Sips & Such Social House: Because not everyone wants to drink coffee in the car

By Laura Briedis

Sip. Savor. Repeat.

That’s what Sips & Such Social House encourages its customers to do.

Bucking the trend of coffeehouse chains and many eateries that elevate the hurried pace of life by offering drive-throughs, this locally owned place is the antithesis. It beckons customers to come inside, relax and have a sip of coffee, tea or a cocktail, along with a bite to eat, and enjoy musical entertainment on the weekends.

Harking back to the 17th century when coffeehouses dotted the landscape in Europe as a place for writers and artists to gather, collaborate and share news, this modern-day social house offers a comfortable space to do just that—and much more.

“We have businesses and networking groups that come in for breakfast and lunch, as well as people who work from home who meet clients here and work on their laptops using the USB ports we have in all our booths,” says Randy Burch, who, along with his wife, Rhonda, owns this business.

“We also have musical entertainment on weekend evenings and are teaming up with local colleges to showcase student performances during lunch.”

Originally opened in 2016, Sips & Such reconfigured its space to make it more versatile so customers can have meetings and parties here, and re-opened as a social house this summer.

“When we remodeled, we added a liquor license so we can now serve cocktails,” says Randy, who grew up in Middleburg Heights and wanted to bring something new to the city.

“On the weekends, we have entertainment, such as acoustic guitarists, or vinyl nights, where you can choose from the more than 1,000 vinyl records we have or bring your own to put on the turntable.”

With a soothing color palette, dark woods and Edison light bulb chandeliers, the homey decor encourages customers to slow down and relax.

“There are no TVs here because we want people to socialize with each other,” says Randy.

Like any café, its java and tea offerings take center stage. From a freshly brewed cup of coffee to a macchiato to a salted caramel chai, the drink offerings don’t disappoint.

“We use local companies, including Rising Star Coffee for our coffee beans and Storehouse Tea and Inca organic loose-leaf teas,” notes Randy. “We also get our non-homogenized milk delivered in glass jugs from Hartzler dairy farms every week.”

This fall, Sips & Such Social House has rolled out a new menu.

“We serve breakfast sandwiches and waffles all day,” says Randy. “Our Build Your Own Waffles are made from scratch with a dozen topping choices. And we also serve Chicken and Waffles for lunch and dinner.”

In addition to made-to-order breakfast items and pastries, there is an appreciable selection of sandwiches, including a Turkey Avocado Sandwich on a spinach flatbread and French Dip Sandwich on a French baguette. For those who want to come in for a drink and a small bite, diners can pick from a dozen appetizers like Truffle Fries or Deep Fried Pepperoni.

“Our Charcuterie Board is immensely popular,” says Riley Gardner, manager of Sips & Such. “It features cured meats, imported cheeses and spreadable beer made by Iron Chef judge Mario Rizzotti. We also offer dinner specials on weekends so diners can stretch their culinary legs.”

And for those who just need a place to get a good cup of coffee and food to go, Sips & Such will get your order ready in a couple of minutes. The cafe can also cater events.

Sips & Such Social House is located at 7535 Pearl Road in Middleburg Heights. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; with weekend entertainment from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information, call 440-532-7078 or visit SipsandSuch.com.