In the heart of West Tampa lies a local coffee shop with a penchant for wellness-driven drinks that “fuel your body and uplift your spirit.”
Astrobrew—located at 1001 N Mac Dill Ave., Suite D—is a functional beverage cafe and bottle shop that specializes in non-alcoholic alternatives like tea, kava, kratom, CBD and THC-infused drinks, mocktails and kombucha, in addition to caffeinated favorites like matcha, lattes and cold brew.
The locally-owned and operated cafe opened out of a former pharmacy a few years ago and has been steadily growing its customer base and beverage offerings since. Whether you’re a student studying for exams, someone looking to spend time with loved ones or a 9-5 worker stopping in for a quick drink, Astrobrew offers a versatile and customizable experience for its wide range of customers.
Astrobrew fills the gap between traditional, daytime cafes that focus on specialty coffee and kava or kratom bars that draw more of a late-night clientele. It fills an often-overlooked niche in the area, and is able to serve both the morning coffee crowd and the late-evening and afternoon patrons looking to wind down from their work day.
Owner Mike Pool alongside business partner Trixie Szilagyi launched the cafe and its accompanying wholesale company in 2022.
“We’re here to provide a space for people to feel comfortable to come and learn about alternative, non-alcoholic beverages. This is a place where you can bring your kids, your grandparents, anyone really,” Szilagyi says. “We’ve been told that we are a ‘third space’ for a lot of our customers—a place that’s not their home or job, but somewhere they can feel comfortable to just hang out and socialize.”
Astrobrew’s owners—who boast backgrounds in marketing and wholesale hemp distribution—also live in the neighborhood and enjoy being able to serve and connect with their community at large.
Astrobrew employees also put a large emphasis on education, since a lot of first-time customers may not have a working knowledge of THC vs. CBD (including the legality of it), functional mushrooms, kava or kratom. They always recommend the proper dosage to help Astrobrew’s clientele achieve the ideal level of relaxation, stimulation or stress relief.
“A lot of our customers are folks looking for alternatives to alcohol, but are still looking to feel sociable and serene. Non-alcoholic options are really taking off and becoming mainstream,” says co-owner Trixie.
Through the 2018 Farm Bill, the U.S. government essentially legalized hemp and the distribution of high-grade Delta-9 THC, as long as it’s less than 0.3% on a dry-weight basis. The infused drinks or gummies that Astrobrew sells are scientifically similar to products seen at medical dispensaries throughout Florida, although they are legally different.
Under Trixie and Mike’s parent company Astrobleme are two offshoots—their in-person cafe Astrobrew and the duo’s wholesale account called Astrobliss, which creates and distributes hemp-infused drinks, gummies and tinctures (which are also available for purchase at the brick and mortar location.)
“When we were originally looking for a name for the company, we asked Siri what her favorite word was, and she responded ‘Astrobleme,’ which is a large crater made by the impact of a meteorite,” Trixie explains. “We decided to run with that, because we’re all about creating products that make a true impact on people’s lives.”
“It’s a word with impact and that’s really what we’re trying to do with our customers, whether it’s a friendly interaction at the cafe or a drink they really like.”
Looking towards the future, the company projects the expansion of the packaged wholesale goods side of the business. One of the company’s most popular products are its AstroBliss THC-infused guava, mango, blueberry and passionfruit lemonades that can be found at retail outlets throughout the Sunshine State and beyond.
While Astrobleme’s products are distributed outside of Florida, West Tampa is home to the only Astrobrew storefront that creates a friendly and comfortable environment to enjoy its products in.
Near perfect customer reviews also praise the cafe and bottle shop’s helpful staff, reasonable prices and relaxed atmosphere.
West Tampa’s Astrobrew is open from 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Follow the cafe at @astrobrewco on Instagram or head to its website at astrobrew.co for more information about its wide range of products.
This article appears in Jan 30 – Feb 5, 2025.