Luminescent
While it feels like every coffee shop/cafe decides to open up shop within a 2-mile radius of the Mills 50 neighborhood, a new shop has entered our Orlando craft coffee scene, but this time on the East side. Co-owners Akshar and Shivam, have brought us Luminescent, a heavily Indian-influenced dual coffee bar and craft cocktail lounge. The space is located on E. Colonial just past the intersection of Alafaya and Colonial.
The Vibe
Everything about the space feels high-end, but there isn't a bit of pretension here. It's just a beautifully designed mix of bar and lounge seating that can accommodate both day and night patrons, whether your needs are caffeine or cocktails. The large U-shaped bar is the focal point, but couches, tables, and some bar seating nestled in the back allow you to be as in the mix or tucked away as you'd like. The bar is a beautiful, rich, deep green, with other pops of color throughout the space, featuring modern touches and heartfelt cultural elements inspired by their Indian heritage. There are no prominent logos (except for one hidden one if you can find it), so this space feels like a beautiful blank canvas for their expression rather than a stamp of commercialism at every turn.
Familial touches are everywhere and play a significant role in inspiring the menu and the overall ambiance they aim to convey to every guest who enters. During my visit, most of the patrons were family, and I even had the opportunity to sit and chat with Akshar's mother, who had moved to the area from India at the age of twenty-five. I asked her if she was able to go back and visit, and she mentioned that they did on occasion, but all of her family is here now, with some 200 relatives still getting together. You could sense the importance of keeping the family unit strong and intact, and it was evident from the support system they had on day one of this soft opening.
It's a space to feel welcome and comfortable, not to be intimidated by ingredients you may not be overly familiar with, but to celebrate what Akshar refers to accurately as "the spice capital of the world" in a relaxed atmosphere.
On more of a coffee nerd note, I was also so excited to see under-counter espresso machines like the ones I saw at La Cabra in NYC. Seeing baristas have everything at their fingertips without roaming the whole bar back and forth allows you to feel more connected to them from a service standpoint, and it also allows for maximum efficiency.
These machines also allow several different specialty coffees to be dialed in, so a coffee tasting could possibly be in the future for enthusiasts to enjoy.
The Drinks
On my visit during the soft opening, I ordered the two signature drinks, both named after Akshar and Shivam's mothers.
D's Delight - which has gulab jambun syrup, espresso, and milk. Think subtle hints of cardamom and rose water in the syrup. If you're not someone who likes overly sweet signature coffee drinks, this one is very pleasing and light.
Keral's Kulfi - which has pistachio cold foam, soan papdi, espresso, and milk. Sometimes known as Indian cotton candy, this crumbly sweet topping gives you a nice texture atop the delicious pistachio foam. This drink is delicious but sweeter than D's Delight.
Chā - a traditional spiced Indian tea with milk, it comes served with Parle-G Gold Biscuits, perfect for dipping. This is some of the best Indian tea I've had in Orlando. You can taste all the spices, but it's not overly spiced, making it an easier drink for those who aren't used to the bite some Chā can have with larger amounts of ginger. It's ideal for those seeking an alternative to coffee.
For the traditional coffee drinker, the rest of the menu features standard offerings, including drip and pour-over, along with added flavors available in vanilla, mocha, honey, and floral.
Right now, the food offerings during coffee hours are the popular Yeastcoast Bakehouse goods, so if you are an East Orlando resident and have a hard time getting over to that side of town on Saturdays, this is your chance to indulge whenever you wish.
Cocktail Menu
Once the clock strikes 4 PM, the space transitions from a coffee menu to a cocktail menu, still with splashes of Indian-inspired flavors while paying homage to family. The shoutouts to the mothers are present on the coffee menu, while the cocktail menu gives love to the Dads. Uncle Mike (rye, Smith & Cross, tamarind, cinndem, cardamom bitters) and Jignasty (Blanco tequila, rhum agricole, pineapple, vandovan, ginger falernum, tiajin chili) are the signature standouts, but fear not if you want a classic cocktail or a spirit-free mango lassi, those are available as well.
I’m so excited to go back to try more of the menu, as well as the cocktails, and see the transition from day to night. It’s refreshing to see something that we didn’t have in Orlando when it comes to coffee offerings, all packaged in such a welcoming space where the experience is more important than the almighty dollar, something that Akshar (who quickly hugged me as soon as we met as strangers) said is far more important to him than anything else, and I agree.
Luminescent is in its soft opening, with hours starting at 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Cocktail hours should begin soon, sometime next week, so follow their socials for details when that begins.
12286 E. Colonial Drive #100 Orlando, FL 32826
