chuck explains.
“Coffee is a culinary expression more complex in nature than the finest wine. It isn't the ritual aspect that I want to highlight, but rather the deep level of enjoyment that we can savor from the coffee. It's about caring about what we are consuming and how we are consuming it.”
Adesso Coffee + Moments
125 E Main Street, Mason
513.445.2889, AdessoIsNow.com
“It's really important to provide a place that is welcoming, inviting and feels like the community living room. Adesso is about savoring the moment—enjoying the beauty before us and celebrating the people we are with.”
