Paul Del Mundo and Julie Nguyen kicked around several start-up business ideas before developing their concept for Contra Coffee & Tea.  “We basically mashed up the craft brewery theme with the aesthetic of a bar and our in-house formulated coffee and tea drinks,” Del Mundo says.

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Contra Coffee & Tea

Paul Del Mundo and Julie Nguyen spent two-and-a-half years in search of a permanent place where they could sell their creative beverage creations, nitrogen-loaded cold brew coffees and teas.

After launching Contra Coffee & Tea in March 2015, the former food scientists, who met at Cal Poly Pomona, were based for a time at Santa Ana’s 4th Street Market, had a pop-up at Scoops ice cream shop in downtown Santa Ana, and also worked farmers markets in the area.

Then came a chance meeting with Kevin Staniec, founder of the 1888 Center.  Del Mundo and Nguyen had set up shop at the Patchwork arts and crafts festival in Santa Ana, and Staniec was immediately impressed.

“When I had their coffee, it made me stop,” he says.  “It was interesting, and it was different.”

Months later, when Staniec was looking for a café for his arts center in Old Towne Orange, he knew who to call.

The coffee and tea at Contra, which opened in late August, is nitro-infused and comes out of a tap, just like beer.  Consistent with the novel beverage concept, Contra is not your traditional coffeehouse.

“We wanted to create an atmosphere like a craft brewery —lively, energetic, fun—and make it a place for really good conversation, without the pressure of staying kind of quiet like in an espresso shop,” Del Mundo says.

Many of the drinks show personality in the names: Dirty Horchata (dairy-free vanilla rice milk, cinnamon and other spices), Gold Rush (Vietnamese iced coffee) and Simplicitea (unsweetened tea).  Lucid Dream, a medium roast with beans from Old Town Roasting, is a signature blend.

Staniec is a fan of Love Birds (espresso roast brewed with black tea and a brown sugar syrup)—and of Contra.

“The way you walk up to the bar, the tap system, the coffee and tea—it’s 100 percent unique and 100 percent authentic,” he says.  “It’s been a perfect fit for both of our missions and for our businesses.”

Contra has become a quick hit, with 200-300 customers every day, prompting Del Mundo and Nguyen to hire four part-timers to keep everything running smoothly.

“For the longest time it’s just been the two of us, so we’re still learning to let go of the reins a little more,” Del Mundo says.  “This is our wildest dream.  It’s almost hard to believe, but it is happening, and it’s something we’re really thankful for.”

Contra Coffee & Tea
115 North Orange St., Old Towne Orange, CA 92866  /  714-696-8793