SeaGlass at The Battery
The carousel is the film’s main location. Its ocean-inspired setting connects Riverside’s imagery with the waterfront character of Lower Manhattan.
Riverside Half Caff Coffee Film
Riverside Half Caff is Oval Coffee Roasters’ light-to-medium roast lower-caffeine coffee, roasted in New York City for balance, clarity, afternoon coffee, second cups, and an easy everyday finish.
Half Caff coffee
Lower caffeine coffee
Half caffeine coffee
decaf blend
Roasted in New York City
Whole Bean + Pour Over Single Serves
Riverside Half Caff short film by Oval Coffee Roasters, filmed mainly on the SeaGlass Carousel at The Battery in Lower Manhattan, New York City.
Video: about 25 seconds · Published . Poster: Christopher Alspach, co-founder and Director of Coffee of Oval Coffee Roasters, photographed at The Battery in New York City during the Riverside Half Caff coffee-film shoot.
The coffee at a glance
Half Caff coffee
Half caffeine coffee
Lower caffeine coffee
Afternoon coffee
decaf
Light-to-medium roast
NYC roasted coffee
No-machine coffee
Riverside’s slower rhythm on the SeaGlass Carousel
Filmed mainly on the SeaGlass Carousel at The Battery, the Riverside film finds a quieter rhythm within Lower Manhattan. The ocean-themed carousel’s curves, sea-life forms, and movement give this Half Caff coffee story its distinctive setting.
The film grew out of Oval’s April 7, 2025 launch-film shoot. The production brief imagined Riverside with a “golden hour” tone: an unhurried coffee moment, a proper mug, and the city seen through oval shapes. That describes the creative mood rather than a claim about the actual time of filming.
A coffee ritual in motion
The shared shoot began with coffee-making scenes inside Culture Founders Barber Shop at 11 Broadway, then moved into the parks, streets, and subway settings of Lower Manhattan.
Original music
Dr. Jonathan Saraga composed an original score for each of Oval’s launch films. Riverside’s music accompanies its slower visual rhythm within the three-coffee series.
The wider filming day included Bowling Green Park and station, The Battery’s waterfront, Wall Street, South Street, and the South Street Seaport area. Those shared production locations provide context for the series; Riverside’s primary setting is the SeaGlass Carousel.
Watch the NYC light roast montage to experience the films together, or explore the Bowling Green film and The Natural film individually. The Oval homepage also features a looping montage.
Riverside Half Caff for balance, clarity, and lower-caffeine routines
Riverside is designed for people who want a lighter caffeine lift without giving up the structure of a real cup of coffee. It is a Half Caff coffee built for steady routines, afternoon coffee, office coffee, hospitality coffee, hotel rooms, events, travel, and everyday balance.
Riverside is a 50/50 blend of caffeinated coffee and decaf. Oval roasts it light-to-medium in New York City for clarity, balance, sweetness, and a clean finish.
For a focused explanation of what Half Caff means, how it differs from decaf, and why caffeine can vary by cup, read the Half Caff coffee guide.
The Riverside short film was produced, filmed, and edited by Annie Woo of Sweetstory Media, with an original score by Dr. Jonathan Saraga.
Afternoon coffee
A lower-caffeine option for those who prefer a second cup or a slower coffee routine. Riverside still contains caffeine; the amount varies with dose and brewing method.
Real coffee, no machine
Riverside Pour Over Single Serves brew with hot water and a mug — no pods, capsules, grinder, or instant coffee.
Hospitality ready
Useful for hotel rooms, offices, green rooms, events, gift baskets, pantry programs, and foodservice coffee moments.
Shop the coffee featured in this film
Start with Riverside, then pick the format that fits your routine. Whole Bean Coffee is ideal for fresh grinding and home brewing, while Pour Over Single Serves work for travel coffee, hotel coffee, office coffee, catering, gifting, pantry backup, and brew-anywhere moments.
Choose the Riverside discovery set to try whole bean and single serves together, or the 100-count case for offices, hotels, events, hospitality, and shared coffee stations.
Choose your Riverside coffee format
Whole bean
One 8.82 oz bag to grind for your own brewer.
Shop whole bean →
Eight pour overs
Eight individually sealed servings with built-in filters.
Shop eight pour overs →
Discovery set
One 8.82 oz whole-bean bag and eight pour overs.
Shop discovery set →
100-count case
100 individually sealed pour overs for teams and guests.
Shop 100-count case →Film synopsis
Riverside Half Caff is a light-to-medium roast blending caffeinated coffee and decaf 50/50. Filmed in Downtown Manhattan and Battery Park, the short captures slow Hudson River moments, New York City movement, and a simple brew-anywhere routine.
Christopher Alspach brews a Pour Over Single Serve, a real pour-over coffee you can make with hot water and a mug. Riverside is built for a lighter lift with clean clarity, balanced flavor, and an easy finish for afternoon coffee, travel, hotels, office coffee, and everyday routines.
Riverside Half Caff FAQs
What does Half Caff mean for Riverside?
Riverside is a Half Caff coffee made with 50 percent caffeinated coffee and 50 percent decaf.
Is Riverside a lower-caffeine coffee?
Riverside blends caffeinated coffee and decaf 50/50. It still contains caffeine; the blend ratio is not a measured caffeine amount per cup. Dose and brewing method affect caffeine in your serving.
Can I brew Riverside without equipment?
Yes. Choose Riverside Pour Over Single Serves to brew real ground coffee anywhere with hot water and a mug.
Is Riverside instant coffee?
No. Riverside Pour Over Single Serves are real ground coffee in an individual drip bag. They brew through a filter instead of dissolving like instant coffee.
Where can I buy Riverside Half Caff?
Shop Half Caff Coffee, buy Riverside Whole Bean, choose Riverside Pour Over Single Serves, or use the Store Locator.
Is Riverside good for office coffee or hospitality?
Yes. Riverside is useful for offices, hotel rooms, guest amenities, pantry programs, events, green rooms, gifting, and hospitality coffee moments.
The NYC coffee team behind Riverside
Oval Coffee Roasters develops and roasts specialty coffee in New York City. Co-Founders Andrew Itzkowitz and Christopher Alspach connect the brand’s New York roots with coffee sourcing, roast development, retail, and everyday brewing.
Meet the team behind Oval, explore independent coverage and separately labeled retail announcements, or read customer perspectives. For this coffee’s composition and brewing choices, start with the Half Caff guide and pour-over brewing tutorial.