Coffee shop CERES quietly opened its doors Monday morning at 77 W. Washington St.
“[Ceres] is the Roman goddess of agriculture,” said Carolyn O’Connor, owner of CERES. “And she was the goddess that introduced grain to the people. A lot of other gods and goddesses were for the upper class, and she was really for the working folks.”
While CERES is a cafe, the star is actually fresh hand-made pasta.
“I think a lot of people that I know in Tucson haven’t tried fresh pasta before,” O’Connor said. “It’s so different than what you’re used to. It’s a totally different experience.”
Customers can order the pasta by the pound to-go or have it prepared to order with their choice of sauce.
“We’re using tipo 00 imported Italian flour,” O’Connor said. “We also use a local durum. Don from Barrio Bread has been hooking us up with some of his different flours. I also do a white Sonoran wheat that you can buy to go and cook at home.”
As of the opening, the two pastas available are tagliolini and tagliatelle. Bucatini will be available once the pasta extruder is repaired. Rotating specials, including various stuffed pastas, will be posted on their Instagram page weekly. Current pasta sauce options include Tomato and Basil ($9), Pesto ($11), Cacio e Pepe ($11), and Bolognese ($12).
The simple sauces utilize traditional high-quality ingredients. For example, the classic Genovese pesto alla Genovese features basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino, pine nuts, and extra-virgin olive oil.
CERES also offers ready-made sandwiches, salads, and baked goods such as pastries and loaves of bread. The tiny cafe only has one seat, hence the to-go model.
Although pasta is the star, CERES still offers a full espresso menu using locally roasted specialty coffee. The menu features the classics along with seasonal specials. Furthermore, their house-unsweetened almond milk is made from raw almonds. Teas and soft drinks are also available.
Operating hours are 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Take-out pasta lunch is available from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
CERES is located at 77 W. Washington St. Keep up with CERES on Instagram. For more information, visit cerestucson.com.
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Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
