Ogden’s Coffee Links serving up more than great java
Leon Araujo, owner of Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard, empties freshly roasted beans into a container on Monday, March 25, 2019.
Freshly roasted coffee beans at Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard on Monday, March 25, 2019.
Leon Araujo roasts coffee beans at Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard on Monday, March 25, 2019.
The Veggie Pita dish at Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard on Monday, March 25, 2019.
A coffee drink is made at Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard on Monday, March 25, 2019.
Leon Araujo, owner of Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard, makes a latte on Monday, March 25, 2019.
Freshly roasted coffee beans at Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard on Monday, March 25, 2019.
A hazelnut latte at Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard on Monday, March 25, 2019.
Leon Araujo roasts coffee beans at Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard on Monday, March 25, 2019.
The Cancun chicken sandwich at Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard on Monday, March 25, 2019.
The Molletes dish with chorizo at Coffee Links coffee shop on Park Boulevard on Monday, March 25, 2019.
OGDEN -- The venue has changed, but the method certainly hasn't -- Ogden's Coffee Links is still making exquisite fare.
When owner Leon Araujo opened his coffee shop and eatery more than five years ago, he wanted set himself apart by making high-quality artisanal coffee, but also by offering a broad food selection that rivals the joe.
And he's done just that.
"We are a coffee shop," Araujo said. "And we take pride in that, but we've got more to offer."
In addition to a variety of coffees and other hot drinks, the establishment also serves sandwiches, salads, omelets, quesadillas and smoothies. A native of Mexico City, Araujo prepares many of the items with a Mexican twist. The Cancun, for example, is a sandwich served on baguette bread with cilantro dressing, turkey or ham, mozzarella or provolone cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and avocado.
And the spicy mango habanero sauce, made fresh daily, gives the sandwich an added kick.
Araujo said the most popular item, aside from the coffee, is the Mollete -- an open-face baguette topped with beans, ham chorizo or chicken and mozzarella cheese, served with a side of pico de gallo.
Winston Brinkerhoff likes the place so much, he decided to work there.
"I was actually working at another coffee shop in town" he said. "But I was a huge fan of this place and, luckily, got an opportunity to come here."
Brinkerhoff has worked at multiple food and drink establishments over the past few years, but he says Coffee Links and Araujo are a different breed.
"I've never seen anyone this meticulous, this precise in everything they do," Brinkerhoff said. "Leon is a very mindful kind of guy and it shows in the things we prepare here."
Araujo said dedication and creativity drive his cafe, along with a relaxed, welcoming and warm atmosphere. The shop owner takes his time when preparing the cuisine and he hopes customers do the same when sampling it.
"In Mexico, we savor the coffee," Araujo said. "We might take an hour (to drink it), sometimes maybe even two."
Until the summer of 2017, Coffee Links was located at 3725 Washington Blvd. The move downtown, to 287 Park Blvd., has advanced Araujo's unhurried ethic.
The restaurant is located on the bottom floor of The View on 20th apartment building and is centered in the heart of Ogden City's Ogden River redevelopment district, which features town home, condo and apartment complexes. Araujo says the downtown location -- surrounded by parks and living spaces -- engenders a more laid-back atmosphere.
"We've got all the apartments right around us, so there are a lot of people who can just walk in," Araujo said. "And that's what we like."
ADDRESS: 287 Park Blvd, Ogden
HOURS: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday
PRICES: Under $10
PHONE: 801-528-5098