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Huckleberry Roasters at the Dairy Block.
Casper Lundemann

18 Top-Tier Denver Coffee Shops

Get that caffeine fix in style

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Huckleberry Roasters at the Dairy Block.
| Casper Lundemann

When it comes to beans as well as barley, Denver is a brewing mecca. The Third Wave movement took root here long before it did in most cities beyond the coasts, and it continues apace, with roasters popping up on seemingly every block for residents who know their Chemex from their Aeropress. Though there are too many worthy examples to name in one (reasonably concise) list, these 18 shops all do right by coffee — and comfort — connoisseurs.

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Boxcar Coffee Roasters

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This roastery supplies plenty of Denver establishments, but its Boulder cafe is worth a visit. Sip some single-origin espresso or a cardamom-rose latte, enjoy a fresh-baked croissant, and take the time to browse — Boxcar shares its cozy space with gourmet shop and deli Cured.

Huckleberry Roasters

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The flagship Sunnyside location of this well-established roastery and shop offers a quiet getaway in an artsy, colorful space with a large patio; there’s also a downtown outpost in the Dairy Block development.

Coffee counter inside a mixed-use property
Huckleberry’s counter at Dairy Block.
Casper Lundemann

Prodigy Coffee House

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Billing itself as a “craft coffeehouse and apprenticeship,” this Elyria Swansea nonprofit shop mentors young adults from the surrounding neighborhoods in the art and business of the barista. When they’re not availing themselves of the drive-thru, regulars make themselves at home in the airy, cheery space over honey-lavender lattes or nitro cold brews and perhaps a waffle or pastry. Feel-good vibes abound.

Prodigy Coffeehouse Combines Craft Coffee, Youth Mentorship Starting Saturday Prodigy Coffeehouse [official]

Dandy Lion Coffee Co.

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How’s this for something different: a combination Vietnamese coffee and plant shop. Come for the classic chicory cold brew with condensed milk or iced chai with toffee-nut and macadamia milk; stay for the free horticultural therapy (or purchase some foliage to go).

Vietnamese coffee and plant shop Ruth Tobias

Rivers and Roads Coffee

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This community-driven Clayton shop does everything in-house, from roasting to baking to syrup making. While it takes its coffee seriously, it also takes fun seriously — which means the crew here is as happy to pour its guests iced Black Forest mochas as it is pour-overs to go with their loaded breakfast fries or citrus-chai doughnut holes.

Quaint, sunny coffee shop Ruth Tobias

Blue Sparrow Coffee

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This bright yet intimate Backyard on Blake cafe features multiple American and international roasters in the espresso drinks and specialty coffees it lists in script on a large scroll of packing paper hung behind the counter. There’s a second location on Platte Street.

At this true original, one of RiNo’s first hangouts, coffee is brewed with rotating varieties of beans from more than 20 local and national outfits, including Minneapolis’ Dogwood Coffee Co. and Portland’s Proud Mary. Speaking of pride, it’s rightly bullish on its kitchen, which turns out specials galore — from rye–poppy seed galettes filled with miso–caramel apple to Moroccan meatball subs. A few blocks away, Crema Bodega awaits at Denver Central Market.

Crema

Coffee at The Point

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The ultimate neighborhood hangout, this Five Points fixture is as comfy and accommodating as could be, serving up not only all the standards — from mochas to macchiatos to French presses — but also beer, wine, coffee cocktails, and solid sandwiches in an environment that encourages laptop productivity and dreamy reading alike.

Little Owl Coffee

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This tiny but sleek and chic shop in LoDo’s Sugar Cube building offers a farm-to-cup experience in the form of all the classic drinks — pour-overs, espressos, cortados, mocha, a popular chai latte, and so on; around the corner, it operates a sister bakery, Owlette, that turns out seasonal pastries of all kinds.

A close-up photo of coffee making equipment at Little Owl Coffee on a counter with windows and blurred people outside visible Penamora Photo LLC

Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters

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Owner Andy Sprenger is not only a two-time U.S. Brewers Cup champion but also a Q Grader, a prestigious certification akin to that of a Master Sommelier — and the service at his direct-trade roastery and tasting room (as well as its satellite cafes in Arvada and Westminster) reflect his expertise. Here’s a place to soak up knowledge as well as caffeine.

Hudson Hill

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Capitol Hill’s combination coffee and cocktail bar is a stylish day-to-night hangout serving all the usual potable suspects along with quickie breakfasts and snacks. For an alternative to joe, try a Thai tea spritz or Golden Root turmeric latte; for an alternative to this location, owner Jake Soffes runs a similarly hip operation called The Wild across from Union Station.

