The Seed: Third Wave Coffee Bar and Cold-Pressed Juice Under One Roof

If it's one food trend South Florida crushed this year, it's the juice bar. Both Broward and Palm Beach counties saw their fair share of cold-pressed juice bars and smoothie shops.

This year, we've also seen a new movement take hold: specialty coffee, a slow-growing community of local roasters and independent coffee shops brewing small-batch alternatives to the mass market brew we've accepted as status-quo.

While both concepts have spawned many types of businesses in the past 12 months, no one has thought to bring the them together -- until now. Friends and business partners Rachel Eade and Carly Altier are the founders of The Seed, a Boca Raton business that is one part juice and smoothie bar, and one part third wave coffee shop.

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Here, Eade is the coffee fanatic; Altier the crazy about cold-pressed juicing queen. Together, the two women realized their separate passions could become a singular success, and opened The Seed at the end of November after several months of planning.

"People are seeing these two things blend well together," said Eade. "There's something for both crowds here, and people are really responding to it. They've been waiting for something like this to come to the area."

The space is a blend of industrial and farmhouse chic, from the exposed ductwork ceiling to the reclaimed wood used to construct the handmade bar and alcove seating area. Three large communal tables offer an area where patrons can gather to work and enjoy their coffee, juice, or baked goods. The idea is to unwind and relax, but also meet and socialize with others, said Eade.

Eade and Altier are also excited to be the first in Boca Raton to deliver a third wave coffee shop, a term that refers to a focus on producing a higher-quality, handcrafted product -- similar to the idea behind crafting boutique wine or microbrews. To do so, The Seed has partnered with Boca Raton-based Wells Coffee Company, which roasts in-house to produce the eatery's own line of micro-roasted beans. Offerings include single-origin and specialty blends, and will rotate often according to bean sourcing.

At The Seed, patrons have the option to order from the "slow bar" where they can have their coffee prepared using alternative brewing methods including pour-overs like Chemex and V60, or aero press. What something more classic? The full menu offers classic drip, cold brew, espresso, lattes, cortados, macchiatos, and cappuccino.

Under Altier's supervision, a short menu of five hand-crafted smoothies and cold-pressed juices are available. So far, the Basil N' Berries has been a hit, a combination of banana, basil, spinach, blueberries, almond butter, bee pollen, and almond milk made to order.

Altier's team also prepares and bottles several juice blends each day using the store's pair of Norwalk juicers. That includes The OG (kale, celery, green apple, cucumber, parsley, lemon, and spinach) and the Booze Bandaid (spinach, golden beet, tangerine, and apple).

"We're supporting the hands on craft movement," said Eade. "There are so many amazing start-up coffee roasters out there. We're excited to be offering it here in South Florida."

The Seed is located at 199 West Palmetto Park Rd., Boca Raton. Visit theseedboca.com, or call 561-430-5640.

Nicole Danna is a food blogger covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on Clean Plate's Instagram.