Amid the bustle of Preble Street in Andrew Square, local coffee shop Esthetic Bean is a welcoming retreat. Since opening in September 2021, owner Julia Kotlinska has turned her vision of a community-centered café into a reality and has created a space where people can connect. With a menu that features homemade banana bread and muffins, sandwiches made to order, and a full range of hot and iced drinks, Esthetic Bean has quickly become a favorite for Andrew Square neighbors — and their dogs, too. We sat down with Julia to learn more about her journey and her inspiration.

How did you come up with the name Esthetic Bean?
In the name, bean means coffee bean, and I always wanted to have coffee shop that has nice esthetic look. So, this became the name of the coffee shop. People remember the name. Some friends gave me advice to call it something like South Boston Coffee, but I didn’t want a geographical name. Esthetic Bean means cute little bean.

What sets Esthetic Bean apart?
This coffee shop is a small and local. I have a lot of customers, and they are regular customers. They come in every single morning. I know their names and the names of their dogs. I know all of their orders. They come in and smile and say, ‘My usual, please.’ The main goal of the coffee shop is not to sell a cup of coffee to customers but to make the morning nice and give positive energy.

I have two employees who work here two days a week and my husband, Henrique, helps me a lot. And a few months ago, we got a new person in the business. He’s my seven-month-old son. A lot of customers have met my son. He comes with me to many things, even to Andrew Square community meetings.

Where are you from originally?
I’m from the western part of Ukraine, a city called Khmelnytskyi. I’ve been in the U.S. for 11 years. One year I won the green card lottery and came to see how life in America is and to make my American dream here. My family is still alive in Ukraine. They are alive but they are not good. Every day, they wake up from sirens alarms. The see bombs flying over them. They run to the basement every day. They are physically okay, but they aren’t emotionally okay. My nephew is 10 years old. Kids shouldn’t have to see what’s happening. Their mind should be positive. They need to study and play, and they are the future of Ukraine. But they see bombs and sirens and buildings falling apart. The kids are absorbing everything.

Is Esthetic Bean the first coffee shop you have owned?
I was living in Key West for seven years before I moved to Boston, and I was the co- owner of a little bakery there. I made coffee and worked with customers. I’m grateful I had that experience, and I loved Key West. But the weather is extremely hot and there’s high humidity. A few years before I moved to Boston, I had a vacation here. I love Boston! I love downtown with the skyscrapers made of steel and glass and next to old churches. And the people are very nice in Boston.

How did you choose to open Esthetic Bean in Andrew Square?
This shop was for sale, and it was small. I liked the foot traffic here and I was sure I could run this place. I love being very close to the ocean. I hear stories that this part of South Boston used to not be the most exciting part. Every year, it’s getting better. We’re getting new nice buildings and those are bringing nice people to the community. It seems like we’re getting more little children and that makes me happy. South Boston has a nice future. I see a lot of my customers coming to get coffee with their dogs. We are a dog friendly location. We have treats and water for them. That means the local building owners are allowing dogs to live there. I’m happy about that. Andrew Square’s biggest strength are the people who live here. The people are nice and friendly. They help each other. They always say, ‘Good morning!’ One thing I’d suggest is maybe parking could be fixed in this neighborhood, and more parking spots could be added.

What are the popular items on the menu at Esthetic Bean?
Banana bread. I make it every few days. My customers loved it so much, I put a whole loaf on the menu. Now you can buy a loaf. Also, bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches are popular – also with ham, smoked salmon and capers. The Barnyard Sandwich is popular for lunch. (Crispy chicken, BBQ sauce, American cheese, lettuce, and tomato.)

For drinks, flavored ice coffee is popular. In the summertime, I sell a lot of lavender latte and strawberry iced tea. Iced drinks are always very popular. In the fall, people like pumpkin chai. For Christmas, there will be new flavors for latte and new flavor for ice coffee. I’ll bake spice cake and gingerbread cookies.