Founded in 2019 in North Canaan, Connecticut by Rebecca Grossman and Lucas Smith, ilse was created to showcase top tier single origin coffees with depth, transparency, and clarity. The name honors Lucas’s grandmother, Ilse, and the project has grown around a simple philosophy: keep the producer at the center, prefer classic processing when it best serves structure and sweetness, and roast lightly and precisely so variety and place come through without distraction. A compact coffee bar and roastery space lets guests experience this approach directly, with information forward service that connects the cup to the people who grew it.

Ilse roasts light and precise, giving cups that are sweet, clean, and calmly structured. The lineup is all single origin, anchored by classic processing for clarity and balance, with naturals used to add fruit and breadth without tipping into noise. Packaging and product pages keep the producer easy to spot and list variety, process, harvest, and lot clearly, which builds trust and makes it simple to connect the cup to the farm. Across seasons the profile holds steady with only gentle shifts in character, and several tastings have delivered quietly outstanding brews that feel both refined and welcoming.