This NJ Coffee Shop Is Serving Some of the Most Unexpected Drinks in the State

Montclair has no shortage of really good coffee, but Paper Plane Coffee Co. offers a more unconventional take on each cup. Here, espresso meets ingredients like Yoo-hoo, Guinness Zero and honeydew syrup in a menu that leans creative without losing its coffee roots.

Paper Plane Coffee Co. in Montclair is a specialty coffee roastery and café whose owners are fifth-generation Colombian coffee growers, so “coffee is deeply personal to us, and everything we do is rooted in both tradition and a desire to push the experience forward,” says Jonathan Echeverry.

That means a rotating seasonal drink menu. Every month, they aim for a mix of “creative, nostalgic, and sometimes unexpected.” The menu is described as “weird” and made by “science.”

The Irish Car Pool is made with Guinness Zero (that means zero alcohol), vanilla simple syrup and espresso.

The Polychrome is inspired by the Blue Java banana and Gotham FC soccer team. It’s a blend of banana and vanilla with espresso.

Butterbroo is a pop culture take on Harry Potter Butterbeer as a latte.

Think back to your childhood breakfast but with a buzz: Tainted Love pairs strawberry Nesquik milk with chocolate Nesquik espresso. The Truffle Shuffle is a double shot of espresso inside of a YooHoo bottle.

Killin Me Smalls is a s’mores-inspired winter drink, made with house-made graham crackers and toasted marshmallow syrup, your choice of milk, and chocolate espresso, topped with mini marshmallows.

The Wise One and The Youngling are part of the spring menu, using honeydew syrup for a lighter feel.

The café leans into its travel-inspired identity with a menu shaped by global flavors and drink traditions. YuenYueng, inspired by the popular drink in Shanghai, is made with coffee, oolong tea and sweetened condensed milk. The Mayan Latte is like a spicy Mexican hot chocolate. There’s also a collection of Avioncito merch, Spanish for “little plane.”

“Hazelnut, caramel and vanilla are all great, but at a certain point you start to notice that everywhere you go, the menu feels the same. We wanted to change that and give people a reason to come in, try something new, and maybe even be a little surprised,” Echeverry says.

If you’re more into the “usual suspects,” the In Flight Menu has hot coffee, iced coffee and tea combos. Paper Plane Coffee Co. also sells its coffee as pre-packaged whole beans, as well as a handful of De’Longhi coffee machines. You can also grab fresh pastries from Balthazar, baked daily.

Paper Plane Coffee Co.
1 N. Fullerton Ave.
Montclair

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