Our History The initial idea behind Dominican Joe began in early 2005. Mehul Patel and Sharla Megilligan started with a simple concept: could we provide Austin with a high quality coffee shop while making a positive impact in the world? Our vision began to take shape in early 2006 and, in September of that year, we opened Dominican Joe in the heart of Austin at the corner of South Congress and Riverside Drive. Through a partnership with Makarios, we work with a farming community in the Dominican Republic to provide you with top quality coffee while supporting educational efforts in the country. Our two organizations are directly involved in the entire process from grower to import to the end product you see in our shop. By participating at every step, we're able to maximize our impact and ensure the growers are being treated well and paid fair wages. As part of our aim to make a positive impact in the world, we also work with other nonprofits to support their efforts where we can. If you are involved with a non-profit organization, please feel free to contact us. We are happy to host fundraisers or find other ways to support your efforts where possible!

Our coffee is grown on a 350 acre ecological reserve high in the Central Mountain Range of the Dominican Republic. The plantation has been certified organic and produces a very smooth Caribbean brew with good body, a rich cocoa flavor, and mild acidity. The coffee is grown under a diverse multi-leveled shade canopy that is home to a multitude of bird life as well as offering protection for the many species of other wild life endemic of the Dominican Republic. Coffee on the plantation is harvested using fair trade practices.