Denver Coffee Spots To Check Out in 2024
It’s my view that coffee culture in Denver is tied with our love of craft beer. There are a ridiculous number of coffee shops to enjoy across town with a wide range of experiences, coffee expertise and vibes. One of my favorite things to do as a coffee enthusiast is make my way to a local coffee shop. If it’s a shop that’s new to me I typically will order a cup of coffee or something else that the shop is known for.
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More Curated Seasonal Menus Please
One of the things that I wish more coffee shops would do is develop a unique signature drink or seasonal menus. Several of the shops on this list do this and I’m hoping that this catches on more.
Why Your Favorite Coffee Shop Isn’t On This List
Some people love breweries, I love coffee shops. If you’re wondering why one of your favorite shops didn’t make the list there are a few reasons.
#1-The first is hard to share but…maybe I didn’t have a good experience. I usually go to a shop several times before it can end up on any of these lists that I curate for the website. So, if I have more than one bad or uncomfortable experience…it’s not going to end up on my list.
#2-I haven’t had a chance to visit. There are so many coffee shops in town that sometimes I just haven’t had the opportunity to visit yet.
#3-The shop still needs some time to stand out from the crowd. Sometimes a concept is a little too new to get a feel for the space.
21 Coffee Shops in Denver to Check Out
These are the coffee shops that made the current cut of places to check out in 2024. These shops met the following basic criteria in order to make this list.
Basic Criteria
- Great coffee-Most coffee shops either source locally roasted beans, regionally roasted beans (maybe not specific to Colorado)
- Welcoming customer experience-Do I feel welcomed in the space?
- Knowledgable baristas who are passionate about coffee-No, they don’t need to tell us all about coffee. But, we can tell that they care about the quality of the product that they give to the customers. And they know, within reason, who we are.
Check Out These Coffee Shops
- Weathervane
- It is weird to me that more people aren’t talking about Weathervane. Maybe it’s because there’s no WiFI and the retro aesthetic. What makes this place stand out is the outstanding menu of savory items and the well-crafted seasonal drinks. In my view, this is one of the best coffee shops in town. Definitely on the list of top three shops in town. That’s how good their coffee and food are.
- Little Owl
- (Tremont Location)-I still feel like I’m in many ways rediscovering Denver post COVID. One of the things that I missed was Little Owl’s expansion. I particularly love the location on Tremont about a block from the Denver Pavilions. Located within the lobby of an office building it’s a seamless addition to the space. It’s one of the more sophisticated coffee shop spaces in town with great coffee and good service for how busy it is.
- Sonder
- (Junction Food and Drink) I love the original location but I typically go to the Denver location because it’s closer. Sonder stands out on this list for developing a seasonal drink menu for each season of the year. And those drinks are FIRE.
- Coffee Sarap
- Technically, this is a coffee cart that is usually in or near Golden. No matter, it’s one of the best coffee carts in the metro area and Coffee Sarap also has seasonal drinks. What makes this a stand out coffee experience is the Vietnamese influence on the different types of coffees offered.
- Huckleberry Roasters
- (Sunnyside location) What struck me about this particular location was how welcoming it was. The coffee was great, the service was wonderful and I felt comfortable sitting on the patio with my mom while we hung out and talked about a whole bunch of random things.
- Lulu Rose General Store
- I still wish that Lulu Rose sold plants in the shop. Whenever I’m on Colfax, Lulu Rose is one of my favorite coffee shops to pop into. The baristas are passionate about the many things they’re discussing depending on the day, they offer savory items to enjoy and you can sit outside and watch the cars go by while enjoying a really well made cup coffee.
- Convivio Cafe
- In my view, Convivio Cafe is one of the most welcoming and warm coffee shops in town. If I lived closer to it, I would work from it daily. I love the effortless blend of English and Spanish, the yummy food and just the feeling that we’re in a special space. There’s no industrial vibes here.
- Whittier Cafe (Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony)
- It has been way too long since I’ve experienced an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony. As far as I know the Whittier Cafe is the only shop in Denver that regularly hosts this experience (on Sundays). I would double-check the schedule before heading out if you would like to enjoy that specific experience. They have phenomenal African sourced coffee, a vibrant community and a lovely patio. I also just enjoy the social activism that is engaged in by the Whittier Cafe team. And, they have wine.
