Turn Your Home into Your Favorite Coffee Shop for Your Next Gathering with TikTok’s At-Home Cafe Trend

Say goodbye to stressful party planning and hello to the laid-back gathering of the season: at-home cafes.

Let’s face it—we all love a big summer bash, but who has time to do all the planning and prepping that come with throwing one? While an al fresco dinner party is worth it every once in a while, when it comes to good conversation and laughs, few gatherings beat the simple act of meeting up with loved ones over coffee.

At-home cafes are the laid-back, cozy hosting trend you’ve been waiting for: Whether planned for a rainy Saturday afternoon or as the theme for brunch with friends, setting up your own at-home cafe comes together quickly and can be customized to fit your style and the supplies you already have on hand. Plus, you can recreate it time and time again without losing any charm. So, say goodbye to months of stressing over party prep and hello to our new favorite get together of the season.

Related: 35+ Home Coffee Station Ideas for the Ultimate Café Experience

How To Host an At-Home Cafe

At-home cafes are extremely customizable: Casual or fancy, daytime or nighttime, wine or coffee—it’s all up to you! Because of the flexibility, few steps and supplies are required for hosting your own. But we recommend the following to ensure your event is as smooth as the espresso you serve.

Invite Friends Ahead of Time

Few things are worse than putting time into prepping for an event and no one can make it. While it requires some planning ahead, invite your family and friends at least two weeks prior to the event. Whether you mail out paper invitations or send a quick text , ask them to RSVP one week before to give you time to make adjustments to grocery lists and other preparations.

Design a Custom Cafe Logo

While this isn’t required, designing a small logo for your coffee shop is a fun way to give your event a unique and intentional touch. You can draw it by hand or create it online, and you can make it as simple or intricate as you want. Put it on your invitations, a door sign, and, of course, your menu.

Plan a Menu

One of the most important parts of planning an event (even a casual one) is deciding on what you’re serving. While no cafe is the same, most offer a handful of coffee and espresso options and a spread of baked goods. On TikTok, @urgirlvic’s menu includes five types of coffee, croissants, homemade cookies, and cake. When the weather is warmer, she also makes affogatos (ice cream and espresso) and iced coffees.

Another TikTok creator, @jordsdiaries, took a more savory approach and served spinach and feta muffins along with espresso and lattes. Both creators wrote their menus on brown craft paper and hung them in their apartments so their guests could easily place their orders.

Prep Food and Dishes

If you’re planning on serving baked goods like croissants, muffins, or cakes, make sure to bake them the morning of or the day before your event. Or for more of a low lift, there’s nothing wrong with picking up pastries from your local bakery a few hours before your cafe opens. That way you’ll still be able to serve freshly-baked pastries without the prep time and hassle.

The morning or night before is also an ideal time to prep your coffee supplies. Bake and grind coffee beans for espresso, and wash your favorite mugs and plates. Also pick out your serving boards and cake stands, and give them a quick wipe-down.

Related: We Tested 21 of The Best Coffee Grinders of 2024 —These 8 Will Make You a Morning Person

Finishing Touches

Now that you have everything prepped and ready to go, it’s time to set up your at-home cafe. Place baked goods on boards or serving trays (mimicking the look of a display case) and use little place cards to label the options. Display your collection of mugs and drinkware, write out your menu, and hang it where it’s easily visible.

For an extra touch, craft a welcome sign for your front door that includes your cafe’s name and logo. You can also draw or stamp your logo onto paper pastry bags and display them near the food options so guests can grab their pastry and take it to go if they’re just making a quick coffee run.

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