Brittany Johnston and her team at Rosemary Coffee Co. are bringing a taste of Florida’s Rosemary Beach to Twin Oaks Plaza. Open since late February, lines often stretch out the door of the shotgun-style space, where the slogan is “Be Kind. Stay Weird. Drink Coffee.” Here’s what to know before you go.
The Atmosphere
Nods to Rosemary Beach, near Destin, Florida, are strewn throughout the shop, with seascape paintings and clever coffee names, such as the 30A Latte. “That’s the only place St. Louis travels,” Johnston says she used to think. More recently, however, she says she’s “never met so many people who come in and don’t know what the [Florida] panhandle is.”
A towering wooden bookshelf with books to trade or take stands across from the bar stools and baristas stands. Local artists receive free shelf space on a “Vendor Wall,” where they can display their works with a Venmo QR code. And free wifi and electrical outlets are available for those who prefer to work while sipping coffee.
Each month, $1 from every bag of beans sold goes to a different charity, such as the Weinman Center and the Humane Society of Missouri.
Residents who live upstairs from the coffee shop get 10 percent off every coffee order.
After much consideration, Johnston decided not to offer online ordering because, she says, “it takes away from what we’re actually doing, which is getting the community in here.”
The Menu
Rosemary sources its coffee beans from Java, Burundi, and Guatemala, where indigenous women who are first-time owners of their land grow and produce the beans. The coffee is then roasted in house.
In addition to Rosemary’s staple coffee and tea drinks, Johnston is working on seasonal items. Strawberry Shortcake, for instance, is a current offering, though Johnston also plans to offer the Bahama Brew (coined by her daughter), a cold brew with house-made vanilla syrup, coconut syrup, and coconut cold foam.
Roxie Kelley, as well as Lyndsay O’Neil of Cake House Design, provide the pastries.
Before expanding the menu, Johnston plans to focus on the basics: “I want to make sure we get all of this right and that everything’s consistent first.”
The Background
Johnston is no stranger to the restaurant industry, after growing up in the family that runs Ruma’s Deli.
For Johnston, an undertaking like Rosemary Coffee is “something you can pour your heart into and not make it feel like work, but make it feel like you’re making a difference doing something better.”
The idea first came to her while vacationing in Destin, Florida with her husband, Dane Johnston. Once they settled on the Twin Oaks location, they spent two years scouting spaces, during which Dane used AI to mock up interior layouts. Her friend and co-founder, Erica Bornstein, helped with the interior design. Another friend, Jess Glyshaw—a former coffee shop manager—led a “barista camp” for the opening team, which Johnston says has been “really receptive and understands what this place is about.”
On her days off, Johnston also frequents other area coffee shops, such as The Annex, The Ground, and Teleo.
“I still look forward to having my coffee every morning,” she says. “Now, I just get to have it with my regulars.”
Rosemary Coffee Co
📍1316 Big Bend, Twin Oaks
⏰ 6 a.m.–2 p.m. Mon–Fri, 7 a.m.–3 p.m. Sat
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