Hudson Hill [official]

The Molecule Effect

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This is a true coffeehouse in every sense of the word, complete with loungey vibes; a full bar, which naturally whips up espresso martinis and Irish coffees; and a menu of sandwiches, flatbreads, and other snacks. There’s no sense of snobbery here, so branching out from espressos and pour-overs into bulletproof coffee, whiskey barrel–aged nitro cold brew, brown sugar–lavender mocha, or an autumn rose latte served in a beaker apropos of the name is A-OK. A second location in Wash Park even hosts live music and comedy open mics.

Pablo's Coffee

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Now with three locations, including a larger headquarters on East Colfax, Pablo’s was a local pioneer of the Third Wave movement. The flagship 6th Avenue shop is covered with street art on the outside, filled with plants on the inside, and designed all-around for slowing down and smelling the Danger Monkey (to name its most popular blend) with a friend.

Pablo’s [official]

Aviano Coffee

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The fact that this Cherry Creek shop has two locations within blocks of one another is a testament to the cult-like following it has developed. Both shops brew beans from the Chicago-based Intelligentsia Coffee in modern yet comfy spaces with plentiful patio seating.

Cherry Creek North

Copper Door Coffee Roasters

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In charmingly rustic digs, Denver’s first woman-owned roasting company proudly emphasizes its ethos of sustainability and inclusivity while whipping up nifty house blends like the Shady Lady, created specifically for cold brew, and Solstice Spice, infused with grains of paradise, cardamom, and other flavorings from Savory Spice Shop. It also operates off Santa Fe Drive in Baker and at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

MiddleState Coffee

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Black and white and green (in the form of plants) all over, this light, bright, industrial-chic roastery supplies many a local cafe while welcoming its own customers with attitude-free service — the baristas can ably walk you through the offerings, be it a straight-up espresso or a rosemary-vanilla latte.

Steam Espresso Bar

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The line often extends out the door at this Platt Park coffee shop, which is located just a couple of blocks from the Old South Pearl Street shopping and dining district. The coffee is sourced exclusively from microroasters and there is always a solid selection of baked goods, while the funky space is decorated with rotating artworks and garage doors that open onto a large patio.

Steam [Official]

Corvus Coffee

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With two locations in the DTC and Littleton (pictured) as well as its South Broadway flagship, this roastery showcases its beans in minimalist-chic environs that feel almost like art galleries. Kyoto-style cold brew, cascara tonics, seasonal lattes, and Morning Slams — a double espresso with a to-go cup of regular joe on the side — encapsulate its flair, while a full slate of single-origin options indicates the care with which it takes sourcing.

Counter at a coffee bar
The sleek counter at Corvus’ Littleton branch.
Ruth Tobias

Boxcar Coffee Roasters

This roastery supplies plenty of Denver establishments, but its Boulder cafe is worth a visit. Sip some single-origin espresso or a cardamom-rose latte, enjoy a fresh-baked croissant, and take the time to browse — Boxcar shares its cozy space with gourmet shop and deli Cured.

Huckleberry Roasters

The flagship Sunnyside location of this well-established roastery and shop offers a quiet getaway in an artsy, colorful space with a large patio; there’s also a downtown outpost in the Dairy Block development.

Coffee counter inside a mixed-use property
Huckleberry’s counter at Dairy Block.
Casper Lundemann

Prodigy Coffee House

Billing itself as a “craft coffeehouse and apprenticeship,” this Elyria Swansea nonprofit shop mentors young adults from the surrounding neighborhoods in the art and business of the barista. When they’re not availing themselves of the drive-thru, regulars make themselves at home in the airy, cheery space over honey-lavender lattes or nitro cold brews and perhaps a waffle or pastry. Feel-good vibes abound.

Prodigy Coffeehouse Combines Craft Coffee, Youth Mentorship Starting Saturday Prodigy Coffeehouse [official]

Dandy Lion Coffee Co.

How’s this for something different: a combination Vietnamese coffee and plant shop. Come for the classic chicory cold brew with condensed milk or iced chai with toffee-nut and macadamia milk; stay for the free horticultural therapy (or purchase some foliage to go).

Vietnamese coffee and plant shop Ruth Tobias

Rivers and Roads Coffee

This community-driven Clayton shop does everything in-house, from roasting to baking to syrup making. While it takes its coffee seriously, it also takes fun seriously — which means the crew here is as happy to pour its guests iced Black Forest mochas as it is pour-overs to go with their loaded breakfast fries or citrus-chai doughnut holes.

Quaint, sunny coffee shop Ruth Tobias

Blue Sparrow Coffee

This bright yet intimate Backyard on Blake cafe features multiple American and international roasters in the espresso drinks and specialty coffees it lists in script on a large scroll of packing paper hung behind the counter. There’s a second location on Platte Street.

