Zest Social House

07/23/2026

Meet Phin, one of our awesome Zest staffers! 💛🍋

Some people walk into your life, and you just know they’re going to do great things. That’s Phin.

This is Phin’s very first job, but you’d never guess it. She is mature beyond her years, a true self-starter, funny, ambitious, and always willing to jump in wherever she’s needed. I honestly don’t know why the universe sent her my way, but I’m so grateful it did.

Here’s a little more about Phin:

🍦 Favorite menu item: Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream
🍋 Favorite drink: Lemonade
🤹 Fun fact: She knows how to juggle!
🥎 Favorite hobby: Playing sports
🍎 Dream job: Becoming a 3rd grade teacher someday.
💛 What she’s most excited for guests to experience: The welcoming vibe and amazing food that make Zest so special.

When I asked what brought her to Zest, she said it was the kind and welcoming environment. I love that because that’s exactly what we’re trying to create—not just for our guests, but for our team, too.

Be sure to say hi to Phin the next time you stop in. Her smile, positive attitude, and willingness to help make her a wonderful part of the Zest family, and I know you’ll love getting to know her as much as we have!

07/22/2026

Meet Payten, one of our talented Pastry Chefs! 🧁🍓

I had the privilege of having Payten in class and knew from the beginning that she was someone special. She’s incredibly creative, hardworking, and brings such a positive attitude to everything she does. One of my favorite memories is watching Payten and Lillian earn 2nd place in the South Dakota ProStart State Cake Decorating Competition with their stunning Under the Sea themed cake. I couldn’t have been prouder!

A few fun facts about Payten:
🩷 Favorite toast: Blushing Orchard
⚡ Favorite drink: Strawberry BLITZ Energy Drink
🎂 One of her proudest accomplishments is placing 2nd in the state for cake decorating at ProStart.
🍰 She loves baking and dreams of owning her own custom cake and cupcake bakery someday.
💛 Her favorite part of Zest is the love and care that goes into every food and drink we serve.

From pastries to sweet treats, her talent, creativity, and attention to detail are part of what makes our bakery so special.

We are so lucky to have her on the Zest team!

07/21/2026

Meet Giselle, one of our amazing baristas at Zest! ☕💛

If you’ve stopped in, you’ve probably been greeted by Giselle’s fun personality and contagious sense of humor. She keeps us laughing and brings so much positive energy to the team.

A few fun facts about Giselle:
✨ Her best friend is Payten (a former student of mine! And also a fantastic ZEST teammate).
✨ Her favorite Zest drink is our Blackberry Matcha with Blackberry Cold Foam.
✨ Her go-to toast is the Sugar Daddy.
✨ She once harvested an incredible 202-inch buck!
✨ When she’s not at Zest, she loves spending time on the water.
✨ One day, she’d love to run her own store.
✨ Her favorite part of working at Zest? The customer service and getting to connect with all of you!

I’ve truly enjoyed having Giselle as part of our team. She has such a great sense of humor, works hard, and helps make Zest a fun place to be. Be sure to say hello the next time you see her behind the espresso bar!

07/21/2026

☕ We’re Looking for a Few Great People to Join the Zest Team!

As summer comes to an end and many of our student employees head back to school, we’re looking to add a few dependable adults to our team!

If you love coffee, good food, connecting with people, and being part of a fun, fast-paced environment, we’d love to meet you.

We’re looking for team members who are:
🍋 21 years of age or older
☕ Friendly and customer-focused
🥐 Dependable and willing to work mornings, evenings, or weekends
✨ Team players who enjoy keeping things clean, organized, and welcoming

Experience in coffee, food service, or hospitality is a plus, but a great attitude and willingness to learn are even more important.

If you’ve been looking for a place where you can make someone’s day with a smile, we’d love to hear from you!

Application available on our website. https://zestsocialhouse.com/ Or stop by Zest in the afternoon (2-4pm) or send us a message for more information. Feel free to share this post with someone who would be a great fit!

HOURSMonday-Friday | 6 am - 9 pmSaturday-Sunday | 7 am - 9 pm(Toast served until 2 pm) Your neighborhood café serving handcrafted coffee, authentic New Zealand-style ice cream, and creative open-faced toasts made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. MENU View fullsize View ful...

07/19/2026

Sunday seems like the perfect day to meet the Owners: Bill & Janelle

Welcome to Zest! We thought it was time to share a little about us! The two people behind the coffee, food, ice cream, and big dreams.

One of our very first dates involved Bill offering to cook dinner. I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting much beyond a burger on the grill, so I was pleasantly surprised instead to discover someone with a genuine passion for cooking, an endless curiosity about food and drink, and a gift for creating experiences that bring people together. As a lifelong foodie myself, I knew I’d found someone who shared that same passion.

As the years went on, we blended our families into one lively crew of eight children and, now, a growing group of grandchildren. Our favorite moments have always happened around the table—sharing meals, telling stories, laughing until our sides hurt, and embracing the wonderful chaos that comes with a big family.

Those moments became the inspiration for Zest.

For me, after 30 years as an educator, food was never just about recipes. Teaching students to cook meant helping them build confidence, discover creativity, solve problems, and connect with others. I saw every day that some of life’s most meaningful conversations happen around a table.

