10 Cool Indie Coffee Shops from Coast to Coast
Photo via Sawana
It’s an exciting time to be a coffee addict. Across the country, independent coffee shops are changing the coffee game. As much as people enjoy the convenience and predictability of some major chains, indie coffee shops can provide a more creative approach to coffee.
Some indie shops roast their own beans onsite, or buy their beans from small local businesses that work directly with coffee farms in a sustainable supply chain. With increased room for flexibility, they can offer more single origin coffees, change up their menu and experiment with different brewing processes.
Road tripping season is upon us. Here are 10 indie shops to check out from coast to coast.
North
Maglianero
47 Maple Street, Burlington, VT
With a name that means “black jersey” in Italian, this café combines a love of cycling and specialty coffee. Maglianero serves coffee from Counter Culture, an award-winning sustainability-focused roaster. The café’s artisanal drinks include experiments of flavor and spice such as their ginger honey latte; a Pedestrian with maple, cayenne and cinnamon; or a cashew milk cappuccino with Vermont honey and Himalayan pink salt. Fresh pastries, local art and indoor bike parking round out this coffee shop experience.
East
La Colombe
1335 N. Frankford Ave. Philadelphia, PA
La Colombe sources its beans through direct relationships with coffee farmers around the world. Right now they’re serving up a single origin Ethiopia Ardi, which is fruity and balanced, and a washed Ethiopian YirgZ that adds bright citrus flavors and peachy sweetness to their espresso drinks. For summer, try their silky Draft Latte (cold-pressed espresso and frothed milk) or Pure Black cold-pressed coffee. The flagship location in Fishtown includes the roastery, tasting room, bakery and distillery for its Different Drum Rum.
Ceremony
520 Park Ave, Baltimore, MD
Ceremony, a coffee roaster from Annapolis, MD, opened a café in Baltimore last fall. On bar now are pour overs from Papua New Guinea, Brazil and Ethiopia. If you’re looking for something refreshing, try a Walk in the Park — nitro cold brew, rose water, lavender syrup and fresh lime — or a Lady Rose —espresso, steamed almond milk, rose water and cardamom. Also worth mentioning is the selection of fancy grilled cheese sandwiches. Yum.
Midwest
Spyhouse
945 Broadway St, NE, Minneapolis, MN
With four locations across Minneapolis, Spyhouse Coffee’s flagship café is in the arts district. The company’s Director of Coffee recently took first place at the 2016 U.S. Roaster Championship, which means you can expect great things. A red plum, Prosecco and tarragon flavored coffee from Papua New Guinea and a sweet cherry, peach pie and jasmine sencha tea flavored coffee from the Congo are just a sample of what Spyhouse has to offer.