Crema

At this true original, one of RiNo’s first hangouts, coffee is brewed with rotating varieties of beans from more than 20 local and national outfits, including Minneapolis’ Dogwood Coffee Co. and Portland’s Proud Mary. Speaking of pride, it’s rightly bullish on its kitchen, which turns out specials galore — from rye–poppy seed galettes filled with miso–caramel apple to Moroccan meatball subs. A few blocks away, Crema Bodega awaits at Denver Central Market.

Crema

Coffee at The Point

The ultimate neighborhood hangout, this Five Points fixture is as comfy and accommodating as could be, serving up not only all the standards — from mochas to macchiatos to French presses — but also beer, wine, coffee cocktails, and solid sandwiches in an environment that encourages laptop productivity and dreamy reading alike.

Little Owl Coffee

This tiny but sleek and chic shop in LoDo’s Sugar Cube building offers a farm-to-cup experience in the form of all the classic drinks — pour-overs, espressos, cortados, mocha, a popular chai latte, and so on; around the corner, it operates a sister bakery, Owlette, that turns out seasonal pastries of all kinds.

A close-up photo of coffee making equipment at Little Owl Coffee on a counter with windows and blurred people outside visible Penamora Photo LLC

Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters

Owner Andy Sprenger is not only a two-time U.S. Brewers Cup champion but also a Q Grader, a prestigious certification akin to that of a Master Sommelier — and the service at his direct-trade roastery and tasting room (as well as its satellite cafes in Arvada and Westminster) reflect his expertise. Here’s a place to soak up knowledge as well as caffeine.

Hudson Hill

Capitol Hill’s combination coffee and cocktail bar is a stylish day-to-night hangout serving all the usual potable suspects along with quickie breakfasts and snacks. For an alternative to joe, try a Thai tea spritz or Golden Root turmeric latte; for an alternative to this location, owner Jake Soffes runs a similarly hip operation called The Wild across from Union Station.

Hudson Hill [official]

The Molecule Effect

This is a true coffeehouse in every sense of the word, complete with loungey vibes; a full bar, which naturally whips up espresso martinis and Irish coffees; and a menu of sandwiches, flatbreads, and other snacks. There’s no sense of snobbery here, so branching out from espressos and pour-overs into bulletproof coffee, whiskey barrel–aged nitro cold brew, brown sugar–lavender mocha, or an autumn rose latte served in a beaker apropos of the name is A-OK. A second location in Wash Park even hosts live music and comedy open mics.

Pablo's Coffee

Now with three locations, including a larger headquarters on East Colfax, Pablo’s was a local pioneer of the Third Wave movement. The flagship 6th Avenue shop is covered with street art on the outside, filled with plants on the inside, and designed all-around for slowing down and smelling the Danger Monkey (to name its most popular blend) with a friend.

Pablo’s [official]

Aviano Coffee

The fact that this Cherry Creek shop has two locations within blocks of one another is a testament to the cult-like following it has developed. Both shops brew beans from the Chicago-based Intelligentsia Coffee in modern yet comfy spaces with plentiful patio seating.

Cherry Creek North

Copper Door Coffee Roasters

In charmingly rustic digs, Denver’s first woman-owned roasting company proudly emphasizes its ethos of sustainability and inclusivity while whipping up nifty house blends like the Shady Lady, created specifically for cold brew, and Solstice Spice, infused with grains of paradise, cardamom, and other flavorings from Savory Spice Shop. It also operates off Santa Fe Drive in Baker and at the Denver Botanic Gardens.

Related Maps

MiddleState Coffee

Black and white and green (in the form of plants) all over, this light, bright, industrial-chic roastery supplies many a local cafe while welcoming its own customers with attitude-free service — the baristas can ably walk you through the offerings, be it a straight-up espresso or a rosemary-vanilla latte.

Steam Espresso Bar

The line often extends out the door at this Platt Park coffee shop, which is located just a couple of blocks from the Old South Pearl Street shopping and dining district. The coffee is sourced exclusively from microroasters and there is always a solid selection of baked goods, while the funky space is decorated with rotating artworks and garage doors that open onto a large patio.

Steam [Official]

Corvus Coffee

With two locations in the DTC and Littleton (pictured) as well as its South Broadway flagship, this roastery showcases its beans in minimalist-chic environs that feel almost like art galleries. Kyoto-style cold brew, cascara tonics, seasonal lattes, and Morning Slams — a double espresso with a to-go cup of regular joe on the side — encapsulate its flair, while a full slate of single-origin options indicates the care with which it takes sourcing.

Counter at a coffee bar
The sleek counter at Corvus’ Littleton branch.
Ruth Tobias

Related Maps