For Bill, food has always been an expression of hospitality. He loves experimenting with new flavors, perfecting recipes, and making people feel cared for through a thoughtfully prepared meal. We spent the past winter perfecting our bread recipe for the toast you all love! Bill has made every loaf of bread so far at Zest.

Opening Zest felt like the natural next chapter for both of us.

We wanted to create more than a coffee shop, bistro, or ice cream destination. We wanted to build a gathering place—a place where people feel welcomed, where conversations happen naturally, where friendships grow, and where learning never stops.

That’s why our tagline is so simple:

Sip. Scoop. Learn.

Sip amazing coffee, tea, matcha, handcrafted beverages and coming soon…wine & beer.

Scoop a little joy through homemade food, New Zealand-style ice cream, and genuine hospitality.

Learn something new—about food, local producers, our community, or maybe even yourself.

We believe hospitality isn’t just about serving great products. It’s about creating experiences that leave people feeling seen, valued, connected, and just a little better than when they arrived.

Thank you for believing in our dream and for becoming part of our story. We truly hope Zest becomes a place where memories are made for years to come.

We’re so glad you’re here.

— Bill & Janelle
Owners, Zest

07/18/2026

Some of the most important people on our team are the ones working behind the scenes, and Brooks is one of them.

A clean, organized kitchen is something our guests rarely think about, but it’s essential to everything we do. Brooks is the kind of person who quietly rolls up his sleeves and gets the job done. Whether he’s tackling the never-ending pile of dishes or jumping in to scoop ice cream, he’s dependable, hardworking, and always willing to help wherever he’s needed.

One thing I really admire about Brooks is that he took this job as an opportunity to grow and challenge himself. That willingness to step outside your comfort zone says a lot about a person, and we’re grateful to have him as part of the Zest team.

Now, let’s get to know Brooks!

Meet Brooks!

Brooks joined Team Zest after a friend encouraged him to apply, and he’s been an incredible part of our crew ever since.

🥪 Favorite menu item: Blushing Orchard Toast

☕ Favorite drink: An iced caramel latte (most days!)

🧩 Fun fact: He’s the 5th fastest Rubik’s Cube solver in South Dakota.

📖 Favorite hobby: Competitive Bible Quiz.

🎤 Dream job: Becoming a worship pastor.

💛 What he’s most excited for you to experience at Zest: “The amazing food and the genuine joy I and my fellow employees get from serving you.”

Be sure to say hi to Brooks the next time you stop in!

07/17/2026

From day one, Bella has been eager to learn, wonderful with customers, and an amazing addition to our team. Meet Bella…

My name is Bella, and I am one of the cashiers/drink-makers/ice-cream-scoopers (you name it) at Zest!!

What brought me here is my love for food and serving others, (and my friend Lillian who connected me)! This is my first job in the food world, and I couldn’t be more grateful for such a great work environment: from a caring boss and fun team, to the delicious food and amazing customers, it’s hard to find a better place to be.

Everything I’ve tried is spectacular, but my favorite menu items would have to be our Sugar Daddy toast and an iced vanilla matcha (with blackberry cold foam)!

Outside of working, I enjoy running, reading, cooking, prayer walks, and spending time with God, family, and friends! A fun fact about me is that I’ve ran a half-marathon distance twice and my fastest 5k is 18:47!

I am hoping to continue running in college, as well as pursue a career in holistic health and functional medicine, whatever that may look like.

Through this experience, I am hoping to contribute in a way that not only makes Zest a place that serves delicious food, but a place where people feel welcomed and valued! Hope to see you there!

07/16/2026

Before Zest ever opened its doors, Shayla was already helping build what it would become.

As part of her high school’s senior internship project, she chose to spend her time at Zest because of her love for baking. Long before there were customers, she rolled up her sleeves and tackled the endless work that comes with opening a café. Every fork, every spoon, every piece of equipment had to be washed after construction, and she never shied away from a job. She worked with initiative, pride, and a work ethic that impressed me from day one.

As a former teacher, I’ve spent my career working with teenagers, and I know firsthand how capable they are when they’re given an opportunity. Shayla is one of those young people who shows up, works hard, takes pride in what she does, and makes everyone around her better.

I’m incredibly grateful she chose Zest, and even more grateful she said yes when I offered her a job.

Today, I’m excited for you to meet Shayla…

Hello my name is Shayla, and I am a pastry chef at Zest! I love baking and it has always been a passion of mine that’s why I love working here!

My favorite drink hands down has to be the Chai with cold foam. It is the best chai I have ever had!

A fun fact about me is that I secretly like cleaning. (Don’t tell my mom though) It is just so refreshing to see a space all tidy and not a mess.

My favorite hobby would have to be baking or going shopping.

My dream job is being either a CRNA or occupational therapist one day!

One thing I’m excited for customers to experience at Zest is the atmosphere! It is a fun place to either hangout or get a treat
to-go. I also am excited for the connections I will get to make with so many new people

07/15/2026

The faces behind your favorite treats and coffees continue! Meet Rayna!

I’m Rayna a barista at Zest!

My favorite menu item is the tomato tango toast and favorite drink is hot classic chai!

A fun fact about me is I have played softball for 10+ years

My favorite hobbies are reading, spending time with friends and being on the softball field.

And my dream job is being either a physical or occupational therapist one day!

One thing I’m excited for customers to experience at Zest is the culture we’ve built so far and the amazing menu items we have to offer!