Vessel Coffee Collaborative Brings Experimental Brews to Detroit-Shoreway
Opening soon, the new cafe from Vessel Hospitality will give Clevelanders a taste of coffee from around the world.
by Julia Lombardo | Mar. 6, 2026 | 5:00 AM
Austin Fedor, Jacob Digman and Cory Hadje are the collaborative behind Vessel Coffee Collaborative. | Photographed by Josh Dobay
Upon entering Vessel Coffee Collaborative, there’s that familiar scent of a fresh cup of Joe, but a particular aroma that’s hard to pin. It boasts notes of blueberry and Szechuan pepper.
It’s a pleasant pungency, which co-owner Austin Fedor explains comes from the process of fermenting the beans.
“It makes the coffee seeds softer,” he says, “and it's easier to get all the flavor out of it.”
Situated in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, between nearby mainstays like Lekko Coffee Roasters and Ready Set Coffee, this is how Vessel Coffee Collaborative stands out. It doesn’t overpopulate the community of cafes; it complements it.
Vessel Coffee Collaborative will utilize a rotating selection of coffee beans sourced all across the country — and, soon, hopefully, the world. Its starting lineup features blends from Little Waves Coffee Roasters in Durham, North Carolina, plus roasts from brands in Oakland, California; Brooklyn, New York; and Chicago.
“You cannot find any of these specific coffees in this area at all,” Fedor says. “This is going to be the perfect place for more experimental coffees — from the soil and roasting process. That's a very direct vision for us.”
Fedor, a longtime barista and former owner of Index Coffee & Books in Ohio City, was approached by co-owner Jacob Digman to help bring Vessel Coffee Collaborative’s vision to life, beginning construction in the fall of 2025. Digman, a former coworker of Fedor’s at Rising Star Coffee, had shifted away from the industry for a while before realizing how much he missed it. Digman’s husband, Cory Hadje, oversees the cafe as part of his Vessel Hospitality Group, which also includes Mahall’s, Cloak & Dagger and Rood. Fedor, Digman and Hadje’s comfortable dynamic helps the shop’s passion and intimacy flourish.
The name speaks directly to Hadje’s group, but more thematically embodies the concept of the business, which curates the coffee experience from garnish to glass — or vessel.
“We really want to focus on it being a very specialty shop, where we're giving people consistency and really high quality,” Hadje says. “But a lot of it, too, is to give people something that's visually memorable.”
“We're treating coffee kind of like wine,” Fedor adds.
While the beans hail from out of state, syrups, milks and pastries all remain local. Annabella Andricks of Dramatic Snax, who’s also the executive pastry chef at Rood, collaborates on snacks and syrups, helping craft intriguing drinks like an apple cider matcha and a latte with notes of ube, coconut and purple jasmine rice. Other pastries and light bites will be provided by Leavened, Cleveland Bagel Co. and Raisin Hell Vegan.
While Vessel Coffee Collaborative caters to curious snackers and sippers, it also provides its elevated take on sweet, simpler flavors like vanilla and mocha. But its main priority is serving up a no-frills, full-bodied espresso or coffee that doesn’t depend on accessories, but can certainly be accentuated by them. With this diverse menu, Hadje, Digman and Fedor concede that there truly is a seat for everyone at the shop. Plants, antiqued decor, a gallery wall, wood floors and dark green accents keep the space cozy and approachable, somewhere meant for lingering.
“We wanted to steer away from something sterile to the point where you feel uncomfortable touching anything,” Digman says.
When Vessel Coffee Collaborative celebrates its grand opening in the coming days, the owners are excited to welcome local workers, residents and enthusiasts who are already acclimated with the neighborhood’s cafes, and they look forward to being yet another space for those folks to share their company, start new conversations and explore their palates.
Open Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m.-2 p.m., 5019 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, vesselcoffeecle.com
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Julia Lombardo
Julia Lombardo is the editor of Cleveland Magazine’s home and style section and contributes to coverage of arts, culture and dining. She graduated from The Ohio State University in 2023 with an English degree. As both a journalist and poet, she is inspired by stories with creative flair. When she puts down the pen, she enjoys going to concerts, ranking coffee shops and walking aimlessly through wooded trails.
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