New retro cafe and vinyl listening lounge opens near NoDa

New retro cafe and vinyl listening lounge opens near NoDa

Café Audire, a coffee shop and vinyl listening lounge, recently opened near NoDa.

Why it matters: The new neighborhood cafe is the latest tenant to open at The Pass, a mixed-use development that already includes Soul Gastrolounge and Borderline Bar & Billiards and PINE.

What they're saying: As The Pass continues to add tenants, like The Dog's Club and Mariah's Taco Spot, owner Vishal Sanghvi hopes the opening will become a go-to stop for neighbors looking to grab a coffee, discover new music and, eventually, wind down with cocktails.

  • "With this being an up-and-coming neighborhood, I want this to be like a living room for people in the community— come hang out, get some coffee, get some bites to eat and make some friends," Sanghvi said.

    • Context: Sanghvi was inspired to open Café Audire after his time as an international student at Iowa State University, where he spent much of his free time at a campus café.

  • "The way coffee and music pulled everyone into the same room stuck with me," he said. "People from all over the world, with different cultures and ideas, could come together to study, meet friends and listen to records."

    • Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios

    We ordered the Americola ($5.50) and the Ube latte ($6). Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios

    What to expect: Locally sourced coffee and teas during the day, plus pastries from a local bakery — and, soon, custom cocktails in the evening.

  • The full bar will have a menu that will have about six or seven cocktails that lean into the cafe's retro '60s-'70s theme, with classics like martinis and Manhattans.
  • Seasonal punch drinks, which you can order either by the cup or as a shareable bowl for a group, as well as a weekend pop-up brunch and drinks will be rolled out in the coming months.

    • The vibe: The 1,107-square-foot, mid-century modern space seats about 30 people inside, with a few extra patio seats.

  • Inspired by Sanghvi's love of mid-century design, the café features a curated vinyl collection and local artwork for sale.
  • Guests can rent portable Sound Burger record players with headphones for solo or shared listening. The café also plans to host listening nights and record swaps where guests can bring their own vinyl.
  • Eventually, Sanghvi hopes to host spoken-word performances, poetry nights and yoga-and-coffee events.

    • Stop by: Find Cafe Audire at 4090 Raleigh St., across from Sorella Apartments. For now, the cafe is open Monday through Friday 7:30am-3pm and Saturday and Sunday 8am-3pm.

  • The cocktail lounge is expected to open by the end of the month, with evening hours from 5pm to midnight, pending a liquor license.

    • In the back of Cafe Audire you'll find a lounge set up that gives the vibe of a living room. Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios

    Outside of Cafe Audire are a few patio seats. Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios

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