Earlier this year, Gulf Gate earned the title of Sarasota's friendliest neighborhood, topping a Nextdoor ranking that measured everything from neighborly interactions to community pride.

It’s easy to see why—its funky commercial strip, filled with mom-and-pop owned restaurants, bars and independent retailers, blossoms from within a neighborhood of 1950s and '60s homes that, thanks to the absence of restrictive HOAs, burst with colorful murals, whimsical yard art and other personal flourishes that give the area a bohemian feel. Spend an hour wandering the highly walkable district and the distinction needs little explanation.

It’s exactly the kind of place Becky Drescher always wanted to put down roots. 

For more than 35 years, Drescher worked as an optician, but she'd long fantasized about opening a coffee shop. In 2024, she and her husband, Robert Foster, moved from Georgia to north Florida to do just that. By the time they arrived at the house they'd purchased sight unseen, their new custom coffee trailer—named Coastal Grind Coffee—was already parked in the driveway, a tangible marker that a new chapter had begun. But just a few months later after the move, their plans came to a screeching halt when Drescher was involved in a devastating car accident. Rescue crews had to cut her from the vehicle, and she was left with multiple broken bones. Suddenly, business-building took a backseat to healing.

Eventually, the dream returned, just in a different form. Instead of having the business based out of the trailer, the couple decided to open a brick-and-mortar café—this time, somewhere in south Florida. It didn’t take long for Sarasota to win them over. “It was just so cute and everyone was so friendly,” Drescher says. When Robert found the small storefront in Gulf Gate, Drescher says it didn't take much to convince her. "I immediately fell in love with it," she says.  

A bit of serendipity factored into the decision. The couple's original coffee trailer was designed with black walls and botanical wallpaper separated by wood paneling. When they stepped inside the Gulf Gate space for the first time, the lower half of the walls were already painted black and wrapped in identical wood paneling, with blank space above just waiting for wallpaper. “It was absolutely an extension of our design for the trailer," Drescher recalls. "It was already halfway there, we just needed to finish bringing it to life.”

The couple finalized the purchase last fall and began renovating, hoping to be open by March. Then, just weeks before the café was ready, Robert passed away unexpectedly.

For a time, Drescher wasn't sure she'd continue. "I contemplated not doing it,” she says. “Because now, I was going to [have to] do it by myself.”

Instead, she decided to carry their dream forward with the support of 13-year-old Isabella, of one of her seven daughters. Before the café officially opened in April, neighbors stopped in to ask if she still planned to move forward. "They were so happy I was going to go through with it," she says.

Today, Becky and Isabella can be found slinging coffee and crepes side-by-side, occasionally with the help of their very first customer, Deborah Delaney, who has stuck around since opening day to lend a hand. The space still bears Robert’s imprint, and not just because its welcoming atmosphere is a nod to his personal motto: “It’s all good.” Throughout the shop, mementos and other decorative items reflect the faith that was so important to him,

The crepe menu ranges from sweet creations like the "Golden Tide" (with Dubai chocolate) to savory options like the "Coastal Caprese" (mozzarella, tomato and basil). Morning staples include bagels sourced from the nearby Bagels and Brews, flaky croissants and even mimosas. There’s everything from classic lattes and cortaditos to matcha, ube (purple yam) and rotating seasonal specials that feature special cold foams, sprinkles and more. A richly seasoned instant bone broth—sold in convenient packets beside the coffee—is the creation of Drescher’s 28-year-old daughter, Danielle, through her company Rooted Broth. Another daughter, 26-year-old Krysten, is developing Coastal Grind's house-made syrups and fruit purées, making the café even more of a family affair. 

Growing up, Drescher’s father was a youth pastor whose home constantly overflowed with neighborhood kids, spirited basketball games, and church gatherings. With seven daughters of her own, Drescher's home was just as lively. “It would get loud,” she says with a laugh. “There was only one television in the living room, and we all sat around it together if someone was watching something. There would be cooking, card games, conversation. We always had something going on.”

She's hoping to recreate a similar feeling at Coastal Grind. Customers are encouraged to settle in over board games or a deck of cards instead of rushing back out the door. Drescher greets everyone who walks in, always ready to strike up a conversation.

"The way I see it, this is my home away from home, and I want people to feel the same way," she says. "From the beginning, our goal was never to be the biggest spot in Sarasota. It was to be the best neighbor."