Floral notes

Coffee and pie: Ryan Harden left his gig as Old Soul Co.’s head roaster last week, but he’s been planning his next move for the past six months: Camellia Coffee Roasters.

When it opens—hopefully in July—Camellia will look very different than other Sacramento cafes. No outlets. No tables. No customers who park and work for hours. Harden envisions something similar to G&B Coffee in Los Angeles, a small kiosk in downtown’s Grand Central Market. It mostly does to-go business, with a few bar stools for folks to enjoy a cappuccino or espresso on-the-spot.

“It’s more like a bar experience—you’re not going to pull out your laptop at a bar,” Harden says.

As for food, Camellia will eschew the usual selection of breakfast pastries for a line of hand pies in collaboration with Matt Masera of Mother, Empress Tavern and Maiden Ice Cream. Expect a rotating selection of two sweet options with seasonal fruit and two savory options, probably one veggie pie and one meat pie.

Harden is actively looking for a cafe location in Midtown with his business partner Robert Watson, of Insight Coffee Roasters. They already have a space in Roseville to start roasting in mid-March for wholesale clients.

According to Harden, there are no hard feelings with Old Soul. He actually bought the company’s old roaster to help launch Camellia.

“There’s a lot more room for other things besides Insight, Temple, Old Soul and Chocolate Fish,” he says.

Scoops: I have very fond memories of Tucos, the eclectic wine bar in Davis, and I was sad to see it go. But few things make me happier than excellent ice cream, so it’s a relief that the old Tucos space (130 G Street, Suite A) will at least be filled by frozen treats.

The Good Scoop is shooting for a March 26 grand opening. The family-owned business will serve Portland-based Stumptown Coffee—including cold brew—and Berkeley-based Tara’s Organic Ice Cream. Tara’s currently rotates through 176 flavors, which means the Good Scoop will serve far beyond the usual assortment of vanilla, chocolate and mint chip. Current seasonal flavors include avocado, beet balsamic, lavender, pink peppercorn and geranium. A small cup costs $4, ice cream sandwiches go for $6.50 and ice pops cost $5. Plus, house-made organic cones.