Mobile café with Kenyan roots finds new home along the Neponset River

Born and raised in Kenya, sisters Najma and Naima Mohamed have brought East African coffee culture to Dorchester with the launch of their mobile coffee shop, Espresso East Coffee & Co.

The bright yellow van is parked at the rear of CrossFit 617 fitness center on Hill Top Street this month and has seen a big response from people who use the nearby Neponset Greenway and the adjacent state-owned, waterfront park at the corner of Granite Avenue.

“The way we grew up, coffee is not about the actual drink,” said big sister Najma, 26. “Coffee for us has always been about the community — a birthday, a gathering, an afternoon after work. We grew up around a huge coffee culture, and it transcends beyond just being about the actual drink. It brings people together, it brings conversations.”

She added that the company name “is paying homage to our East African roots and also being from the East Coast now.”

Steps away from the Neponset trail, the mobile coffee shop encourages caffeine lovers to slow down, soak in the sun, go for a stroll, and share smiles with their neighbors.

The sisters launched Espresso East Coffee in Quincy’s Caddy Memorial Park last month, but after state officials DCR decided not to renew their temporary permit “or allow food/beverage trucks along the beach,” they found themselves without a business address.

Crossfit617 owner and Dorchester resident Pete Needham heard about their plight and reached out with a proposition.

“A member of ours, Emily, got a coffee from [Espresso East], and she was the one who got me on their Instagram,” Needham explained. “I saw they were without a home, without a place to go. I’m a small business owner, and I understand how it is. It’s a struggle as it is to get off the ground, when your world’s turned upside down like that, I was like this might be a sign for us to do some kind of collaboration.”

Needham had a perfect location right outside his building to offer: a renovated shipping container that the gym sometimes uses for cookouts and small events.

“We were utilizing it for that, but we weren’t getting the most out of it… It’s such a lovely place, and it’s underutilized in my opinion, especially for the neighborhood around here.”

As to the demand for the sisters’ coffee, a visit last week showed a growing line of customers like Adams Village resident Alex Chase, who brought along his son Joseph and their yellow lab, Luna.

“I came on Saturday, but I came a little late, so they already ran out. They were super nice, and I was like I absolutely have to come back,” said Chase as he enjoyed an iced pistachio latte. “People are already prone to hanging out here, but I think it will drive more involvement and activity.”

The limited menu features sea salt and Spanish lattes, fig matcha, and offers vanilla, pistachio, Dutch cookie, and baklava syrups, extras, and cold foam.

Najma, whose favorite drink is the Spanish latte, says they plan on expanding their offerings soon. “We have the classics, but when we have our grand opening, the containers will have more capacity,” she said.

Naima, who always goes with the fig matcha, said that she and her sister traveled to Japan to learn more about green tea leaves. “We went there, and we found someone who owns a farm. Our matcha is directly sourced from there,” she said.

Added Najma: “We have a commercial kitchen in Walpole, and we are looking for pastry chefs at the moment. That’s in the works for sure.”

Chance Bedell, a barista at the shop, said the business “already has regulars that are coming through.”

The Espresso East team is working toward a grand opening and a permanent schedule. But until then, hours will be updated on Instagram at espressoeastcoffee.

“We’re in the trial phase, and we want to make sure we’re not disappointing people,” said Najma, “so we are working on reduced hours. We’re working on expanding the team once we get our trailer.

“It’s not about the rush, it’s not about how much coffee we can sell, it’s more about just being the best coffee and having the best company, that’s what’s more important to us.”

WBUR and the Dorchester Reporter have a partnership in which the news organizations share resources to collaborate on stories. This story was originally published by the Dorchester Reporter.