Fig TreeEspresso

Fig Tree Espresso occupies a nineteenth-century town house on Nevill Street, run by Jessica and her partner Chris without outside investment. Jessica pulls the coffee, sourcing beans from local roasters, while Chris bakes cakes and cooks a short lunch menu from scratch each day. The wooden counter and bench seating were built by Jessica's father, Patrick, a self-taught carpenter, and the small courtyard garden is planted and maintained by her mother, Joanna. The couple started the cafe using savings from earlier jobs rather than a loan or investor, and the operation remains entirely theirs. Regulars call in for the soup of the day as often as for the espresso. It opens Tuesday to Saturday and closes on Sundays and Mondays, with seating for only a handful at a time.