Coffee 101

About the Founder

Bongo Java was started by a former journalist.  Thus, you can be darn assured that most of this history is true.  And since he’s no longer under the careful eye of an editor, you can be further assured that this history will be longer than need be!

Bob Bernstein moved from their hometown in Skokie, IL to Nashville in 1988 when he got a job as a reporter with Nashville Business Journal.  At the time, he thought he’d spend a year or two in the country music capital of the world gaining experience, and then move on to a bigger and better city that had more stuff – or at least more than one sushi place, a single Indian restaurant and (if allowed to dream big) a place to see arthouse movies.

Bongo Mission

We strengthen communities by expanding the definition of quality. Each of our cafes are unique to the neighborhood & communities they serve.

Here at Bongo Java Roasting Co, all of our coffee is 100% organic and purchased directly from small-scale farmers through producer cooperatives at prices above the Fair Trade minimum.