Back in 2016, Joshua and Sarah Weaver opened Bandit Coffee Co inside of a former Porter’s Paints store at 2662 Central Avenue with the goal of fostering community through coffee. Since then, the perfectly curated and minimalistic coffeeshop has become a beloved St. Pete staple for locals and visitors alike.

The coffee menu has always been easy to understand, whether you’re a coffee aficionado or casual drinker. You can get a hot coffee, cold brew coffee, espresso, espresso + milk, a mocha, and a vanilla latte. You won’t find any frappe-cappu-mocha-latte-chinos.

Over the years, the Weavers have consistently upgraded the experience at Bandit, never willing to settle for the status quo. Originally, the shop only served coffee roasted by small-batch roasters across the country, such as Heart from Portland, Middle State from Denver, and Ruby from Nelsonville, WI. However in 2017, Bandit quietly began roasting their own coffee at King State Coffee’s facility in Tampa. Also in 2017, a beautiful and highly Instagramable mural titled “Hello St Petersburg” was painted on the outside of the building.

And then early last year, the coffee shop acquired a wine and beer license, which paved the way for Bandit’s curated natural wine offerings. By the glass, enjoy selections from Loire Valley in France such as La Pepie Muscadet, a white wine with notes of crisp acidity and green apple, or Gaspard Gamay, a light-bodied red wine with notes of violet and black currant. Be sure to browse the bottle shelf for a much larger selection of natural wines. 

Over the summer, to the enthusiasm of foodies and coffee-drinkers alike, Bandit brought on Shane Schuch to launch a new food service, which has quickly become a runaway hit in the Grand Central District. Everything on the menu is made-to-order, and features creations such as the bacon and jam toast and savory breakfast sandwiches. There’s even a vegan breakfast burrito, so you really can’t go wrong. The kitchen is open Wednesday through Sunday from 8AM to 2PM.

Bandit Coffee also started selling bags of their beans online. Six single origin offerings and one blend (50% Peru 50% Ethiopia) are available for $16-18 per bag. Or why not make life easier with the Bandit Coffee subscription, delivered to your door every 1, 2, or 4 weeks.

"We ship our favorites and some exclusive coffees often only subscribers will see,” says Sarah. “Subscribers will also receive various perks/gifts along the way for joining our coffee family.”

And if you think Sarah and Josh are content with where Bandit is at today, think again! This year is shaping up to be one of Bandit Coffee’s biggest yet. Joshua and Sarah have just leased a building located off of 7th Avenue South that’ll house the new Bandit Coffee roasting facility. Barkett Realty was the landlord rep on the deal.

The duo has purchased a beautiful Probat P12 roaster, which is capable of roasting over 100 pounds of coffee per hour! Although the new roasting facility won’t be open to the public, the space will be used for demos, tastings, workshops and of course roasting coffee. 

“It means a lot to us to bring our roastery to my hometown of St. Pete,” says Sarah Weaver. "Our local community is wonderfully supportive, and we look forward to continuing to grow our business here.” 

In a few weeks, on Saturday February 1st, Bandit Coffee turns four years old and wants to celebrate with the community. Enjoy the festivities with drink specials, food, fun, and possibly a bouncehouse. “More details to come, but clear your calendars,” says Sarah. “It’s gonna be a big ol' bash.” Check out the event on Facebook for more details and to RSVP.

To stay updated on the latest of all things Bandit, follow the company on Facebook and on Instagram at @banditstpete (for all things shop-related) and @banditcoffeeco (featuring roastery and coffee related updates). Bandit is located at 2662 Central Avenue in the Grand Central District and is open 8AM until 6PM daily.