Sisters Lisa and Melissa Gerben are the children of coffee obsessives, so it’s not totally surprising where they’ve landed. Growing up, when their parents traveled to Guatemala to visit the siblings’ grandparents, they brought an extra suitcase to bring back beans. At home, coffee was brewed with a then-cutting-edge Melitta pour-over device, and the girls started drinking it in elementary school. When they were teenagers, their mother began roasting coffee in an old-school countertop popcorn popper – “It’s smoky, I wouldn’t recommend it,” says Melissa – and they made an inspirational visit to a coffee farm in Guatemala’s Antigua region that deepened their love of coffee culture.
Now the sisters are making a name for themselves in the coffee business with the opening of the all-day Clarendon café Rāko, which focuses on single source, sustainably grown coffees and on-trend espresso drinks. One latte at their café comes dappled with volcanic black salt and lavender; another is spiced with the flavors of baklava; a third pairs ginger and rosemary; and two are infused with chai and Indian spices. Cooler choices include a coconut espresso spritz and cold brew.
Lisa, 35, who went to design school, handles “all things creative” and manages the team. Melissa, 33, oversees operations and the roasting, having gotten her certification through the Specialty Coffee Association. “We work really well together,” says Lisa. “One of the reasons is we have really clear spaces that we operate in and we largely don’t cross over.”
The sisters named their company after a mountain in Ethiopia’s Yirgacheffe region, which Lisa saw on a sourcing trip. When they opened the company in late 2019, their initial business plan was to sell their beans wholesale to restaurants, cafés, and offices. Though they did get their products into Maketto and Shopkeepers before the pandemic hit, COVID-19 changed everything. In the spring of 2020, the pair launched a retail website as a pivot. They quickly found a caffeine-craving audience seeking high quality beans to brew at home during the lockdown. “I was honestly shocked how supportive people were,” says
Beans come from around the world, including Ethiopia, Guatemala, Sumatra, Mexico, Colombia, Papua New Guinea, and Peru. For Melissa, the most important attribute is versatility. “I’m looking for something that can be brewed a number of different ways,” she says. “You can brew it really simply at home and it’ll taste great. Or you can dial it in, get geeky, and pull out all these really cool flavors.”
As they built a following online, the siblings began looking for potential café spots. They settled on the Clarendon location at the end of last year, appreciating the mix of residences, retail outlets, and offices nearby, as well as its proximity to the Metro. Construction on the 1,400 square foot café and patio began in the spring of 2021; it opened at the end of August. “We wanted the space to be an oasis,” says Lisa, so the well-lit café with wall-to-ceiling windows is decorated with flashes of foliage and greenery-themed wallpaper.
The coffee menu is complemented by a dozen natural, low intervention wines – all woman-made or from woman-owned vineyards. All are available by the glass, divided evenly between reds, whites, rosés, and sparkling options. “We wanted people to be able to try things without making a big commitment,” Lisa says.
Java juiced cocktails – think an espresso martini and a negroni with coffee-infused Campari – round out the spirituous offerings. Cocktails and wine are available after 4 p.m. on weekdays and all-day on the weekends.
Food is handled by chef Marc Jaster, who spent time in the kitchens of Kinship and All-Purpose. Dishes are designed for grazing and sharing. There’s pink hued beet hummus topped with a scattering of baked feta crumbles, pea and goat cheese crostini, and grilled cheese packed with smoked gouda, cheddar, and tangy peach mostarda. Breads and a selection of pastries come from Pluma, including croissants, monkey bread, and banana chocolate chip muffins.
The sisters are locked in expansion mode. Their bagged beans are available in a growing number of Giant grocery stores and MOM’s Organic Markets; they recently debuted an espresso cart in the House of Representatives; and they plan to open another café early next year in Logan Circle’s soon-to-be-renovated Studio Theatre. They’re embracing the work and the opportunities, and so are their parents. “Given how much they like coffee, this really is an ideal situation for them,” says Lisa.
Rāko is located at 2016 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Open Monday-Wednesday 7 a.m.-2 p.m., Thursday 7 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday 7 a.m.-11 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
