Scones, olive-oil muffins, brownies and other pastries are baked each...

Scones, olive-oil muffins, brownies and other pastries are baked each morning from scratch inside Druthers Coffee, which has opened in Stony Brook. Credit: Newsday/Corin Hirsch

"I love infusing chocolate," said Michael Buchholz, explaining the faintly blue iced cocoa he's just poured inside Druthers Coffee, which he's opened in Stony Brook with husband Zachary Russell and other family members. "White chocolate is a blank slate."

In this case, a blank slate for lavender and chamomile, which Buchholz used to infuse the chocolate before adding oat milk and a hit of butterfly pea extract syrup. He then shakes and decants the drink over Kold-Draft ice cubes. "We're minimalists who are detail obsessed," he said.

Druthers Coffee, an airy new spot opposite the Long Island Rail Road station, eschews the rustic vibe of many coffeehouses for modern polish. The 30-something couple designed the space over several years, choosing a hybrid nautical-colonial blue that they call "Druthers blue" for a space that gleams with polished stone floors, highly finished communal tables (as well as smaller bistro tables), globe pendant lamps and broad windows that flood the space with light. 

Coffee, espresso and cold brew is poured behind the counter — most of it based on Counter Culture Coffee — but also espresso tonics (aka spronics), shakeratos (espresso shaken with simple syrup and ice) and affogato, hot espresso poured over vanilla ice cream. The iced blue cocoa is one of two seasonal cocoas, and there's also chai, a handful of lattes and teas brewed from Huntington's Clipper Ship Tea Co. The crew make own syrups for specialty lattes, too — such as burnt caramel and mocha — as well as making their own jams.

Although there are no plans to roast, pastry is baked on site every morning by Russell, including chocolate-chip and blueberry-lemon scones, brown-butter cinnamon rolls and olive-oil muffins. "He's been baking olive-oil cake for Christmas every year, and it was a family favorite," said his mom, Kathryne Piazzola, during a break from behind the counter. She and her husband Kevin Pheiffer are also co-owners of Druthers, and she left a 20-year career at SUNY-Stony Brook to join the venture. "We hoped to create a hub for the community," she said.

Buchholz made his way to Druthers via years working in New York City hospitality, namely in the front of house at Maialino, the Gramercy Park Italian restaurant. Russell was a graphic designer and art director before both moved back to their native Long Island, where they each worked at Southdown Coffee in Huntington.

Druthers, part of a new development known as Stony Brook Square, was almost ready to open when COVID-19 hit the area. After the group waited out that delay, tropical storm Isaias knocked out their power. "We've had to jump through hoops of fire," Buchholz said. 

Elsewhere in the plaza there's a new crepe and bubble tea spot called Arnor — a Jersey Mike's Subs and Organic Krush are on deck in the coming months. 

Buchholz said Druthers will eventually add egg sandwiches, savory snacks and beer and wine — and down the road, pop-up dinners as well. For now, coffee drinks start at $2.75 (for espresso) and top out at $6 for lattes and affogato; pastries fall around $3 to $5, and Southdown Coffee beans, Clipper Ship Teas and other locally produced goods are for sale. 

Druthers Coffee is at 1113 N. Country Rd. in Stony Brook, and is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. druthers.coffee

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