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How to unlock Brewster and The Roost — Animal Crossing: New Horizons guide

And what you can do at the The Roost with Brewster

sipping coffee at brewster’s counter Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Brewster, the pigeon barista, has finally joined the Animal Crossing: New Horizons roster, as part of the big 2.0 update. Brewster manages a cafe called The Roost, found in your island’s museum. Our Animal Crossing: New Horizons Brewster guide will show you how to unlock him and The Roost, explain who Brewster is, and show you what you can do at The Roost.


Table of contents

Polygon’s Brewster guide has two parts. In the first, we’ll show you how to unlock Brewster. In the second, we’ll show you what you can do at The Roost.

Brewster
The Roost

Who is Brewster?

Brewster is the kind-hearted pigeon who runs The Roost, a cafe typically found in the museum. He likes to collect gyroids and make the perfect cup of coffee, even offering to add some “pigeon milk” once you become a routine customer. (Yes, pigeon milk is actually yucky, but it’s the thought that counts.)

In his cafe, you can use Amiibo to call over NPCs, like Sable and Mable, to enjoy a cup of coffee with them.


How do I unlock the cafe and Brewster?

There are actually a few steps to unlocking Brewster.

First, you must be the island’s Resident Representative. Here’s how Nintendo defines that role:

The Resident Representative is the first player to start the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game on your Nintendo Switch system and move to a new island. When playing with multiple residents on a single island, only the Resident Representative can complete certain tasks to reach some milestones.

Then you’ll need to visit Blathers in the museum. Upon your first visit after installing the 2.0 update, Blathers will have a thought bubble over his head. Upon talking to him, he’ll say he wants to figure out a way to get more visitors to the museum, and he’d like to add a cafe. Unfortunately, his old pal Brewster, who used to run coffee shop, closed his shop and disappeared. Blathers asks you to track down Brewster, and his only tip for you is that he enjoys gyroids.

An island tour with Kapp’n

Gyroids haven’t started appearing on your island yet, but the island’s new attraction offers a clue: Kapp’n’s boat tours. Isabelle first mentions these in her announcements when you load the game, but you’ll need to head to the previously vacant dock (usually located on the left or right side of your island) to find Kapp’n.

A green kappa turtle sits in a motorboat on the end of a dock in the ocean, while a player looks at them.
Kapp’n the boat captain is located at the end of your island’s previously empty dock.
Image: Nintendo via Polygon

Kapp’n will take you to an uninhabited island tour once a day in exchange for 1,000 Nook Miles. (Thankfully, you don’t need to buy a ticket; Kapp’n accepts wireless payments.) Buy your first ticket, and then you’re off!

The hunt for Brewster

When you arrive at your first uninhabited island (after a lovely sea shanty serenade from Kapp’n), it shouldn’t take you too much hunting to find a pigeon in a hat and polo. Brewster is out on this same island hunting for gyroids. He’ll give you your first gyroid fragment as well, and explain how to plant and water it. After you deliver your message from Blathers, he’ll agree to come to your island, and he’ll ask you to let Blathers know he’s accepting his invitation.

The player character talks to a pigeon in a polo shirt and fisherman’s hat, who says: “Coo... You out here looking for gyroids too?” Image: Nintendo via Polygon

Back to the museum

While the gyroid is a lovely gift, the most important step to securing Brewster happens when you return. Go back to visit Blathers on the same day, and he’ll be overjoyed. He’ll say the museum needs to close for construction to accommodate the expansion, and Brewster and the Roost will be available the day after tomorrow. (The museum will be fully closed the day after you talk to Blathers, and then The Roost will be open the next morning.)

Isabelle, a shih-tzu dog in a sweater, sits across from the player character in a dimly lit café. She says: “Brewster ran a café in the town where I used to work as well. The coffee there was so delicious!” Image: Nintendo via Polygon

What can you do at The Roost?

Once the shop opens, you can immediately sit down at a counter stool, and Brewster will serve you up a free cup of coffee. Sometimes, other visitors will be sitting next to your stool sipping their own cup — you can talk to them or just sit down next to them.

Initially, Brewster’s options are limited. You can order a cup of coffee for 200 bells. If you want to get on Brewster’s good side, drink the coffee immediately like he asks — from which you’ll then hop off the stool and head on your way. (After three days of consistent coffees, you’ll be able to take coffee to go. More on that later!)

But you might want to do more than just grab a hot mug of coffee. You can also hang out for a bit and invite over some friends.

How do I invite other characters to The Roost?

You can invite characters to join you at The Roost by using amiibo or amiibo cards. Head over to the yellow phone on the left-hand side of the cafe and use it, which is where you’ll have the option to scan in your favorite characters. Depending on who you invite, different folks may show up. For instance, if you invite Joan, she’ll bring along Daisy Mae — the lil one is not old enough to drink coffee, so Brewster will serve her a cookie. If you invite one of the Able Sisters, they could bring along the rest of the family.

Sometimes, folks on your island will stop by for some coffee, like Isabelle or Tom Nook.

Can I get coffee with friends?

Yes! You can’t typically sit at the group tables in The Roost — unless you’re bringing along your friends. When you’ve got visitors at your island, the group can sit down for coffee. Brewster will serve you from behind the bar, with a few different options for how to pay: One person can grab the whole check, or you can divide things up individually.

Twitter users quickly found out the hard way that if your friends don’t pay for you, and you don’t have money, you’ll simply get water at The Roost. Hey, at least it’s something!

Is there takeout coffee?

Yes! After visiting The Roost and ordering coffee for three days straight, Brewster will offer the option for ordering coffee to go. You can order takeout coffee right at the register, but it’s more expensive than drinking it there — 300 bells. From there, you can put that cup of coffee right in your pocket to savor later.

Does Brewster offer pigeon milk?

Unfortunately, yes. Pigeon milk is back for New Horizons. Brewster will ask you if you want to enjoy some pigeon milk in your coffee after you’ve become a regular customer at The Roost. The real question is, do you want to drink pigeon milk? What actually is it? Do you even want to know?

Can you work at The Roost?

It doesn’t appear to be the case, as it was in Animal Crossing: New Leaf — so far, it’s just Brewster behind the coffee bar.

The next level of puzzles.

Take a break from your day by playing a puzzle or two! We’ve got SpellTower, Typeshift, crosswords, and more.

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