What’s Brewin’? 9th Bar Coffee Co. Dunedin, FL
9th Bar Coffee Co. is a place where everyone seems to be a regular and is certainly welcomed like one. I recently spent time with owner, Omar Hamid, and “head barista” Garrett. “Head Barista” because he’s the “cream of the crop” or maybe because he’s the only barista! He serves up an excellent cup of coffee, good conversation and a laid-back vibe. It’s no wonder they’re navigating through the pandemic well. During the early Covid days, Garrett recalls bringing coffee and pastries out to customers in their cars or meeting them outside. Today they are serving indoors with masks, and there is plenty of room to space out. Owner, Omar has used this pandemic time to renovate the space. A most unique addition is the coffee bar itself. The doors along the frontside of the bar are actually original from the historic Fenway Hotel here in Dunedin, built in 1924. The Fenway recently underwent its own renovations and local “Bamboo Don” had salvaged them to be repurposed. Omar thought it would be “cool to use the original doors” in his coffee shop. I agree.
“I give people better coffee than they expect...”
A couple days a week you’ll find Omar working behind the coffee bar as barista, chatting up customers and making recommendations for a truly simple, delicious cup of coffee. At 7 years old, it’s the oldest café in downtown Dunedin, and the only café serving “specialty” coffee in Pinellas County. Specialty is not a term used lightly. It’s not an arbitrary word that means the coffee is topped with whipped cream. Specialty has a specific meaning pertaining to the grades of coffee bean quality. According to coffeeresearch.org, Grade 1 coffee beans are considered “Specialty” because they have no primary defects, which results in a more distinct taste, body and aroma. Omar likes to keep his coffee simple, “I give people better coffee than they expect in an unpretentious, comfortable way.” People have gotten used to adding so much to cover up bad coffee that they’ve forgotten what good coffee tastes like. “Nothing’s as good as the coffee we’re sourcing. That’s what we do better than anyone else.”
Though 9th Bar has been around for seven years, with six of them at their Huntley Avenue location, that first year Omar rented the wine room at HOB Brewing Co. during the day. “I wanted to see if Dunedin wanted a coffee shop.” Did they? “Well, not really,” Omar laughs, “but I fell in love with coffee, so really it’s more about me.” It is clear Omar has a passion for coffee. His favorite is no surprise, “black.” If you happen to like a sweeter brew, 9th Bar offers organic syrups that are made in house. Their menu boasts some unique and seasonal items like Muddy Chai, Muddy Thai, Orange Mocha, Hot and Cold Brews. Omar plans to open a second location in Palm Harbor at US 19 and Nebraska Avenue soon (in the same plaza as Sprouts). It seems Covid has slowed down the permit process, but building out the space is near complete and “we’ll be ready to go once the permits are approved.”