21 Best Denver Coffee Shops of 2024
The other day I told someone that I love Denver coffee shops Like a craft beer drinker lovers local breweries. And Denver unapologetically has an incredible coffee scene for people like me who geek out about coffee. In fact, one of my favorite ways to explore Denver is by checking out local coffee shops. There are so many components that create a beautiful space to linger and enjoy a wonderful cup of coffee, tea around town. With that in mind, the shops that made this list met the criteria for best coffee shops in Denver in 2024. In fact, I even shared this list with a few of my favorite baristas who do work at one of the shops listed and they agreed that this list was pretty fire.
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Cowtown Denver
How the Shops Were Picked
There are 5 things that I’m always looking for when visiting a shop.
- Great coffee-This seems pretty obvious, but I’ve seen coffee shops with meh coffee that have landed on these lists before. My favorite coffee shops almost always have good beans for purchase so that customers can take home their favorite beans and brew it at home.
- Knowledgable Baristas-I’m not referring to those baristas who are annoying and talk down to their customers. Instead, I’m talking about baristas who enjoy coffee personally and love the craft of brewing a great drink. The shop has trained the baristas on the art of making great foam for lattes, they can make a flat white and they have a working knowledge on how long a shot should be pulled. And they have fun with the experience.
- Fantastic service-I’ve been fortunate enough to receive consistently good service in and around town. Because of this it can be jarring when I receive bad service. I’m looking for my favorite baristas to be friendly, focused and professional. I’ve actually worked as a barista for almost 3 years at Starbucks so I know how hard it can be working with the public. If the shop is slow, it’s awesome to see baristas having fun, speaking with the customers or having some down time. I love it when baristas eventually learn my name if I’m visiting fairly regularly. However, I also learn my favorite baristas’ names as well.
- Reasonable prices-A daily coffee and pastry habit can get a little pricey. Right now I don’t own a car so my coffee shop joy is a treat that doesn’t hurt my wallet. That said, I do pay attention to the cost per cup of coffee, specialty drinks and things to eat.
- Sweet and Savory Food Items-It drives me absolutely crazy when I’m at a coffee shop and only sweet pastries are being sold. No, I’m not asking shops to cook food. I’m just asking them to add a limited amount of savory grab and go items that aren’t always burritos. I’m so tired of burritos.
- Hummus and crackers (in a shared container)
- Mini charcuteries
- Salads
- Immaculate Vibes-A cohesive coffee shop experience starts as you look at the exterior and make your way inside. In 2024, I’m finding that the coffee shops I truly enjoy are the ones that feel “cozy” The sterile warehouse vibe is very outdated and I hope that we continue moving away from it moving forward. Are customers greeted as they make their way to the register or at the register? Is the shop clean? Is it warm during the winter (some shops run cold).
- A patio (if possible)-Denver has great weather. Because it’s so nice throughout the year, I’m always looking for any excuse to relax and work from a coffee shop patio. Fortunately most Denver coffee shops have a patio whenever possible. They add to the ambience and the customer capacity of the shop.
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The 21 Best Denver Coffee Shops of 2024
If you’re wondering why I am at coffee shops so often there are two reasons. First, coffee shops are my breweries. I’m not a beer drinker, I’m a coffee drinker. In fact, when I travel to a new place one of my favorite things to do is visit a coffee shop. The second reason that I am at coffee shops is because I work online. Instead of working from co-working spaces, I prefer to work at coffee shops. When I need to do deep focused work I’ll head to a quieter shop or co-working space.
Roast Coffee Bar
This new shop located in the West Wash Park area a block from Whole Foods is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. The team is attentive, fun and passionate about coffee. The coffee quality is fantastic and the clientele is friendly as well. What I also appreciate is how welcoming Roast is which is why it landed on my list of friendliest coffee shops.
Whittier Cafe
The only shop on this list with beans sourced entirely from Africa. This shop is a bustling space that has a wonderful patio where guests linger, talk and enjoy a deep sense of community. Whittier Care also holds an Ethiopian coffee ceremony typically held on Sundays. I also love that you can enjoy a glass of wine or beer while at the cafe.
LaTinto Cafe
When you walk into LaTinto Cafe your eyes will immediately lock onto the pastry case. One of my favorite things was wanting to eat every pastry in that case because I’D NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE. It’s like walking into a shop in Colombia. I’m also looking forward to when the patio at the back of the building is opened up.
Little Owl Coffee (Tremont Location)
I often imagine walking through the streets of Seattle and stumbling upon a shop like Little Owl Coffee’s Tremont location. It’s sleek, sophisticated and an amazingly cohesive considering that’s it’s placed the lobby of a business building. There’s also a patio. The seasonal coffees are great too. One of my favorite fall drinks (Yam Latte made with real puree) was made here.
Convivio Cafe
If I lived close to Convivio Cafe, I would visit weekly. I absolutely love this coffee shop. It’s woman owned and a Guatemalan inspired. It’s a truly unique coffee experience in a warm and welcoming space. And the savory food options are unique to this shop. This coffee shop is a must visit and I can’t rave about it enough.
Vibe Coffee and Wine
Downtown Denver is a challenging space for businesses right now. The lingering impact from the COVID shutdowns and the massive 16th Street Mall reno (when will it end?!) are two huge issues. Despite that Vibe Coffee and Wine located a block from the Denver Center for the Performing Arts is my go to coffee shop when I’m in downtown Denver. Despite being an industrial space, the design and staging has created a welcoming and warm experience. The team is pretty great too!