- Hello Darling
- This space is just so pretty. My favorite time to visit is when it’s warm enough for the garage walls to be opened. Or, when it’s grey and moody outside and the muted lighting is on. The drinks are wonderful and the location is right across the Millennium Bridge that is adjacent to where the light rail departs from Union Station.
- Stylus and Crate
- One of my favorite coffee shops in town that I never go to because I don’t live in Wheat Ridge. The service is superb, the vibes are immaculate and the freshly made waffles are delicious. Then, you have the old-fashioned record player and records for sale. I’m always excited to make a special trip to it.
Do You Agree With The List?
- Middlestate (Liddlestate Location)
- While I like both Middlestate locations, Liddlestate felt like a cute little treasure. The day I stopped by the waffle maker was down, but I imagine that everything is up and running at this point. It’s a warm and cozy neighborhood coffee shop where it feels like the baristas know every customer’s name. And, the coffee is really good.
- Moonflower Coffee
- My understanding is that Moonflower Coffee is temporarily closed at the time that I’m working on this post. Definitely check the website before heading over. I truly loved the coffee, the space and the Full Tank Food Park. This is one of the collective spaces in Denver that I truly want to support and hope does well.
- Dandy Lion Coffee
- This space is whimsical in a way that I wish more people for places would and could be in Denver. With seats that are set up like swings, plants for sale and patio with a little fire pit-I love everything about the experience of being in this space. The coffee is great too. I actually preferred the iced lattes over the heated ones.
- Lavender Coffee Boutique-CBD forward shop
- I’m not a CBD consumer. So, I was actually a little nervous about heading over to Lavender and checking it out. Would there be something there for me? I had no reason to worry. Their coffee is some of the best in Denver and you can purchase a bag while there. As you would expect, it’s a really calm space and the service is immaculate.
- Unravel
- This coffee shop now has several mountain locations including: Breckenridge, Vail, and Winter Park. But, for the purpose of this post-I’m talking about the Denver location. It’s on the East side of town and I make a point of stopping by throughout the year. They roast their beans in a special roaster and the attention to detail across their coffee and food menu makes this coffee experience one of the best in town.
The Final 6 Denver Coffee Shops on My List
- Honey Hill Cafe
- This spot is in the heart of Park Hill. The last time I was there, they were playing a fantastic GenX hip hop mix. That made my day. Each day is different though LOL! Great coffee, savory food options and a beautiful patio makes this shop a wonderful neighborhood space to enjoy your next cup of coffee.
- Steam Espresso Bar
- This shop has two different locations. One in the Highlands and one in Platte Park. Both have large patios and an avid community fan base. The coffee is great too. Enjoy meeting other people on the patio and a leisurely day on the patio.
- Copper Door Roasters-Denver Botanic Gardens Location
- This location is a perfect compliment to the Denver Botanic Gardens. There are plant elements inside it and a table with live plants embedded into it (someone always is sitting at that table) it’s a warm and inviting space to read, connect with others and enjoy a wonderful cup of coffee.
- Ti Cafe
- Similar to Convivio Cafe, Ti Cafe is a completely different experience from what we often get in town. It’s not a traditional coffee shop. Instead, it’s a Vietnamese Coffee shop with fantastic drinks, yummy treats and is just a fun space to experience with excellent Vietnamese drinks that we don’t often encounter in Denver.
- Lil Coffea (6th Ave and Grant)
- I wish more people would talk about this quirky, but warm spot. It’s open, welcoming and makes a fantastic Iced Lavender Latte. The food is delicious and it’s a great second act for the old Starbucks location on 6th and Grant.
- Hearth Coffee Shop
- Located in the same building as Uchi (sushi place) Hearth has deliciously baked goods ready for purchase. As a person who hasn’t met a carb that I haven’t loved, this shop is dangerous to my waistline. There’s also a nice patio for days when you want to sit and enjoy a well-crafted coffee outside.
Bonus Shop
I wanted to shout out Roast Coffee Bar that has recently opened in West Wash Park in the former Downpours Location. It’s so warm and welcoming and they serve up Sweet Bloom Coffee. The service is wonderful and it’s just a wonderful local coffee shop that isn’t pretentious. Definitely check it out the next time you’re in that part of town.