Catahoula Coffee Company is a great local spot to start your day with fresh, affordable house-roasted coffee drinks.

It has a small and lively environment for those who want to taste new coffee varieties.

The local business recently won First Place for the sixth time from the San Francisco Chronicle in its “Best of Bay” competition. The establishment also received promising ratings from local customers and business review websites.

Catahoula has two locations — one at 12472 San Pablo Avenue in the heart of Richmond and the other at 2080 4th Street in Berkeley.

Customers will appreciate the chill zone when stepping inside one of these locations. For many people it becomes a “go-to” location after even just one visit. Catahoula features espresso, cappuccinos and latte drinks coming from signature coffee blends specializing in fair trade organic beans, making the aftertaste come to life with a formulaic sensation.

The menu items are organized and convenient for those customers who may have trouble choosing what to order. If in need for more information about an item on the menu, the staff is ready and willing to help with specialized information on each product.

One of the highest ranked and most popular drinks is the Mexican mocha, which is blended with flavorful chocolate and cinnamon giving coffee drinkers great taste right from the cup.

If a customer is seeking the nourishment of a meal, Catahoula offers fresh baked pastries including banana bread, pound cakes, muffins and creamy apple puffs.

It also serves fresh tea from organic leaves and buds, providing wonderful taste right from the first sip.

Coffee makers, mugs and containers with the Catahoula brand are sold at both locations.

Blended packaged coffees are available in the shop too, from Brazilian to Ethiopian selections.

The employees offer a welcoming smile when customers arrive making the atmosphere and attitude pleasant and inviting.

Coffee orders can also be customized. Visitors have the choice to tell the friendly barista to personalize his or her coffee designs in almost any scheme. Catahoula also provides wholesale services by carrying their coffee products to other business clients.

The Richmond location hours are weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Weekday mornings around 9 a.m. are the most crowded times to visit at both locations, so it’s best to plan ahead and give yourself some extra time if visiting then.

Both locations play a variety of types of music, from adult contemporary to country, maintaining an overwhelming and pleasant atmosphere for consumers.

What makes both locations even more pleasant is the study-friendly atmosphere that encourages college students to hang around and work on projects. They are both a perfect location for a social gathering or just meeting up with a friend.

The amount of space and seating capacity is efficient to handle customers at both locations.