OneDo Has Cantonites Buzzing

Bringing people together. That’s the goal of Canton’s latest arrival, OneDo Coffee Roasters.
 
OneDo, pronounced just how it’s spelled, translates to coffee beans in Korean. The new roastery, which opened its doors on March 18, is the culmination of countless hours of research, love of community, and a dream.
 
The People
Born and raised in Korea, Gloria Hwang and James Park, the owners of OneDo Coffee, immigrated to Maryland in the 90s. As Canton residents for 11 years, opening a space in their own neighborhood was a no-brainer. Park and Hwang both wanted to start a venture to bring the community together, and what better way to do that than with coffee?

Although Park has a background as an architect and Hwang as a graphic designer, they didn’t let a lack of industry knowledge stop them from chasing their dream.
 
Their journey started in 2016 when the pair saw the vacant building at 913 S. Lakewood. They leased the building immediately, but rather than piecing random elements together, they took their time to perfect every detail. Park attended countless seminars, read innumerable books, and all he could about roasting. At the same time, Hwang traveled extensively, stopping at every coffee shop she find, studying the ins and outs of the business.

LEFT: Owners Gloria Hwang and James Park. TOP RIGHT: OneDo staff serve up drinks in a rustic modern space. BOTTOM RIGHT: The goods.

The Product
OneDo is not only a café but also a coffee roastery, utilizing imported green coffee beans from around the world and even working directly with a small family farm in Colombia. OneDo creates a house blend for both drip coffee and espresso, changing the mix often.
 
Assistant Manager John Cheng says, “We enjoy being able to offer single origin coffees, but also love blending them together to create a different coffee experience each time our customers come visit.”
 
On the day we visited, options included Monte Verde from El Salvador and Limu Decaf from Ethiopia. The coffees can be purchased in 8 or 12 oz. bags, whole bean or ground, and are dated for freshness.
 
The Menu
The daily “Pour Over” menu includes details about the process and note for each coffee. When we ventured in, there were 5 options. We sampled the Queen Ketiara Sumatra for $3.25. Its description read, “Organic Women’s Co-Op Sumatra from Indonesia. Process: Gilling Basah. Note: Cocoa, Tobacco, Cherry, and Orange Zest.”
 
The barista menu features several picks including Espresso, Cortado, Affogato, Cappuccino, Latte, Mocha, Long Black, and Dirty Chai. Japanese Iced Coffee and Cold Brew also make the list.
 
When it comes to adding flavors, OneDo makes all of its own syrups in-house, headlining mocha, vanilla, and an herbaceous honey lavender.
 
If coffee isn’t your thing, grab some kombucha, a chai, or the latest trend—a matcha latte. OneDo also offers several flavors of loose leaf and cold brewed teas, along with pre-blended herbal libations including a Berry Blast (caffeine free with hibiscus, rose hips, cranberries, berries), Turmeric Bliss (caffeine free with apple, rose hips, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, orange, mango, marigold flowers, and black peppercorn), and Throat Therapy (caffeine free with licorice root, raspberry leaves, hibiscus, orange peels, cinnamon bark, aniseed, and slippery elm).
 
OneDo currently serves up a very limited menu to go with your cup of joe, offering yogurt parfaits with Greek yogurt, honey, seasonal fruit, and locally-made Michele’s Granola, as well as muffins when they're available.

When asked about expanding the food selection, Cheng said, “We really want to roll out a hot sandwich menu, but just like with our coffee, we want to do it right. So we're taking our time and making sure we have all the resources, equipment, and staff in place before we roll those out.”

The Vibe
Cheng agrees with reviews that describe the atmosphere as “hipster vibes without the hipster attitude,” aiming to (and succeeding at) creating a warm and welcoming environment. The café feels modern yet rustic, its walls lined with paintings for sale by local artists. The space welcomes the self-employed to crack open a laptop in one of its small seating areas, including two outdoor tables added just in time for the sunshine.
 
“Since opening our doors, the Canton community has been incredibly supportive. Even though we specialize in coffee, our goal is to bring the community together. Gloria and James carefully designed the space to be available for events, the work-from-home residents, students, families, and anyone who wants to just enjoy good coffee and drinks,” says Cheng.
 
913 S. Lakewood Ave., Baltimore, MD 21224
Monday – Friday 6:30–7:00 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
410.814.0242
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