The Best Independent Coffee Shop in Every State

Occupying a repurposed old garage in this community north of Oklahoma City, Hoboken serves espresso and its offshoots, plus coffee made by the drip, French press, Chemex, pour-over, and siphon methods. Yelp commentators praise the friendly baristas, the “awesome” atmosphere, and the “tasty brews,” including coffee that is “is very clean tasting and has almost a woody taste, which is refreshing.”

This freestanding contemporary-rustic coffee shop is slightly more than a kiosk, but it’s tiny, with only six seats and a single small counter. The specialty here is single-origin Mexican coffees brewed by six different methods, including espresso and via a custom-designed “copper flower” pour-over apparatus. The proprietors roast their own beans at their Smalltime Roasters company. Their most popular beverage is True Mexican Mocha, a blend of espresso, milk, house-made Mexican hot chocolate powder, cocoa nibs, freeze-dried raspberry dust, and dark chocolate shavings.

Chapterhouse brews organic and fair trade coffee sourced from Equal Exchange, an importer and distributor of farmer-friendly coffee, tea, and chocolate. This “great place to hang out” (per Yelp) serves “so many coffee and bakery options that are absolutely delicious.” Almost everybody comments on how spacious the place is and about the art shows, which change regularly and are a major feature here.

Drip, pour-over, espresso, cold brew and nitro cold brew, honey and vanilla bourbon lattes, café cubano, and of course that Rhode Island specialty coffee milk (sweet coffee syrup stirred into milk) …Dave’s covers a lot of bases. Enthusiasts on Yelp call it “a hidden gem,” “a super quality place,” and “a really great little locally owned coffeehouse tucked neatly away from the hustle and bustle of Downcity Providence.”

This Charleston offshoot of the original Bitty & Beau’s in Wilmington, North Carolina, offers a classic coffee shop menu of items, including latte, cappuccino, Americano, chai, and tea (plus iced versions), as well as frappes and smoothies. The emphasis isn’t on exotically sourced beans but on the Bitty & Beau’s policy of staffing its shops with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.