Sonder Coffee & Tea
Hands down, Sonder produces the best seasonal coffee menu in the City. The team at Sonder takes their seasonal drink menu seriously and I love that for us. Many people may be familiar with the original shop located in Aurora. What you might not be aware is the second shop that is located in the Junction Food and Drink food hall. Grab a phenomenal cup of coffee and check out the different events and food concepts in the space.
Weathervane Cafe
One of my favorite coffee shops in Denver, Weathervane is so amazing. In fact, Weathervane is wonderful that I’m completely baffled by the lack of fanfare that Weathervane gets. It’s so low-key. The shop is a home with a retro aesthetic. The seasonal drinks are phenomenal and the food is outstanding. There’s also a cute patio in front of the shop.
Jubilee Coffee Roasters
The team at Jubilee has a great time. Make sure to follow them on Instagram. But, more importantly, Jubilee roasts beans in the back of the shop. It’s also a cozy and welcoming space. It’s a bit of a trek for me, but I’m always happy when I make my way over for a great cup of coffee.
Ti Cafe
There are a number of coffee shops on Broadway. Why did I pick Ti Cafe? Because it’s the most unique coffee shop in that part of town. And-I love Vietnamese Coffee. I’m still a little amazed by the fact that Ti is the first Vietnamese coffee shop in Denver. How Sway? Make sure to try one of the yummy snacks.
Copper Door Roasters (Botanic Gardens Location)
This shop is beautiful. Located adjacent to the Denver Botanic Gardens, Copper Door feels like an effortless extension of the Botanic Gardens. My favorite piece in the shop is the table on the right hand side as you make your way into the shop. It’s so pretty. The coffee is wonderful too.
Lulu Rose General Store
The baristas are who make Lulu Rose the special space that it is. They are wildly passionate about whatever it is you may find them discussing whenever you’re in the shop. You can tell that they enjoy being there but they have a million other interesting things happening behind the scenes. It’s like walking into a scene of High Fidelity (the movie). Grab a well made drink, a delicious savory treat and sit in front of the shop and watch the world go by.
Dandy Lion Coffee
If Poison Ivy opened a coffee shop, Dandy Lion Coffee would be the aesthetic. This combined coffee and plant shop has a beautiful patio where you can enjoy a refreshing iced latte. Whimsy is what comes to mind when I think about Dandy Lion.
Coffee Sarap
This may seem like an odd choice because Coffee Sarap doesn’t have a bricks and mortar shop. It’s a Vietnamese inspired cart with a wonderful variety of yummy drinks that you need to try. If you’re lucky enough to run across the cart in your neighborhood buy yourself a drink.
Quince Coffee Shop
If you get a chance, head to the Quince Coffee Shop website and watch the video that they’ve posted at the bottom of the page. Being a truly welcoming space is in the DNA and ethos of its brand mission. This is huge because there are several well-known shops in town that will never make my lists because their spaces aren’t that welcoming.
Huckleberry Roasters (Highlands Location)
Like several of the shops on this list, Huckleberry Roasters has several locations. The Highlands location is my favorite. It’s unpretentious, has a large patio and feels the way a neighborhood coffee shop should feel. During the summer I like to order an iced latte and read a book as I relax on the patio.
Stylus and Crate
I think about this coffee shop a lot. Every time I have a craving for great coffee, freshly made waffles and great music-this is the place I want to go to. You can listen to and buy a great record while waiting for your waffle to be made.
Moonflower Coffee
The minute I stepped into this shop I fell in love with it. Why, oh why did the City or The Zoning forces that be give them such a hard time. Check the website for the hours before you head over and enjoy one the coolest coffee shop experiences in town. Thoughtfully made coffee, cozy space filled with wonderfully mismatched furniture that feels like a beloved aunt’s living room.
Lavender Coffee Boutique
The West Wash Park and Platte neighborhoods have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to coffee shops. Lavender Moon Coffee is a CBD forward coffee shop that has some of the best coffee beans in the city of Denver. While I didn’t sample the CBD items (not my thing) I loved the service, how calm it is inside and the fact that they have a whole refrigerator of Dram Apothecary sodas.
The Wild
It’s wild to me (no pun intended) that so many people have no idea that The Wild exists. It’s literally right across the street from Union Station. Seriously. Out of all of the shops on this list, it has the most “elevated” experience at a coffee shop. It is the shop in Denver that reminds me the most of my experience of Parisian cafes when I lived in Paris. Everything is serious and a craft.
Pablo’s Coffee (All 3 Locations)
This shop is quirky and reminds me of a true local space that can be hard to find these days. Pablo’s Coffee also roasts its beans and is flanked by a patio where you can watch the traffic go by. One notable thing-Pablo’s is an internet free space.
Bonus Mention: Purple Door Coffee
There are a number of social good enterprises throughout the city of Denver. One of them has recently reopened in a new spot and the team has done an incredible job with the reimagined concept. Purple Door Coffee employees teens with the goal of helping the team members build business related hard and soft skills. The new space is bright, colorful and busy. What stood out-the Lavender Latte (season) was one of the best that I’ve had in town. Make a point of visiting this shop, it’s two blocks away from the Capital.
Best Denver Coffee Shops of 2024
Denver is one of the best coffee towns in the United States. We have a wide range of concepts and spaces. There is a deep amount love and respect for coffee great coffee and then many roasters around town. If you’re a coffee lover who lives in town or is planning a visit, I hope you’ll get a chance to experience one or several of the spaces shared on this list.
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