801 Coffee Roasters
Address: 550 North 300 West, Suite 3108
Telephone: 385-295-4560
Website: 801coffeeroasters.com
District: Marmalade
“I always thought it was strange that no one had taken 801 for a business name. I grew up between Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon, and when it came time to name my company, 801 Coffee Roasters felt right. Back in the day, that was all there was, 801. Now we have area codes 435 and 385, but the original people only knew 801. I figured the name had to be gone, but it wasn’t, so I trademarked it immediately and have been running with it ever since.”
Coffee was imprinted on Alex Harrison at a young age, sitting on the back deck with his mother in Sandy, drinking from a cup that was far too big for his twelve-year-old self. He admits he did not like it at first, but in time he was hooked - not only on the taste, but on the ritual, the mountains rising in front of him as the sun came up.
Alex graduated from high school at just sixteen in 2010 and then enrolled at Salt Lake Community College for a short time. Although his early ambitions pointed elsewhere - wildlife veterinary work and marine biology - Alex’s life soon shifted. While many of his classmates were still figuring out what was next, Alex found himself drawn to coffee. He found a job at a local café which turned into an unexpected education. “They taught me everything - how to dial in shots, steam milk, pull proper espresso, even latte art. But more importantly, they showed me where coffee came from, why the farm and region matter, and how roasting affects flavor.” For someone who already loved coffee, the lessons stuck. He discovered that coffee could be more than bitter fuel; it could be nuanced, layered, alive.
When the owners had a dispute and things got messy, Alex said that he got laid off and then spent six months at another café - and the experience could not have been more different. The drinks were generic, the ingredients low quality, and the standards far below what he knew was possible. “I tried to make improvements, even taught my manager a few things, but the owner didn’t want to change. Customers loved what I was doing, but it didn’t last.” As frustrating as it was, the contrast solidified his belief that he could do better on his own. It was during his birthday dinner in 2016, while talking about next steps, that his mother suggested starting a coffee cart. Within a week, he had purchased a truck, and the seeds of 801 Coffee Roasters were planted.
The very first soft opening at Wasatch Touring brought in just $20, yet Alex describes that day as one of the happiest of his life. The truck became his classroom and stage. Although it was a hard start - finding a place consistent enough to gain a following - he slowly began to be invited to events. Alex then poured shots outside of Hotel Monaco downtown, served teams at soccer stadiums during COVID, and filled cups for actors at Sundance year after year. What set him apart was not just the matte black truck with its warm wood interior, but the devotion to roasting small-batch beans sourced for their unique flavor profiles, always fresh, always crafted with care.
After almost a decade on the road, Alex finally transitioned from truck to storefront. With his family’s encouragement and support, three and a half years of searching for the right space led him to a new building where, in the summer of 2025, he opened the doors to a 3,000-square-foot café that feels both elevated and inviting.
The design is deliberate. Every detail carries through the theme of matte black and walnut that began in the truck. The countertops are live-edge walnut slabs, the walls and even the restrooms are black, and the roaster itself was painted matte black to blend seamlessly into the space. A plant wall, built with his manager, softens the edges and frames the hidden bathrooms, filled with cuttings donated by friends and a towering monstera propagated from his mother’s plant. High ceilings give the café a sense of lightness, while the photography of award-winning Utah photographer Noah Wetzel bursts against the black walls - an ever-changing local gallery.
At the center of it all is a pool table, chosen in matching walnut and black, a nod to Alex’s other passion. What began as a curiosity in the first weeks quickly became a draw, with customers gathering daily to play, sip, and linger.
The menu reflects the same philosophy Alex has followed from the beginning: keep it simple, keep it quality. Every syrup is made in house, chai brewed from scratch, nitro on tap, tea curated through Tea Grotto, and pastries brought in fresh from Vosen’s long-standing German bakery. Savory options include meat pies and sausage rolls from Sagato, a family-owned New Zealand bakery in Midvale. The coffee beans themselves arrive from Costa Rica, Colombia, Ethiopia, and beyond - roasted fresh on-site, never sitting stale.
Alex's passion remains teaching people what coffee can truly taste like when left unmasked. “I really like when people just order black coffee. I think if more people were accustomed to quality coffee that you don’t need to add things to, they’d appreciate it for what it was.” He is looking forward to expanding into classes - cuppings, roasting demonstrations, and espresso workshops - to share that vision more widely.
Alex Harrison considers himself lucky. 801 Coffee has resonated across the state. What could have been an obvious choice for a company name was somehow overlooked. It is simple, local, and brilliant. From his childhood deck-side mornings sipping coffee with his mom to serving elite actors at Sundance tents, to a striking, plant-filled space with jazz humming overhead, Alex has built a place where community, design, and exceptional coffee meet. “My goal has always been simple,” he said. “Serve really good coffee, treat people well, and give them a space that feels different. Everything else has followed from that.”
