Tucked into a cozy 500-square-foot spot on 189 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. St. N., just steps from local gems like 11 Chicks Venezuelan Cafe, Daycation Coffee is redefining how St. Pete takes its coffee breaks. Soft-opening just three weeks ago, this charming café isn’t your typical coffee stop—it’s a celebration of culture, creativity, and handcrafted flavors.
Meet the Visionary Behind the Beans
Daycation is the dream come to life for Rachel Zhang, a former ad executive turned coffee entrepreneur. Born and raised in China, Rachel’s coffee creations are a heartfelt homage to her roots.
“All the drinks here were kind of inspired by the culture that I grew up with; Chinese culture, and Asian culture in general,” Zhang said. “I wanted to bring something new to the St. Pete community.”
After years of juggling a fast-paced advertising career in Los Angeles, Zhang took a leap of faith. Relocating to South Tampa with her husband and starting a family, she left her 9-to-5 behind to pour her heart into coffee.
“Working with coffee just makes me feel happy and I always thought about having my own coffee shop, but I always thought it would probably be something for later in life, after I retired,” Zhang explained. Instead, Zhang is living her retirement dream now, bringing her passion into her everyday life.
A Menu That’s Anything But Ordinary
Daycation’s menu is where tradition meets innovation. With signature drinks like:
- “Ode to my 90s”: A bold black sesame espresso latte with house-made brown sugar syrup and topped with crunchy date slices.
- “Morning Forest”: A unique “dirty matcha” latte blending ceremonial-grade Japanese matcha, espresso, and your milk of choice.
- “Sweet Bloom”: A double espresso pick-me-up spiced with cardamom and house-made osmanthus (a flower native to eastern Asia) syrup, topped with milk.
- “Tea-fee Oldtown”: If you love Chai, this one is for you. This latte starts with organic rooibos tea and amps up the flavor with cardamom, two shots of espresso and milk.
- “Yuzu Craze”: This balanced beverage starts with house cold brew and is slightly sweetened with 100% yuzu (a citrus fruit from China) juice, house rock candy syrup, and topped with candied yuzu peel.
“I’m very proud of all the recipes here that I made myself,” Zhang said. “My personal style is not overly sweet; I don’t have a sweet tooth myself. Everything is balanced here, and I try to make things a little bit special and fun for people to try.”
More Than Just Coffee
Daycation’s snacks and pastries are a collaboration with local bakers, while Zhang experiments with in-house goodies. Plans are already brewing to add light bites like avocado toast and cold sandwiches. Zhang said she’s been in talks with local favorite Cafe Clementine to potentially bring in some of their cult-favorite pastries to Daycation.
Even the details are personal—Daycation’s logo is inspired by Zhang’s French Bulldog, Dango, and her coffee cups are hand-crafted by artists in her home country of China.
The beans? Roasted to perfection by Torch Coffee in Kansas. Zhang worked closely with the roastery to create a custom blend featuring beans from Yunnan, China, and Guatemala. “The flavor is very fruity, a little bit of floral, and also sweet,” she said of the blend, which will hit shelves soon with packaging designed by Zhang herself.
Your Daily Daycation Awaits
Daycation isn’t just a coffee shop; it’s a mindset. Zhang’s goal was to create a space where customers could pause, sip, and recharge.
With limited seating and a grab-and-go focus, Daycation is already creating buzz. Zhang credits her leap of faith to the charm of the Sunshine City.
“I felt like, why not do it right now? I feel right about the space, If feel right about the city of St. Pete, so I thought, ‘Let’s do this,’” Zhang said. “I mean, being a business owner is no joke. It’s still pretty tiring, but I love it. This is something I’m passionate about, and I love sharing it with other people who love it, as well.”
Stop by Daycation Coffee to sip on something special and experience a little moment of Zen—because who says you need to wait for retirement to start living the dream? 🌞✨