Gen Z coffee lovers 'perc' up over 'home cafe' trend

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Tired of paying ridiculous prices for their caffeine fix, Gen Z coffee lovers are spilling the beans on the new “home cafe” trend.

The only thing Gen Z types love more than coffee is TikTok, and that’s where they are showing off their smartly transformed kitchens outfitted with menus, pastries and even barista uniforms to create a custom home coffee shop.

TikTokker @marlenerodriguezoficial filmed her hands filling a to-go cup with a custom iced coffee. She captioned her video, “reminder to make your coffee at home tomorrow morning and save those $7.”

Elsewhere, @abigailorfino said, “In 2025 we WILL be saving money,” as she and a friend staged a “caf(C) night in” — complete with laptops, snacks, and the ambiance of a coffeehouse, minus the markup.

Making coffee at home isn’t new. Older generations have been brewing their own java at home for years. However, this latest trend isn’t just about saving money — it’s also about creativity and community.

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The “home caf(C)” trend has evolved into an actual at-home hosting movement.

TikTok creator @natebakedthis, for example, recently shared a clip of their “cozy cafe” set up in their Chicago apartment — complete with to-go cups, a countertop pastry spread and matching aprons.

“Once a month, my partner Jay and I turn our Chicagoland apartment into a cozy cafe for our friends, and this is everything that goes into it,” they explained in their video.

Unlike some other home cafes seen on the app, they boasted that “everything” on their menu was made from scratch.

Viewers were quick to comment — with one writing that the idea is “so beautiful and wholesome,” while another praised the creator’s intricate menu and “execution” of it.

Another video from TikTok user @_lesign shows a menu designed last month using Canva for her “Caf(C) Lil,” featuring bagels, croissants, and mini pancakes — plus drink options that spanned both espresso and espresso martinis.