about us

Avalon Coffee Court House Cafe opened its doors in 1994 right here on Historic Mechanic Street by Sean Ford and Mike Nestor. They prided themselves on serving hot coffee, fresh bagels, and bagel sandwiches. As the cafe gained popularity, Sean and Mike went on to open 8 more locations in Cape May County. The Cape May Court House location had been operated by various owners over the years until January 2020, when Joe Monzo saw an opportunity to create a fresh and inviting space. With 10+ years of experience working in some of the best kitchens in Cape May and Wildwood, he curated a menu of unique sandwiches, avocado toasts, lattes, wraps, and salads. Joe unknowingly signed his lease less than a week before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, where many businesses had to close their doors for months due to statewide orders. Full of uncertainty and doubt, Joe, with the help of his brother-in-law, Tom, his soon to be wife, Skylar, and many friends and family, took the 120 year old building down to the studs and started a full renovation. After 6 long months of hard work, “Coho Cafe” was ready to open its doors in November. Although Coho Cafe is no longer affiliated with Avalon Coffee, Coho Cafe continues to serve hot and fresh Avalon bagels everyday, and Joe still holds true to the values set in place by Sean and Mike 30 years ago.