For a guest, a day at the café begins with an order. For a barista, it starts a little earlier. Before we open the doors of Colbergcoffee at 8:30, we get the room, the bar and the equipment ready. Then come the first guests, familiar faces, quick takeaway coffees and conversations at the tables.
Every day is a little different, but each has its own well-known rhythm. So what does an ordinary day in the life of a barista at Colbergcoffee look like?
Before the first guests arrive: a barista’s morning routine
In the morning the café is still quiet. We get the room ready, set out the tables and check that everything is in its place. The bar has to be ready, and the espresso machine, the grinder and the pour-over station prepared for the whole day.
We restock what we need, line up the cups and make the first coffee. This is the moment when the grinder and the espresso machine are heard for the first time in the empty room.
A few minutes before 8:30, everything should already be waiting for guests. Sometimes someone is standing at the door before we even open. Most of the time we know exactly what they are about to order.
Regulars and familiar orders at the coffee bar
Right after opening, it is usually our regulars who come in. Some of them choose exactly the same thing every day. Sometimes a quick glance is enough and we already know which coffee is about to appear on the bar.
Someone pops in just for a moment and takes a coffee to go. Someone else sits at their favourite table, puts the phone away and starts the day at their own pace. There are also people who come not only for coffee, but for a short chat as well.
Over time we remember more than just orders. We know our guests’ names, their stories and their daily rituals. They are the ones who bring the café to life from the morning onwards.
Kołobrzeg wakes up with the café
With every hour the mix of guests becomes more varied. The regulars are joined by visitors to Kołobrzeg, people coming back from a walk and those who have found their way to Colbergcoffee for the first time.
Some know straight away what they want. Others ask us for a suggestion. Then we ask whether the drink should be delicate, intense, milky, sweet or coffee-free.
Sometimes a guest comes in for a cappuccino and ends up choosing matcha. Someone else tries filter coffee for the first time. It also happens that a conversation starts with a drink and ends with choosing beans for the espresso machine at home.
Coffee from our own roastery on the bar
At Colbergcoffee we work with coffees roasted in our own roastery. When new beans arrive on the bar, we are curious ourselves to see how our guests will receive them.
One person will pick up chocolate and nuts straight away. Someone else will simply say: “This is my coffee”. Sometimes a drink enjoyed at the table ends with buying a bag of the same beans to take home.
This is one of the most interesting moments in a barista’s work. We get to see the whole journey of the coffee: from the roastery, across our bar, all the way to the guest’s cup.
When everything happens at once: barista workflow at rush hour
At some point a calm morning turns into a bar full of orders. Someone is waiting for an espresso, someone orders several milk coffees, and another person wants to buy a bag of beans.
That is when teamwork matters most. One person takes the orders, another makes the drinks, and someone else hands them out to guests. From the outside everything should look calm, even if behind the bar there is a fast exchange of short calls and glances.
After a few shifts together, a lot happens almost without words.
What matters most in a barista’s job: people
Coffee is important, but after years it is the people you remember most. Guests tell us about their day, ask about Kołobrzeg, or come back after a few months to check whether we still remember their order.
Not everyone wants to talk about beans and brewing methods. Sometimes the best service is making someone’s favourite coffee quickly and letting them start the day in peace.
That is also part of a barista’s job. You need to know when to give advice, when to chat for a moment and when to simply serve the coffee.
See you tomorrow: the end of a barista’s day
Colbergcoffee is open every day. After the last orders the café goes quiet again. We get the bar and the room ready for the next morning.
The next day we will open the doors at 8:30 again. Familiar faces will appear, well-known orders will be placed and another day behind the bar will begin.
Chances are someone will order exactly the same thing again. And there is something very good about that.
Frequently asked questions about a barista’s job
How does a barista’s day at a café begin?
A barista’s day begins before the café even opens. The room, the bar, the espresso machine, the grinder and the pour-over station all need to be prepared, and everything has to be ready for the first guests.
Is a barista’s job only about making coffee?
No. A barista takes orders, advises guests, helps them choose coffee for home and keeps the work behind the bar well organised. Contact with people is also an important part of the job.
What matters most in a barista’s job?
Good coffee counts, but so does paying attention to the guest. A barista should know when to give advice, when to chat and when to simply make someone’s favourite drink quickly and well.
Is every day in the life of a barista the same?
No. The morning preparations follow a fixed rhythm, but after that everything depends on the guests, the orders and the pace of the day. Every shift brings different conversations, situations and coffee stories.
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