Ybor fusion restaurant blends Asian cuisine and coffee culture

Asian cuisine and coffee culture at Retro House

FOX 13's Jason Wright takes us inside the Asian restaurant in Ybor that supports local artists and musicians.

YBOR, Fla. - For hand-crafted Chinese pastries paired with specialty coffees and teas, the Retro House in Ybor City has plenty of options for the adventurous palate to try. 

Retro House food items

Local perspective:

Retro House was a dream of co-owners Meishan Lu and Paul Venghaus.

"We really wanted to do something combining the Dim Sum and the coffee," said Venghaus. "We started with this idea of doing Cantonese cuisine, southern Chinese cuisine. You’re getting elements of the western tea and coffee culture as well."

They pair Chinese pastries like bao buns with specialty teas and coffees, all crafted locally. 

And that attention to doing things locally is part of their drive to support local artists and musicians at the Retro House. 

"Culturally, we are really supportive of the local community, especially artists and musicians," said Venghaus. "For us, it’s about the fact that art is something I believe we all get a lot of enjoyment out of."

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The interior walls of the business are decorated with the artwork of local artists. Each one being shown could be purchased by a viewer interested in supporting local art. 

"Since we’ve established ourselves in here we’ve meet quite a few of our local artists," said Venghaus, "It’s giving us a way to really support them."

Retro House art

On different days of the week, the location features live music from local musicians. 

What you can do:

Similarly, patrons of the business can support the local music scene just by stopping in for coffee. 

As for the coffee, Lu said, "We roast our own coffee!" 

That allows them to explore different beans and combinations that can create different flavors for their customers. 

Retro House coffee

"We really encourage people to come with their friends and family," said Lu.

You can visit the Retro House Coffee Bar & Asian Bistro at 934 East Henderson Avenue on the western edge of Ybor City. They are open from 7:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. 

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