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This MetroWest Coffee Shop combines coffee, food, art and comfort
If you’ve ever driven down Hiawassee Rd in MetroWest and spotted a sign that simply says “Coffee Shop,” you probably didn’t question what it was, but the inside will definitely surprise you.
While the location's front door, which faces Hiawassee Rd, doesn’t do this cafe any justice, the back entrance is a different story. From the rear, you’ll step into an inviting outdoor seating area wrapped in greenery, creating the feeling that you’ve escaped to another place. The rear entrance also has a different sign that reads Achille Art Cafe, a name that’s a little more in line with what you should expect.
Inside https://achillesartcafe.com you’ll find vibrant art, mismatched chairs, and the smell of freshly made sandwiches. You might also find Ashil Popal, clearing tables, delivering drinks or working behind the counter.
Ashil Popal owner of Achilles Art Cafe | Photo by Dave Vanz, Orlando Life
Born and raised in Germany, Ashil came to the U.S. in 1999 with only $30ish in his pocket and barely two English phrases to his name. “I think the only words I knew were, ‘This is a pen, and this is a book,’” he laughs. Determined to learn the language, he studied not from books, but from TV, paying close attention every time someone corrected his phrasing. “Americans always say, ‘Oh, you mean…’ That’s how I learned proper English.”
He eventually settled in Orlando, where his idea for a cafe, that had been brewing since his days in Germany, took hold. Ashil wanted to create a cafe that felt like everyone’s place. “In Germany, there was this café I loved,” he says. “It had a little bit of everything for everybody. I wanted to create that.”
He opened his first shop in 2008 right as the recession hit. “Everyone was closing, and I was opening,” he says. “I don’t really plan much. Too much planning creates negative thoughts.” He laughs at the memory of day one, when he realized he had forgotten to learn how to make a latte. “I just Googled recipes every time someone ordered,” he admits.
The name Achilles Art Café came later, after he was told he needed something official for his LLC. But the sign out front, Coffee Shop, stayed. “People kept telling me it needed to be more unique, but I wanted people to know what it was when they drove by,” he says. “You see the sign, you know exactly what it is.”
Inside, every wall tells a story. The art is all local, hung by Orlando artists who are selling their work directly through the café. “They just put their name and number on the back,” Ashil says. “If someone wants to buy, they call the artist. Simple.”
The space itself feels like a home that’s warm, colorful, and a little chaotic in the best way. People come to study, meet, make content, or just slow down for a while. “I want everyone to find their own little spot,” he says. “Every table looks different, so you can feel comfortable wherever you sit.”
And while the sign might say “coffee,” the menu goes far beyond that. The Achille Sandwich, packed with ham, turkey, pepperoni, feta, pesto, and honey mustard on French bread, has become a local favorite. He created it by instinct. “I never follow recipes,” he says. “I just like making things people love!”
One of the drinks that Ashil mentioned was his Cortadito. He said it’s, “The kind of coffee that ruins you for others.” He laughs, “People come back the next day shaking, saying, ‘I need my Cortadito!’”
Ashil’s humor and blunt honesty are part of the experience. He’ll take care of you, but don’t test his patience. “I’m not a personal chef,” he says with a grin. Talking to Ashil and learning about his approach to everything, there’s no doubt he is a perfectionist. Even stating, “If you eat here, your food will be perfect.”
Beyond coffee and food, Achilles Art Café allows their space to be rented for private events on Sundays, a day they are closed. Everything from art showcases to birthdays, even the occasional Botox party. “People can bring their own food, decorate, play music,” he says. “I just open the door and let them do their thing.”
For a man who started with no English, no experience, and no plan, Ashil has built a coffee shop that is embraced by his local community. “I don’t even post much online,” he says. “We’re already too busy. If I post, more people will come. Maybe I should tell people not to come,” he told Orlando Life with a laugh.
At the end of our interview with Ashil, he made us a Cortadito. He was right, it was delicious, and will probably be the first drink we order when the Pumpkin Pie Chai goes away…
