Stay Close to Home: Visit One of These Top Coffee Cities in America
A coffee connoisseur knows what differentiates high-quality java from the wannabe. It’s evident in every last tasty drop. And while America may be known for many things, coffee is not usually the first thing which comes to mind. But the truth is you don’t have to travel to Colombia or Brazil to get the good stuff.
Many places in America do, in fact, make a mean cup of joe. Here’s a short list of the best cities in America which serve up hearty cups of the delicious brew every day.
New York
In the city that never sleeps, it only makes sense that New Yorkers would know what makes a good cup of mud. New York coffee culture has been elevated to an artform. The bitter-cold winters and fast-paced lifestyle force local coffee shops to double-down on their A-game when it comes to superior taste and on-the-go convenience.
Blue Bottle, Stumptown and the Intelligentsia have a distinct foothold in NYC, while local favorites like Ninth Street, Joe and Grumpy have established themselves as hometown favorites. And for the coffee geek there is Everyman. And last but certainly not least, Manhattan’s La Colombe enjoys a fierce following.
Los Angeles
Expert knowledge about quality beans, as well as an array of skilled baristas, have placed Los Angeles on the coffee map. No longer limited to just the hip and trendy areas, coffee devotees have slowly branched out to include the suburbs.
This is due largely to the arrival of big players like Caffe Vita, Blue Bottle, Stumptown and Intelligentsia. Not to be outdone is Klatch Coffee, whose homegrown dynasty has made it one of the largest wholesalers in the United States. Got Get Em Tiger and G&B are local favorites adored for the their high-quality service and innovative ideas. Smaller shops are equally worthy of praise like Culver City’s Cognoscenti and Arcadia’s Taza.
Seattle
No U.S. city is so incredibly chock-full of coffee history as Seattle. Unquestionably, Starbucks laid the foundation for good coffee. Case in point: A new influx of speciality coffee is available through its Reserve Roastery. And while Starbucks may have helped Seattle make a name for itself in distinguished coffee circles, locals know it isn’t the only company who can throw down.
Seattle Coffee Works, Slate and Milstead pour some of the most delicious cups of coffee in the city. Well-known roasters Analog and Broadcast offer incredible lighter brews.
Austin
When iced tea is the go-to beverage for most, it’s difficult to imagine how a scrumptiously good cup of coffee could enjoy any real level of appreciation in this capital city. Somehow, Austin makes it work in this hip city. Although most folks consider drinking anything hot in the searing Texas heat unthinkable, students, artists and musicians keep the java love alive.
Austin may not have the track record for lifelong love affair with coffee that other cities do, but homegrown coffee shops and their loyal fan base abound. New multi-roaster cafes pop up like daisies catering to the espresso crowd with curated beans from roasters like Coava and Four Barrel.
Atlanta
Atlanta may be better known for its bars and breweries before its true brew, but the truth is this city knows how to do coffee exceptionally well. Just ask the folks at the Taproom Coffee & Beer. This shop has a manual pour-over bar where you can not only get brewed-to-order coffee varieties, but also a Beerspresso, which is a nitro coffee-beer hybrid. Cinnaholic may be known for its legendary sweet treats but it also has a serious coffee edge.
Using local Octane coffee beans, adept baristas create perfect espresso shots. And Hodgepodge Coffee, the former auto garage turned coffee shop, offers a delectable assortment of Batdorf & Bronson coffee drinks as well as a sampling of work from local artists for sale.
When you’re in Atlanta, be sure to check us out at Coffee AM. Our delectable roasts will make your day!