First look: Roostercat Coffee House opens in the Golden Triangle

"We're trying to create a community, a place where you can go and know that your friends are going to be there," says Colin Floom, co-owner of Roostercat Coffee House, which opened last week at 1045 Lincoln Street.

Surrounded by business types pecking at laptops, the smell of brewing coffee, and the velvet tone of Frank Sinatra, Floom and co-owner Autumn Green seem in their element -- even if that kind of casual cool takes more than a couple pulls of espresso to maintain. "We've been slammed," Floom says.

"The best part is, we have the lunch rush, we have the late-night crowd, and it's just a different atmosphere with each one," adds Green. With Roostercat open from the crack of dawn to almost midnight, the partners are planning to have something on hand for whoever walks in the door, whether they need their daily caffeine infusion or a gluten-free sandwich.

In fact, anything on the menu of sandwiches and salads can be made gluten or allergen-free, says Green, who herself suffers from celiac disease. Whenever possible, they use seasonal ingredients from local farmers markets; the coffee is fair-trade, organic java from Denver roaster Coda Coffee Company, which the partners chose after much tasting and deliberation.

Floom also touts his espresso made with Coda's Notorious espresso blend, which creates an especially smooth and complex shot. "When I first tried the Notorious, I was like 'Okay, I get why we should pay extra for this,'" he gushes.

Some of Roostercat's late-night walk-ins are drawn in by the flames flickering in the two fire pits on the patio, but the owners hope the friendly atmosphere inside will turn them into regulars. "The Cheers of coffee shops, that's my goal," Floom says. And if the number of hellos and handshakes he's giving out with his espressos is any guide, he's well on his way.

Find more photos of Roostercat's interior and its rooftop patio on the next page.

• First Look
• Openings and Closings