Columbus’ Royal Flamingo Coffee Offers Award-Winning Roasts

Bryan Brzozowski is not one for sitting still. Fortunately for the rest of us, that restlessness has led to internationally acclaimed coffees.

“Bryan doesn’t do well with boredom,” says his wife, Beth Stallings.  

The couple had long been interested in specialty coffee, and Brzozowski, who worked as a small business banker at Chase, would often take clients to Columbus shops like Crimson Cup and One Line Coffee, impressed by how they imparted their love for coffee to others. In fall 2018, that interest led him to roasting his own. 

“It didn’t feel like a stretch to say, ‘Let’s buy you a roaster,’” Stallings recalls.

They first purchased a home roaster, which allowed Brzozowski to roast 150 grams of coffee at a time, eventually selling beans online and at a local farmers market. They continued roasting during the pandemic and dubbed their roastery Royal Flamingo Coffee, after a prominent piece of artwork in their home that features a crowned flamingo.

They upgraded to a commercial roaster in 2022, and two months later, they were at the Golden Bean North America roasting competition, where they took home five bronze medals for their espresso. The awards kept coming. They won gold in espresso for CM Red Fruits in 2023 and  silver for filter coffee in Melbourne, Australia, in 2024.

“Many of the farmers we end up sourcing from are really pushing the limits on specialty coffee,” Stallings says. “They’re really focused on the fermentation and the drying process.” 

The results are coffees with dynamic flavor profiles ranging from fruity to candy-like to funky.

In 2024, the couple opened a Columbus coffee shop, sharing a space with I Like It Like That cocktail bar. Brzozowski and Stallings craft a coffee menu that appeals to both casual coffee drinkers and the more adventurous. The menu is divided into Daily Greats and Super Fun. The former features more traditional flavors, while the latter appeals to those who want to challenge their palates. First-timers should order the Barista’s Breakfast, a tasting board with a shot of espresso, a sample of batch brew and a flat white.

“That’s how I make a choice in the morning: What adventure do I want?” Stallings says. “Do I want a clean cup of coffee or something that’s going to blow my mind?” 945 King Ave., Columbus 43212, 614/233-1352, royalflamingocoffee.com

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