The Best Independent Coffee Shops in America

A specialty coffee company serving New York City since 2016, Black Fox has three Manhattan locations, and is roasting its own coffee as well as showcasing coffees from esteemed roasters around the world. single-origins include Biftu Gudina (from a co-operative of farmers in the Jimma region of Ethiopia) and Victor Hugo Quiroga (from a small four-hectare plot of land in Colombia). And they’re one of the few coffee shops sourcing internationally-roasted coffees, like beans from Square Mile in London and 49th Parallel in British Columbia. Even the matcha used in their matcha tea is single-origin. Pastries are provided by local favorite Pain D’Avignon.

Denver’s Blue Sparrow is a classic neighborhood coffee shop. Their mission is to showcase coffees from some of America’s best roasters, featuring them on a rotating basis. Roasters they’ve featured have included Alabaster from Williamsport, Penna.; Land & Water from Santa Rosa, Calif.; and Tailored Coffee Roasters from Eugene, Ore. Kombucha, Japanese-style iced coffee (which is brewed hot and flash chilled over ice), and CBD-infused iced coffee are on tap, and pastries from local bakeries including Black Box Bakery and Genova’s Biscotti are on sale.

Founded by expert roaster Chris O’Brien (and named after his pygmy goat, Butters), Civil Goat Coffee is roasting and brewing specialty coffee with beans sourced from sustainable farms all over the world. Located in the eclectic Austin neighborhood of Cuernavaca, the shop’s mission is to be a space that promotes the exchange of new ideas, fosters creativity, and encourages locals to slow down and enjoy a cup of coffee. They’re roasting a popular house blend as well as single-origins including Los Encinos from Guatemala and Yirgacheffe from Ethiopia, available by the cup, by the bag, and through a delivery-based subscription service.

Located in the heart of Nashville, Crema Coffee Roasters opened in 2007 after being (literally) built by hand by owners Ben and Rachel Lehman. Three years later, they finally began roasting their own beans, which they source from farmers they know and trust. Each coffee bag label has origin details down to the farm or mill where the coffee was processed, and they pay above fair trade market value for their beans. It’s also a zero waste and completely carbon neutral business. Four single-origin coffees are available by the cup at any time; a flight of all four will seriously boost your coffee knowledge.

Whereas most coffee shops either roast their own coffee or serve coffee sourced domestically, at Dayglow, they’re serving coffee from some of the world’s most renowned coffee roasters, including Father’s Coffee in the Czech Republic, Process Coffee in Northern Ireland, and La Cabra in Denmark. Each month they feature several roasters, and they also sell coffee by the bag, most of which comes from Coffee Collective in Denmark. Dayglow has also become popular for their creative coffee drinks and fresh vegan doughnuts.