A’Roma Roasters offers caffeine and comfort to students for finals week
A’roma Roasters coffee station (Marissa Caesare, The Puma Prensa)
By Marissa Caesare, staff writer, and, Nora Trif, staff writer
Are you a student looking for the perfect study spot accommodated with assortments of lattes, cold brew, and teas to keep you caffeinated and awake? Well, we have the place for you. A’Roma Roasters is Santa Rosa’s study hotspot for students of all ages. With a wide array of seating and unique, eye-catching paintings and decor plastered throughout the cafe, A'Roma has a cozy vibe that makes you feel right at home.
A’Roma is popular among many Carrillo students, including senior Lily Mulligan and sophomore Claire Parsons. “My favorite thing about A’Roma is the atmosphere…there is always the perfect amount of stuff going on, so it’s a nice place to do my homework or meet up with friends,” says Mulligan. Parsons likes the “the cute decor” because “it makes for a great, calm place to study.” Both students have been going to the coffee shop for around 3 years and can agree that it has a relaxing ambiance that is perfect for when they want to either study or meet up with friends at the shop. All in all, these two Pumas give it a “paws up”!
As for personal opinions, we writers, being loyal A’Roma customers for years now, are big fans of the themes and art within the cafe, changing throughout the seasons to match every holiday and atmosphere. Filled with abstract pieces of artwork and many aesthetically-pleasing paintings and photos, A’Roma captures the intrigue of the customers.
A’Roma has a generous selection of caffeinated and decaffeinated drinks, pastries, and other bites. Popular among customers is the Iced Aroma, the Vanilla Latte, and the Oregon Chai. A’Roma also serves freshly-baked pastries including varieties of cakes, muffins, and cookies. Both Parsons and Mulligan favor the chai; Mulligans’s go-to drink is a dirty chai while Parsons likes hers iced and with oat milk. We would recommend the mixed sweet and spicy Oregon chai tea latte, iced for during the summer. The chai’s slightly spicy cinnamon flavor and smooth texture makes for a nice and comforting drinking experience.
Another intriguing aspect of A’Roma roasters is the free live music, ranging from ukulele to piano to raw vocals, that is played for the customers almost every Saturday. Don’t forget to give the musical guests some appreciation on the way out, whether that would be tips or compliments! Mulligan appreciates the amount of noise in A’Roma, live music or not, because she doesn’t like doing her homework in silence; “I like for things to be going on around me and A’Roma always has a decent amount of people inside…I never feel like there’s too much noise.” As noted by this Carrillo senior, one of the many reasons A’Roma is greatly appreciated is for the noise level that contributes to the comforting environment.
A’Roma also practices sustainability with their products; the organic coffee beans are grown and processed by Organic Crop Improvement Association. Their Guatemala Chipacay coffee beans come directly from the Chipacay Estate in Guatemala, which gives the purchasers more quality control when buying and receiving the coffee beans. The process of purchasing and growing coffee beans is all available to read about on A’Roma Roasters’ website under the “About'' section.
A’Roma is one that is not to be underlooked; we encourage all students to try out the place whether it’s to hangout with friends, study with them, or even just going by yourself to relax with an iced latte by your side. So when you have the time, go check out A’Roma in Santa Rosa’s Historic Railroad Square, for the perfect study spot, just in time for finals season.