Our Story
Built on Antique Roasters and New Orleans Roots
From king cakes to specialty coffee, from the Gulf Coast to neighborhoods across New Orleans. CR Coffee exists because Kevin Pedeaux wanted coffee that actually tastes right.
The Beginning
From King Cakes to Coffee
Kevin Pedeaux started as a sales representative for Randazzo's Goodchildren's Bakery, delivering king cakes to coffee shops around New Orleans. While making those deliveries, he discovered specialty coffee and got serious about the craft. After a career in TV news, he and Shawn Montella co-founded Coast Roast Coffee in 2009 with a vision: roast exceptional coffee on authentic equipment. They sourced antique 1910s Royal No. 6 drum roasters from estate sales and set up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, making CR Coffee one of the only roasters in the country still operating these century-old machines. Those same Royal No. 6 roasters are still in use today, slow-turning every batch to coax out natural sweetness the way industrial roasters can't.
Who We Are
Neighborhood Coffee, No Pretension
CR Coffee isn't about gatekeeping. We're about good coffee for everyone. We're about knowing your name and remembering your order. We're about being part of the neighborhood. We celebrate the people of New Orleans: the business owners, the artists, the hustlers, the dreamers, the folks just trying to get through the day with a good cup of coffee. No pretense. Just authentic coffee.
The Experience
Walk In, Slow Down
The first thing you notice is the smell: fresh-roasted coffee, ground right before it hits water. Every batch starts on century-old Royal No. 6 drum roasters and lands in the brewer the same week it's roasted. Not the same month, the same week.
The menu is short on purpose. Fewer drinks means more attention to each one. Espresso pulled with care. Drip coffee that actually tastes like something. Cold brew with body. Every syrup is house-made with real vanilla, raw Louisiana cane sugar, fresh ginger. They're built to work with the espresso, not cover it up.
Order at the counter or skip the line entirely through CRCoffeeNOLA.com. Your cup is labeled and waiting at the back-door pickup window. Grab a seat on the Magazine Street porch, settle into the Crescent Room for a meeting, or just get in and get out with something great in your hand. No fuss. No fifteen-step customization. Just honest coffee, ready when you are.
Last updated March 2026