Nestled away on Taft St. between Fairview and Gray lies a neat little white warehouse that holds Fontana Coffee Roasters and Alltex Refrigeration. Head roaster Keith Adkins services many a restaurant in and around the area, and even delivers to the closer locations on his bicycle.

In this photo, there is some real magic going on in the workshop. Owner Joseph Martin and Fontana's resident technician Craig are rebuilding an espresso machine from the ground up. This process reveals the beauty of the machine's mechanics. They will be resealing gaskets, replacing old parts, and descaling it before sending it to a new home. It is incredible how beautiful a restored machine can be, and one like this can give a café a sense of nostalgia and quality that it's hard to find nowadays. This particular machine has become an icon of durability and remains one of our own personal favorites.

Fontana not only carries coffee, but also distributes loose-leaf and bagged boutique teas, gelato ingredients, and commercial refrigeration equipment. Joseph and Keith have been in the Houston coffee scene a great while, and can be seen at some of your favorite restaurants and bars maintaining equipment and dropping off supplies.

While Fontana Coffee Roasters is a wholesale company, its products can be purchased locally at Grizzaffi Coffee in Discovery Green downtown and Fioza Café on Chimney rock and Beechnut.