Coffee Break Cafe
Nestled inside a modest plaza between P and Q streets on Ocean Boulevard, Coffee Break Cafe (23 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach, hamptonbeachcoffee.com) is in the middle of its 17th year of offering freshly brewed cups of joe and locally sourced eats. “At the time, there was really nowhere around to get a good cup of coffee on the beach,” said Todd Paul, whose parents, Carolyn and Lenny, opened Coffee Break in the spring of 2007. “My dad used to travel [for work] a lot … and so he figured he’d open up a little coffee shop to give my mother something to do while he was on the road. … It just kind of blew up from there, really. It’s taken on a life of its own [and has] become bigger than anything my family had ever imagined.” Within a few years, the Pauls gained additional cafe space by knocking down a wall separating two interior units. This enabled them to expand their menu to include full-service breakfast and lunch items, which they continue to offer today. Coffee Break Cafe is not only one of the first local coffee shop concepts to open on Ocean Boulevard, but it also remains one of the only spots in the area that’s open year-round. Recently reached by phone, Todd Paul talked with the Scene about some of his must-try recommendations at Coffee Break Cafe, which he and his older sister, Jessica, each have a hand in managing alongside their parents.
How long has Coffee Break Cafe been around?
My parents opened Coffee Break in April of 2007. … 2009 was when we took over the other side, which had a full kitchen in it, so we were able to start doing breakfast sandwiches, lunch paninis and stuff. … When we had just that first side, all we did was coffee drinks and baked goods.
What makes Coffee Break Cafe unique?
Everything’s made fresh to order. Nothing is pre-cooked or warmed up after. … We also stay open year-round and we have year-round employees. … We try to support our community as well whenever we can. We do a lot of things for the Blue Ocean Society — once a month, they’ll do a beach cleanup, and we hand out hot sleeves that go around your coffee cup [and] … you get a free small drink if you come into the cafe afterward.
What is your favorite thing on your own menu?
My favorite thing is the Live Free or Die sandwich. It’s two pieces of multigrain toast, [cooked] panini style, and it’s got two over easy eggs on it, a few pieces of bacon, pepper jack cheese and then on the bottom there is corned beef hash. … We top all of that off with something that we call our Green Monster sauce. It’s a light green [color], but it’s got a little kick to it. One of the main ingredients is jalapeños. … We’ve had that secret sauce for a while, and it’s a real hit.
What is something that everyone should try?
We’re known for our signature frozen hot chocolates and our frozen lattes. … I would say for breakfast it would definitely be the Live Free or Die. … Then for lunch, we have a panini called the Green Monster turkey melt. It’s got the Green Monster sauce and then it’s got turkey, cheddar, avocado, baby spinach and tomato. It’s just phenomenal.
What celebrity would you like to see eating at Coffee Break Cafe?
We’re a hockey family — my mother’s father coached high school hockey, and she had five brothers and they all played hockey. I also played and my son plays now as well … so I would have to say Bobby Orr or Wayne Gretzky.
What is an essential skill to running a cafe?
You need patience in this industry … [and] also passion. If you have those two things, it will definitely work out for you at some point.
What is your favorite thing about being on the Seacoast?
Just being next to the ocean. … I would also say [being able to] see all of the people that you’re used to seeing every summer. … I would say that 75 percent of the people that come into our shop in the summertime are people we know by their first name, or we’ve seen their children grow up and their first job was at the shop.
— Matt Ingersoll
Photo courtesy of Coffee Break Cafe
