“Hey, how’s your mom ‘n ’em?” This question was often asked by Tony and Austin Ferrari’s father and has become an inside joke among their family.
The two brothers decided to take their love of family and combine it with their love of food and drinks to launch Mom ‘n ‘Em, a Euro-style cafe.
“Mom ‘n ‘Em is inspired by and for our mother who loves coffee and being around people,” says Co-Owner Tony Ferrari. “We have an inside joke with our family that started from 700 WLW when Gary Burbank started the show off with ‘Hey, how’s your mom ‘n em.’ My dad would ask us that everyday and still listens to that station all day.”
According to Ferrari, Mom ‘n ‘Em is a place you could spend all day eating, working, drinking, or just hanging out.
“We are a coffee shop with a full liquor license, bottle shop to go, and safe place for everyone,” he says. “We have a unique selection of tinned fishes from Spain and Portugal, our own espresso blend ‘bro spro’ roasted by Deeper Roots, and our Pinot Noir Rose ‘Brose’ we make in Santa Barbara with Graham Tatomer.”
Mom ‘n ‘Em is an idea that the brothers love and want to share with everyone – and it just so happens to be in a renovated old house in Camp Washington, a community that is close to the brothers’ hearts.
The menu at Mom ‘n ‘Em is coffee forward, with signature Franklins cold brew flavored with coconut and a touch of milk. There are about 75 different types of wine, beer, rotating cheese and salami, thick cut toasts, and the already famous “Dirty Nati” egg sandwich.
In the couple of years that Mom ‘n ‘Em has been open, there hasn’t been a whole lot that’s changed on the menu. You can still find the fun staple items, in addition to weekly specials here and there.
There’s a lot packed into the space that is Mom ‘n ‘Em. When the world shut down due to COVID-19, Mom ‘n ‘Em didn’t. Austin says they had an outdoor courtyard built in March 2020, which has turned out to be a big game changer for them.
“Our courtyard allows people to not only dine outside, but it allows for more people to hang out with us here, which helped us a lot during COVID,” he says.
When the outdoor courtyard was built, they were also able to add a wood-fired grill. “So, on that grill, we host bistro nights from time to time,” says Austin. “We heavily suggest people go to our website to sign up for our email list or follow us on Instagram for updates on when bistro nights do happen.”
During the pandemic Mom ‘n ‘Em also started offering delivery and curbside pick-up, which Austin says they will continue to offer as long as customers want it.
“We are here for our guests and our community, and we really want people to understand that,” says Austin. “We won’t take no as an answer and we will not close. We did, however, stay safe, constantly cleaning, sanitized,
The Ferrari brothers are excited for the summer at Mom ‘n ‘Em. Austin says that they have a DJ coming to spin vinyl records on July 9, when they’ll also offer wood fired pizza.
You can visit Mom ‘n ‘Em at 3128 Colerain Avenue at Bates Avenue in Camp Washington, right off the Hopple Street exit.
To learn more about Mom ‘n ‘Em, visit momnemcoffee.com. You can also follow along on Instagram to stay up to stay on events, announcements, and entertainment.
