Karma Coffee and Kitchen – a hidden gem in Wayne

As someone that grew up in the City of Wayne and now writes for the City of Wayne, I thought it would be fun to get to know the city more personally, while my readers can get to know me better in the process.
To do this, I’m starting a series about hidden gems in the City of Wayne that I personally visit, experience, and review for my readers. To shine a spotlight on places you might not have heard about, or haven’t tried for yourself. So, welcome to our first Spotlight Series with Sarah!
My first spotlight to start this series off goes to Karma Coffee & Kitchen. You might drive past it and not even notice, but it deserves to be seen.
I’ve been working from home since 2020, and as much as I love working remotely, sometimes I do not feel like cooking breakfast or lunch, and would much rather order in.
Back in January, my boyfriend was headed into downtown Wayne to get a haircut and offered to bring back some breakfast for me. He had asked if I wanted anything specific, but as a Libra, I am indecisive and don’t like making decisions, so I asked him to surprise me.
He returned home, excited about a “hidden gem” he found in Wayne. That hidden gem was Karma Coffee & Kitchen.
Since I’ve been writing for the Wayne Dispatch for almost three years now, I’ve heard about Karma Coffee, mentioned it in an article or two before, but had never tried it personally. So I was excited too.

Karma Coffee & Kitchen owners Jennifer Romero and chef David Romero. Photo by John P. Rhaesa

He got me a breakfast burrito and black coffee, and himself the chicken sandwich and a chai tea latte. We both have a sweet tooth, so he also got two cupcakes: a strawberry one and an oreo one.
I’m not a chef, nor am I a professional at reviewing food, but this food hit the spot. My burrito was filling and still hot after the 10 minute drive home. As someone that drinks coffee black, the actual quality of coffee matters, and this coffee had a great coffee flavor and didn’t taste like just hot bean water. The strawberry cupcake was so good and moist, that if my boyfriend had brought home more than one, I would have eaten all of them in one sitting.
In February, I asked my boyfriend to go back to Karma Coffee because I was craving another breakfast burrito and coffee. At this point, I knew I wanted to write about this place and share my experience with my readers.
On Monday, March 4th, I visited Karma Coffee Shop & Kitchen in person to get the full experience.
Jennifer Romero, Karma Coffee & Kitchen owner, and David Romero, Karma Coffee Shop & Kitchen owner and chef, were behind the counter and greeted me as I walked towards them.
Since I’ve already tried their breakfast items, I decided to ask what other items were popular. I was told by Jennifer that the Open Face Clark Street was a popular choice, so I ordered that, a strawberry smoothie, and put in a to-go order for an All American Cheeseburger as well because I’m a big cheeseburger fan.
Jennifer told me that my order would take a few minutes, so I picked a table, sat down, and looked around.
I quickly noticed that an older gentleman sitting at a table near me was playing a card game with a younger lady. That’s when I saw a bookshelf next to the wall filled with board games such as Connect 4, Battleship, Candy Land, Life, Yahtzee, and so much more.
I was later informed by Jennifer that that was her daughter Isabella playing with a regular that comes in weekly from the Wayne Towers Senior Apartments.
Even though I had never been there before, there was a very homey feel as I sat and waited for my order. Jennifer personally brought out my freshly-made smoothie first and then my food shortly after.
I like chicken, but the Open Face Clark Street is not something I would normally order. It’s a grilled chicken breast with provolone on a bed of sauteed vegetables and served with tortilla chips. As I mentioned, I’d normally order a cheeseburger or even a club sandwich, but I wanted to try something different for my readers, and honestly, I’m glad I did.
The cheese-pull with the provolone was something you see on commercials. The tortilla chips were homemade and perfect for scooping the chicken and vegetables or even eating solo. And the sauteed vegetables were good enough to eat by themselves.

Karma Coffee & Kitchen is located at 35634 Michigan Ave.

When I had the cheeseburger for lunch the next day, I was impressed with the presentation, even in a to-go box. The bun was round, fluffy, and smooth, like you see in commercials. The beef patty was thick. And even with it being reheated, it still tasted good, (because you know some things just don’t reheat well).
“We’re not a typical coffee shop, restaurant, or bakery,” said Jennifer. “We offer a lot more variety than a typical place. If you have a dietary restriction, we want you to have a great experience. We want to be open to the community.”
Karma Coffee & Kitchen has been open at its current location in Wayne for seven years, and two years at a previous location.
“I always wanted to run a restaurant but didn’t want to get burnt out. This allows me to do my share,” said David. “She [Jennifer] liked the atmosphere of a coffee shop. We had a coffee shop in 2009, but this combines our dreams and makes it work.”
David is a certified chef, so all food is made fresh.
“The kitchen is my laboratory. It’s freedom,” said David. “Sometimes it might take a little bit longer to get your food because everything is being prepared. We want you to feel like you’re getting your money’s worth.”
David works ‘back of house,’ preparing all the food, while Jennifer works ‘front of house,’ and brings the food to all the customers.
“We love being a part of the community. Our part is to make them happy. Whether it’s through the drink, the food, or just talking,” said Jennifer.
Karma Coffee & Kitchen Car has a long resume of involvement with the City of Wayne. In the past, Karma Coffee has been a pit stop during the annual car cruise, involved in the Easter egg hunt, Small Business Saturday, Illuminate Wayne, Halloween at HYPE, events at Goudy Park, as well as Concert in the Park before the pandemic.
“Whatever the city tries to do, we try to get involved. We love this neighborhood, and we love this community,” said Jennifer.
Karma Coffee also hosts its own events, such as Trunk-or-Treat, vendor shows, music night once a month, monthly clubs, and game nights.
“Books on the Ave and Midnight Masterworks have been involved with us for a lot of the events we do. Just as with Helium Studio, Moonlight Mystic LLC, State Wayne Theatres, and Kurt’s Caps for always supporting us. We would like to shed some light on them, not to mention contributors that we may have forgotten,” said Jennifer.
Even during their spotlight moment, Karma Coffee wants others to shine too.
“We’re just a mom-and-pop shop, literally here. We take pride in what we make,” said David. “Atmosphere is most important, and we want you to feel comfortable and feel at home.”
Some of Karma Coffee’s best selling items are the chicken sandwich, BBQ bacon burger, Open Face Clark Street, and the cupcake milkshake.
“We make any flavor shake you want, you choose any type of cupcake, and we blend them together to make a shake,” said Jennifer. “It’s huge with customers.”
Karma Coffee tries to do something special with the menu for holidays, and currently has a mint shake for St. Patrick’s day.
Karma Coffee & Kitchen is located at 35634 Michigan Ave. and is open 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Summer hours will change in June, so be sure to check the website for updates.
For more information about Karma Coffee & Kitchen, call (734)589-0304, email karmalovescoffee@yahoo.com, or to order online, visit karmacoffeeandkitchen.com. You can find them on Facebook by searching “Karma Coffee and Kitchen” and Instagram @karmacoffeeshop.
Karma Coffee has been rented for wedding receptions, baby showers, wedding showers, funeral receptions, and more.
If you liked this first Spotlight Series with Sarah, be sure to check out Karma Coffee & Kitchen and give them a try. If you didn’t like this series, then give them a try anyways, and be on the lookout for the next Spotlight Series with Sarah!