Cogito Coffee

Overview

Cogito grew out of Cafe u Dvorištu, a quiet downtown Zagreb courtyard café Matija Belković and Hannah Powlison Belković opened in 2011 — at the time only one of two shops in the city insisting on quality coffee. The Cogito roastery launched alongside it in 2014 with co-founders Benjamin James Lesher, Matija Klakocer, and Matija Hrkac, who was Croatian Barista Champion 2010-2012 and finished 7th at the 2012 World Barista Championship. They roast on a Diedrich IR7 with a Probat UG22 in transition, source through Nordic Approach, and have expanded across Zagreb's back alleys and quiet streets plus a Dalmatian coast outpost.

Known for

• Roastery founded 2014; predecessor café Cafe u Dvorištu opened 2011
• Co-founder Matija Hrkac: Croatian Barista Champion 2010-2012, 7th at 2012 World Barista Championship
• Sourced through Nordic Approach; Diedrich IR7 roaster (transitioning to Probat UG22)
• Tesla blend as flagship espresso, named for the Croatian-born inventor
• Sister projects Salo bakery/bistro and Grapeston wine festival

Why it matters

Cogito built the third-wave market in Zagreb almost from scratch — Croatia drank coffee like a classic post-Yugoslav country (very hot, very dark) and there was effectively no specialty infrastructure. The team's decision to occupy quiet courtyards and back alleys rather than chase tourist foot traffic made each location a destination rather than a convenience, and the coastal expansion brought specialty to a region where 'a decent cup' had been impossible to find.

Production

destoning

null

head roaster

null

color sorting

null

roaster machine

Diedrich IR7 (transitioning to Probat UG22)

filter equipment

Chemex, V60

cupping frequency

null

roastery location

Zagreb, Croatia

espresso equipment

null

annual volume tonnes

null

Café

Varšavska ul. 11, 10000 Zagreb (flagship); Ul. Jurja Žerjavića 7; Ul. Kneza Mislava 17; Prilaz Gjure Deželića 40

Recognitions

• Croatian Barista Champion 2010, 2011, 2012 (Matija Hrkac)
• 7th place World Barista Championship (2012, Matija Hrkac)

Sources

• https://sprudge.com/cogito-coffee-croatia-121686.html
• https://www.cogitocoffee.com/about-us
• https://www.thewaytocoffee.com/zagreb/
• https://perfectdailygrind.com/2015/08/the-history-of-croatian-coffee-its-journey-to-specialty/
• https://www.kofio.co/cogito-coffee/about-us