Sevens Café is a locally owned, community-focused café located inside the newly redeveloped Barcalo Living Complex in Buffalo’s Old First Ward Neighborhood. Founded by wives Yaz & Cait after years of traveling and working in innovative food cities like Sydney and London, Sevens blends global inspiration with a grounded, neighborhood-first feel. Sevens serves specialty coffee, house-made pastries, sandwiches, and seasonal drinks, nearly all prepared from scratch and with intention. Since opening in May of 2025, Sevens had become a hub—somewhere people gather, linger, and feel taken care of.
The Surfrider Foundation Niagara Frontier Chapter is excited to recognize Sevens Café for their outstanding efforts to implement Great Lakes Friendly Restaurants practices in their business! We caught up with Sevens to learn more about and share with you what makes Sevens special, what inspires their sustainability efforts, and what lessons they've learned in their journey.
Entrance to Sevens Cafe - photo credit James Pici
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Plant-based deliciousness! Photo credit: @Sevensbuffalo on Instagram
What makes your restaurant a special destination for your guests and how is your location connected to the Great Lakes?
What makes Sevens special is the sense of care and craftsmanship behind everything we do. Our warm & welcoming staff will make you feel right at home. Everything at Sevens is intentional- we use locally sourced ingredients, we are single-use plastic free, and we are fully plant-based.
Our location in Buffalo—just minutes from the shores of Lake Erie—deeply influences our mission. The Great Lakes are an essential resource for our community, our climate, and our future. Being part of this watershed reminds us that even small cafés have a role in protecting the systems that sustain us.Water stewardship, waste reduction, and responsible sourcing all feel especially meaningful when you operate so close to one of the largest freshwater ecosystems in the world. All of our to-go packaging is completely compostable, and we parter with Buffalo’s own Farmer Pirates Composting.
What inspired your sustainability practices and to become a Great Lakes Friendly Restaurant?
Our sustainability ethos comes from two places:
- Our years of traveling and working abroad, especially in cities where zero-waste cafés, plant-forward menus, and circular systems are the norm. We saw firsthand how small daily decisions—composting, reusables, ethical sourcing—add up to a massive impact.
- Our personal mission, which is rooted in the belief that making small positive changes each day truly matters. We want to build a café that not only tastes good but does good.
Choosing to become a Great Lakes Friendly Restaurant was a natural extension of these values. The Great Lakes are at the heart of Buffalo’s identity, and we want to be part of the larger effort to protect them.
Come up to the counter and scope the goodies! Photo credit: James Pici
Do you find that customers are receptive to your mission and eco-friendly practices? Can you share a guest story or feedback you’ve received?
Absolutely. One of the most encouraging parts of opening Sevens has been how enthusiastically our guests respond to sustainability efforts—big and small. People love our Huskee Cups for in-house drinks, and we get daily comments about how refreshing it is to visit a café that isn’t drowning in single-use items. Our hot to-go cups are always a great way to let people know that we are single-use plastic free. They’re funky and not many people have ever seen them before. We’ve also had guests thank us specifically for our sourcing choices and for stocking reusable or refill-friendly items.
A standout moment was when a regular told us they now bring their own cup everywhere because Sevens “made it feel normal and easy.” That kind of cultural shift—even on a micro level—is exactly what we hope to inspire.
Improving operational sustainability is always an evolutionary journey. Please share any discoveries you’ve made and any practices you hope to implement in the future.
We’ve learned that sustainability doesn’t always come from big, expensive changes—many come from small operational refinements. For example:
- Dialing in accurate syrup ratios and portioning has dramatically reduced waste without changing quality.
- Being mindful about production batches in the kitchen helps us maintain freshness without taking on unnecessary waste.
As we’re still new, everyday is a learning experience. Looking ahead, we’re exploring:
- A cup-return program or discount for bringing reusable drinkware.
- Offering bulk or refillable versions of our high-demand items (like our house-made syrups and matcha on tap).
- Continued energy efficiency improvements as we grow.
Photo credit: James Pici
Do you have any advice for restaurants looking to make more sustainable choices?
Start with what’s manageable and build from there. Sustainability sticks when it fits naturally into your workflow. Three practical tips:
- Audit your waste for one week— our trash room is a bit of a walk away from the cafe itself, so we’re always aware of our trash levels.
- Pick one small change per month, whether that’s switching to reusable in-house ware or adjusting portioning.
- Communicate the “why” to your team and your guests. When people understand the purpose, they buy into the process.
What are your goals for the future?
Our goals include continuing to deepen our connection with our neighborhood, expanding our pastry and brunch offerings, increasing our sustainable systems, and eventually growing Sevens into a leading example of how a small café can operate consciously without sacrificing hospitality, quality, or creativity.
Anything upcoming you'd like to plug?
We’re rolling out our new seasonal drinks for winter, expanding our food offerings, and refreshing parts of our café design—including a gallery wall featuring local artists. As we approach upcoming holidays, we’ll also be unveiling small-batch, eco-minded grab-and-go items perfect for gifting.
Have a seat and enjoy tasty treats Photo credit: James Pici
Is your local restaurant Great Lakes Friendly? If not, encourage them to sign up and join the movement to end single-use plastics!
Want to help Surfrider stop plastic pollution at the source? Consider donating today!