Zava Café coming to Milton

Milton has been without a regular coffee spot for a few years now, but that is all about to change, as Zava Café is set to open in December at 102 Federal St.

Danio Somoza and Thaina Bittencourt opened their first Zava Café in Rehoboth Beach, but they were looking to expand services to a larger space. They found the ideal spot in downtown Milton at the former Fox Hole location.

“It’s such a charming town. It’s so pretty,” Bittencourt said. 

The intention is to keep both locations – Milton will be the main spot, while Rehoboth will be open mainly during the summer and on weekends.

Zava offers a full breakfast and lunch menu with waffles, bagels, smoothies, omelets, paninis and salads. The big draw is the coffee menu, which includes lattes, espresso and Americano styles, among others. Somoza said the Milton location will include a full bar that will serve beer, mimosas and bloody marys. 

“I think the location is perfect,” Somoza said. “Everybody being really familiar with the location is a plus for us. People were telling us there is no coffee shop around here. There’s nothing like what we’re going to be serving. Everything we are going to be doing with the menu is fresh.”

Bittencourt and Somoza, who own restaurants in Lewes and Bethany Beach, were inspired to open Zava after visiting small coffee shops in Washington, D.C., and wanting something with a similar vibe in coastal Delaware. They opened the Zava on Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth in April. The Milton location is still undergoing renovations, but the plan is to open by the first week of December, Bittencourt said.

The Milton restaurant will have about 50 seats with a mix of couches and tables, plus four tables outside. 

“We are very excited,” Bittencourt said. “We have received a lot of love, and people have been very welcoming. I feel like we have been more excited to open here than in Rehoboth because we have gotten a lot of love.”

“It feels like home,” Somoza said.