our chef, greg gettles, has developed a new fall menu to reflect the seasonal produce available.

check out the lunch and dinner menu.

we’ve also made some changes to our breakfast menu, wine & beer menu and developed a late summer cocktail menu.

A large chalkboard is crammed edge to edge with a varied selection of breakfast, lunch and light dinner fare, supplemented by an eclectic assortment of beers, wines and house specialty cocktails such as lavender thyme lemonade and espresso martini. Perched alluringly near the order counter is a glass-fronted cabinet whose shelves are laden with cupcakes, scones, whoopie pies and other pastries baked by Raleigh baker bittycakes ( www.bittycakes.com).

Join us next month!

We have finished our kitchen renovation, brought on additional permanent staff to man the new
kitchen, and expanded our food menu. The new six burner gas stove/double oven/hood system
works beautifully, the floor in the back kitchen was completely replaced, and the entire operation
behind the bar has been streamlined. The new menu was designed by consultants Rob Bland
and Greg Gettles. We are delighted that the very talented Greg Gettles is staying on to become
our permanent chef and that he will be assisted by Carlos Ramirez and Spencer Wright. Their offerings
are an eclectic mix of exciting new dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner that feature fresh,
housemade (and where possible, locally-sourced) ingredients . We have encouraged Greg
to continually experiment with new ideas and make changes to keep the menu fresh for our
customers. So let us know what you think—we welcome your suggestions for improvements.
Helios is your café!

-Gray Medlin

“The quintessential Glo-So sip spot brings “cafe” to the fore of 9-year-old cafehelios with the addition of a kitchen, furnished with some foodie flare and a six burner gas stove—executive chef Rob Bland at its helm.

But don’t let the surname fool you—there’s not much ‘bland’ about this chef’s culinary chops, or the cafe’s new menu. Schooled at Culinary Institute of America, Virginia-native Bland ‘ll feed simple, fresh fare to the Helios hungries—but java-joint faithfuls, don’t fret, the staples will remain: Counter Culture coffees, bittycakes, and most of the breakfast and lunchstuffs.

Oh, after you’re done gettin’ juked on java and pleasing your palate, enliven your liver with a spirit or two from the revamped cocktail menu. Bottoms up.” – triangle tattle

scenes from our cookout last friday, june 4.2010.
please join us for our july 2nd cookout!

In late January I left frozen North Carolina to visit a coffee plantation in balmy San Ramón Nicaragua.  The contrast in weather was welcome, but shocking nonetheless. Café Helios’ coffee roaster, Counter Culture Coffee, offers a week long “Origins Field Lab” where one learns first hand how that bright red cherry becomes the dark brown treat so many of us adore.

Our group of nine consisted of cafe managers and owners.  We stayed at Finca Esperanza Verde, a lush coffee plantation and nature preserve.   The coffee farm was abandoned until 1997 when it was purchased and renovated by Sister Communities of San Ramón, Nicaragua.   After producing coffee for several years the Sister Communities had funds to build an ecolodge.  The lodge consists of several cabins that utilize solar panels for electricity and solar heated water.  Most of the food and drink prepared on the farm is grown in gardens on site.   It’s called ecotourism for a reason, all of the income stays in San Ramón providing a sustainable source of income for the indigenous people and money to improve the area through special projects.

From the Finca Esperanza Verde website:

My five days on the farm were as much a joy as they were eye-opening.  I picked coffee cherries for four hours straight and ended up with a bag that weighed a meager 15 pounds.  An incredible amount of work is involved in every step from picking, the wet mill, the dry mill, drying, sorting, re-sorting and so on.  The amount of expertise, labor, and dedication involved is mind boggling.  I learned a great deal about the coffee industry and the culture surrounding it, but I’m surprised at how much I learned about passion and dedication.  The people of Nicaragua’s coffee industry perform an amazing feat, a feat that would be nearly impossible without the dedication and passion that I witnessed in nearly everyone I met.

The images displayed depict the process, the culture, and the people that work together to produce a product that many of us may take for granted.  Personally, I’m proud to manage a Cafe that considers field education and research a vital part of its business model. - Ian F.G. Dunn

To see more of Ian’s photos visit his Flickr site.

The helios bloody mary made with house “gazpacho” mix is just one of several new spirits we have developed for our new menu.

See it here.