We opened the Orange shop in 2023. The first couple of months were slow. Some days we stood behind the bar, looked at the door, and waited.
So Ace and I went back to the name. Ape Coffee. If that is who we are, what should be in the cup? The answer was a banana drink.
The rule: real bananas
The first decision was the only one that mattered. No artificial banana syrup. Banana flavoring tastes like candy, not like fruit. Anyone who has had a banana-flavored anything knows the difference in one sip.
So we blend real bananas into a cream. That changes the drink in two ways. It tastes like a banana, not like banana candy. And the cream has body, so it sits on top of the drink instead of sinking into it. You taste it first, then the coffee or matcha underneath.
The cream is made in-house, from bananas we blend ourselves. When I tasted the first batch, it reminded me of a banana cream pie. It went on the menu right away, and it is still there. People tell us it does not taste like fake banana, and that's the whole point.
What is the Monkey Business?
The Monkey Business is Ape Coffee's signature drink. It is an iced honey latte topped with house-made banana cream, made from real bananas, and garnished with cinnamon, a banana chip and a light honey drizzle. It is served iced only, it is sweet, and the sweetness can be adjusted.
What is the Incredible Ape Matcha?
The Incredible Ape Matcha is the matcha version of the Monkey Business. It is an iced honey matcha latte topped with the same house-made banana cream as the Monkey Business, garnished with cinnamon, a banana chip and a light honey drizzle. It is sweet, and again the sweetness can be adjusted. .
Two more places to find it other than the two signature drinks. The Golden Ape is a spin-off of the Monkey Business for people who want the flavor without the cream on top. It is a house-made banana brown sugar syrup latte, and this one can be made iced or hot. And banana cream is a $1 cream top you can add to any drink. For kids, we recommend the chocolate milk with banana cream.
A sweet drink, on purpose
These drinks are on the dessert-y side. The banana cream is sweet, the drink has honey inside, and they are topped off with honey drizzle. If you want the same drink lighter on the sweetness, you can always ask us for adjustments. You can also read more on our guide to what to order if you are more of coffee coffee person
What the banana taught us
One drink set a rule we still follow. The tiramisu cream, the sweet cream, the mango puree and the orange syrup all start the same way. Use natural ingredients. Make the key parts of drinks in-house. And make sure it tastes good.
