The Hoof Cafe Opens in Locust Point, Brings Coffee and Ice Cream to the Neighborhood
The Hoof Cafe opened this month at 1648 E. Fort Ave. in Locust Point. The approximately 600 sq. ft. space is the former home of EarthShake, which is relocating its Locust Point location to 1442 E. Fort Ave. It was also the longtime home of Star’s Confectionery.
The Hoof is a partnership between Locust Point residents Rebecca Friedman, Jason Schiavone, and a silent partner. Schiavone purchased and renovated the three-story building in recent years.
The Hoof is a coffee shop serving beans roasted at Locust Point’s Pfefferkorn’s Coffee, which has been in the neighborhood for more than 100 years. Coffee drinks include drip coffee, iced coffee, cold brew, espressos, lattes, cappuccinos, Americanos, and more. Additional drinks include smoothies from B’More Organic, hot chocolate, house-brewed iced tea, hot tea, and chai lattes.
The Hoof serves foods such as bagels, pastries, and nut butters from Baltimore vendors.
For dessert, The Hoof sells ice cream from from South Mountain Creamery out of Middletown, Maryland, which is the source for all the coffee shop’s dairy products.
According to Friedman, the space has a “great kitchen” in the back which will allow them to expand the food offerings in the future if needed. It will also allow them to host food pop-ups.
Friedman told SouthBMore.com that she always wanted to see a coffee shop in her neighborhood. She used to joke that if the storefront at 1648 E. Fort Ave. ever became available again, she would fill the void herself. It did become available, and she soon became serious about the idea after speaking with Schiavone.
The Hoof name came to be when a friend was checking out their new space and said, “I’m going to hoof it over there.” The owners love pigs, and the silent partner’s nickname is “moose.” At that point they decided the name had to be The Hoof Cafe.
The team loves the location because it’s across the street from Latrobe Park, which hosts morning soccer leagues, has popular amenities such as the dog park, and can accommodate more parking than most parts of Locust Point. They also like that it is on the way for tourists visiting Fort McHenry and near I-95 for morning commuters.
The Hoof has two-top tables and a couch. “We want it to be homey to appeal to those who work from home,” said Friedman.
She said The Hoof has a mid-century modern feel that has a hide rug to go with the hoof theme. It also ha free WiFi.
The Hoof employs a manager and a small team.
The Hoof is open Sunday through Thursday from 630am to 3pm, and until 8pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for those looking for some ice cream.
About the Author: Kevin Lynch
Founder and Publisher of SouthBmore.com, longtime resident of South Baltimore, and a graduate of Towson University. Diehard Ravens and O's fan, father of three, amateur pizza chef, skateboarder, and "bar food" foodie. Email me at Kevin@InceptMM.com and follow me on Twitter at @SoBoKevin.
