New SOMA Coffee House brings workspace and local roasters to Placitas

SOMA Coffee House has opened at 221 NM-165 A4 in Placitas, combining fast internet, plentiful outlets and board games with a menu of locally sourced coffee and fresh pastries. The new spot positions itself as both a place to work and a casual neighborhood hangout, an offering that matters as more residents seek third places outside home offices.

Owner Nick Aquilino built SOMA to be a relaxed community space and tapped regional suppliers to fill the shelves. The café serves house coffee for $2.25 and a cinnamon chip scone for $4.25, alongside ham and cheese croissants, quiche, breakfast burritos, cranberry scones, chocolate croissants, tiramisu and limoncello cake. SOMA collaborates with Oval Dog Coffee of Rio Rancho and Crude Lab Coffee of Albuquerque, keeping roasting and supply chains local.

For Sandoval County the arrival of SOMA is small business development with multiple local multipliers. Coffee shops typically have low per-customer revenue but high frequency of visits, which can boost adjacent retail and foot traffic along NM-165. By sourcing from nearby roasters and working with local food producers, the café circulates revenue inside the regional economy rather than sending it to national chains. Affordable price points like the $2.25 house coffee make SOMA competitive for daily customers, including remote workers, students and commuters between Albuquerque and the North Valley.

Functionally, the combination of fast internet and outlets responds to the ongoing shift toward hybrid work and flexible schedules. Local professionals who commute to Albuquerque or Rio Rancho can use SOMA as a satellite office without the cost of co-working memberships. The presence of board games and a varied pastry menu also aims to attract families and retirees looking for social space during daytime hours.

Operational details such as hours are available at the café, and its location on NM-165 makes it accessible to Placitas neighborhoods and travelers along the corridor. For vendors and local roasters, SOMA represents another wholesale partner and a showcase for small-batch beans.

The takeaway? If you need reliable internet, a reasonably priced cup and a place to spread out your laptop or meet a friend, SOMA is worth a stop. Supporting this kind of local spot keeps money circulating in Sandoval County and helps build the kinds of everyday gathering places our communities need. Our two cents? Bring a jacket in case the patio is busy and try the house coffee to see how regional roasts are shaping the local coffee scene.