Diners in Wichita are already familiar with Vietnamese coffee thanks to the many popular Vietnamese restaurants in town that serve it. But soon, two new restaurants will open that will take Vietnamese coffee to the next level. And they’ll both be on the same street. One will be called Buckets Ca Phe.
It’s set to open by the end of the month in a strip center at 4100 E. Harry. It’s owned by Hiep Nguyen, who also has a barbershop called Buckets Studio. The shop will serve slow-drip coffee made with Vietnamese coffee beans. But his shop’s coffee drinks will feature different flavors, including coconut, salted cream, pistachio and banana. It’ll also offer matcha drinks. A half mile away at 3441 E. Harry, local entrepreneur Kevin Nguyen is putting the finishing touches on a new restaurant called Bahn Mi 316. Though the restaurant will specialize in banh mi sandwiches, it also will have a big menu of Vietnamese coffee drinks made with coffee beans imported from Vietnam. Nguyen will offer some unique concoctions, including fruit coffee, avocado coffee and peanut butter coffee. The menu will also include matcha drinks, herbal tea and a few types of boba tea. Nguyen also owns the two local Feng Cha Boba Shops. He hopes to have Banh Mi 316 open by mid-September.
Meanwhile, in Delano, another pair of Wichita entrepreneurs is about to open a new brewery. Kurt and Jessica Schmidt are the owners of Picasso’s Pizzeria on West Douglas.
Soon, they’ll open their new Flatlanders Brewing at 623 W. Douglas, the building directly west of Picasso’s. Flatlanders will offer a lineup of its own beers, and customers will be able to enjoy pizza from Picasso’s next door. The two buildings now have a door that makes them accessible to each other. The brewery has two stories of seating. It also has another appealing feature: a rooftop patio. Kurt Schmidt says the brewery will open as soon as he can get enough bartenders hired.
