Red Horse Coffee Co

The best cafes are simple. Good food, great coffee and a familiarity that makes every visit feel like you’re coming home. Throw in a bookstore where you can find your next best read and a sunny courtyard your dog will love too, and you have something truly special like Miami’s Red Horse Coffee Co.

The new cafe from The Henchman crew is inspired by owner Jared Fairall’s trips to Japan, where he noticed the attention to detail in small coffee shops that still maintained a homely feel. “The funny thing is, Red Horse is actually very close to my original concept for The Henchman,” he said. “When I first started The Henchman, I never intended for it to be a bar. The whole idea was a simple coffee shop with a bookstore attached—somewhere comfortable where people could bring their dog, sit in the sun, drink quality organic coffee, read a book and not feel rushed.”

It’s a cosy spot inside a 1950s fibro beach shack that’s been restored where possible and curated on the fly to become a place where you want to hang out. “The whole place is a little bit Western, a little bit Japanese, a little bit weird and very Gold Coast,” said Fairall. 

Red Horse (which is named after Fairall’s very own thoroughbred) is pouring organic coffee and signature cold drinks with an uncomplicated approach. Similarly, the tight menu is generous and predominantly hands on. There’s a rough-cut leg ham toastie using produce from local butcher Gourmet Meats, a benny baguette with Henchman brisket, fried eggs and house-made hollandaise, and a burrito you might recognise from Henchman’s old breakfast menu with a few twists. 

“For me, it's about quality organic coffee, simple hearty food, books, dogs, good people and creating a comfortable place to spend your morning,” said Fairall.

Down the line, Red Horse Coffee Co will expand into lunch and daily opening hours but for now it’s the kind of no-fuss cafe that’ll keep you coming back.

Image credit: Red Horse Coffee Co | Supplied