Two years ago, business partners Steve Mignanelli and Sarah Grillo watched their hard work literally go up in flames when Drip Coffee House in East Greenwich suffered a devastating fire. In the year and a half since re-opening, the coffeehouse in the Frenchtown neighborhood of East Greenwich had built a community – a shared collective of java junkies from busy moms to work-from-home latte lovers to espresso enthusiasts – who love to take a moment to linger with their steaming hot mug of love.
Where others may have packed it in, Mignanelli and Grillo were undeterred and set their sights on reopening, which they did in early 2024. Their rise from the ashes brought with it not just a new perspective, but new offerings and exciting community partnerships that tap into the talents of local food and drink artisans. The result has been new faces and longtime supporters becoming regulars.
“We’re extremely happy with the turnout this time around, especially after the fire and renovating,” says Mignanelli. If the name rings a bell, it’s because the Mignanelli family is well known for two East Greenwich institutions: Richard’s Pub and the Ritrovo Pub & Grille. Coffee, of course, is the cornerstone of Drip, and they don’t mess around, serving Rhode Island’s own Richard Alan Specialty Coffees. For more than four decades, the family-run micro-roaster has crafted premium coffee blends and espressos from their Johnston headquarters. Roaster Richard Rotondi personally selects the beans, roasts, blends, and flavors for the line. “They always have new flavors coming out,” says Mignanelli, adding that seasonal flavors are favorites among customers.
But coffee isn’t the only thing giving Drip’s customers a buzz these days. “This time around, we had the opportunity to open the bar, and because we have a full liquor license, we’ve had that open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, and it’s been going really well.” The partners secured the license when they first opened Drip Coffee House on South County Trail, planning to introduce cocktails down the line until the fire diverted those plans. The downtime, however, gave them space to develop a thoughtful bar program that includes an extensive martini list, full bar with specialty cocktails, and a curated wine and beer list. “It turns into a nice, comfortable atmosphere to relax and enjoy a cocktail,” says Mignanelli.
As one might expect in a coffee house with cocktails, their espresso martini is the star of the show. “Of course!” laughs Mignanelli. “We use real espresso, that’s what makes all the difference, and we have a really good product. We get a lot of compliments on the espresso martinis.”
Open at 6 am seven days a week, the pastry case at Drip is loaded with fresh bagels, muffins, danish, croissants, and cinnamon buns baked in-house. But the donuts, they leave to the pros. “We are partnered with a very popular donut company called RI Guys, which have certainly grown over the past few years themselves,” notes Mignanelli. “They provide all the donut cakes to Dave’s Fresh Marketplace and we’re their only supplier in East Greenwich, so we’re able to sell their donuts out of our storefront.” Other daytime noshes include acai bowls, made-to-order breakfast sandwiches, overnight oats, yogurt parfaits, and a selection of gluten-free options.
For Drip’s Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening lounging, guests can order from Supreme Pizza & Subs right across the street. “You can order from a QR code, and they deliver it,” says Mignanelli. “You can get their full menu; pizza, sandwiches, whatever they have, delivered to our place. It just works very well for us, and as our next-door business neighbor, we wanted to work with those we could. As soon as the food’s done, it’s delivered, it’s hot, it’s fresh,
and it’s all good.”
Mignanelli says he and Grillo like that Drip has become a welcoming spot for everyone. “For meeting with friends, family, or whoever it may be, and then, at night, we dim the lights a little bit, and it turns into a nice little lounge atmosphere.” With live music, trivia, and sometimes even comedy, Drip Coffee House has become a magnet for locals to relax and unwind, and whether it’s sunrise or last call, they always have something brewing.
2725 South County Trail, East Greenwich
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