Cafes are not few and far between in Brooklyn. From chains like Starbucks to Ma & Pa shops, coffee is everywhere. Bryant Yung, 32, and James Li, 31, saw an issue in the industry which pushed them to open their own cafe. After six months of preparation, Bread & Joe opened April 2016 on 4th Avenue in South Slope, Brooklyn.

Everyday we are working to represent our culture and try to bring it to other people.

“We picked 4th Avenue because there weren’t really any coffee shops down here. We got lucky with the location because we are next to the train so we hope people stop by on their way to work or school.”

Bread  & Joe offers La Colombe coffee as well as many Asian inspired pastries. You can find red bean paste buns, matcha glazed donuts, pineapple buns and roast pork buns, among other options.

“I grew up in China Town,” recalls Li, “and when I started going to other parts of New York I noticed it was hard to find things like red bean paste flavors.”

In a borough full of coffee shops it can be hard to stand out. “We were nervous people wouldn’t be drawn to the pastries we offer. We have cookies and brownies too, but we’ve been surprised by the response we’ve gotten. The pineapple bun is definitely the most popular.”

Bread & Joe is unique because they saw a problem in the industry they were interested in, and they worked to fix it. “Everyday we are working to represent our culture and try to bring it to other people. We put a lot of work into this place and we just hope they like it.”