Last Cup Cafe Opens on State Street

Photo by Brenna Jepson

Originally posted as “New coffee shop opens”

By Gordon Dritschilo Jul 14, 2022

Rutland Herald

The owners of downtown’s newest coffee shop want to expand how people think about downtown and coffee.

The Last Cup Café opened July 7 on State Street.

“We’ve been slammed,” co-owner Chris Sabataso said Thursday. “It’s been awesome.”

Sabataso and co-owner ShiAnne Webster come with a hospitality industry pedigree. Sabataso has most recently worked in real estate, but he grew up working on and off at his family’s restaurant, The Palms. Webster has been a manager at The Palms, Taso and most recently at the Speakeasy Café.

“I fell in love with the coffee shop vibe and wanted to open my own,” she said.

The building has had a number of different lives, most recently as a fish market. It’s on the edge of downtown and away from what generally comes to mind when discussing the business district, but Sabataso and Webster say they love the location.

“I wanted something a little bit out of downtown,” Webster said. “Rutland has so much potential. I feel like it can grow.”

Sabataso said he hoped they could help spur more development on that block, noting the presence of a number of buildings that could be fixed up nicely. Until then, he said, they were already in good company.

“Maxie’s and Ted’s and Cal Josselyn — they’ve been here forever,” he said. “We’re happy to have them as neighbors. Then there’s the courthouse, the Herald.”

Sabataso said all of their beans come from Vivid Coffee in Burlington, which he says offers not just high quality but assures that farmers are paid fairly. The couple said they were aiming for an Italian-style coffee service.

“We just wanted to do things a little more authentic,” she said. “Smaller sizes, double shots in everything, half the sweet so you can actually taste the coffee.”

Breakfast and lunch menus are planned, but right now the food options are limited to a handful of baked goods.

The café is spacious and features a large fireplace uncovered during renovations.

“We wanted a larger space so things don’t have to be so close together,” she said. “It’s spread apart so you don’t feel like people are on top of you.”

The couple says they are planning to offer private parties, making use of their full commercial kitchen, and will eventually host events.

“We already had somebody come in with their guitar and ask if they could set up and play,” Sabataso said. “It was great.”

Downtown Rutland Partnership Executive Director Tiffany Saltis said she was happy to see a new business on State Street.

“When people think of downtown, they think of Center Street,” she said. “However, we have wonderful business that offer a range of services and products. ... It’s a great spot and I think it will draw people to that corner. We have so many streets downtown that are special and could draw more pedestrians.”

gordon.dritschilo

@rutlandherald.com