10 Best Coffee Shops in Philadelphia for Your Cup Of Joy
Coffee shops in Philadelphia continue to be social hubs in modern civilization. They serve as gathering places for friends and galleries that showcase the work of regional artists whose exhibitions frequently elicit lively discussions.
When it comes to coffee, Philly has a special position in the public’s heart. Philadelphians appear to have a sweet tooth. It is the city from where the brewing industry evolved to its third and present wave.
Take a tour of the best coffee shops and espresso bars for people who genuinely enjoy the sensation of sipping good coffee in social environments.
1. The 10 Best Coffee Shops in Philadelphia
1.1 Green Line Cafe (Multiple Locations)
The Green Line Cafe has been in West Philly’s neighborhood coffeehouse since 2003. With flowers hung in all corners and sunk on each surface, the café makes you feel like you’re in a real jungle.
Outside of the beautiful greenery scattered everywhere, Greenline Cafe carries coffee orders in a competition as fierce as Philadelphia. The Green Line Cafe celebrated its 20th Anniversary in January 2023.
Together with baked goods, including muffins, cookies, croissants, and breakfast sandwiches, they provide a range of coffee and espresso drinks, seasonal drinks, and hot or iced lattes.
Did you know that the addition of cream in your traditional latte and cappuccino extends the warmth of coffee by 20%? Out of which, the Steve and egg sandwiches and the breakfast burrito have won people’s hearts. The green line café also has some savory vegan and gluten-free options.
The beauty of the classic version by Clark Park reveals why individuals adore Green Line Cafe and why it is known as “West Philly’s Living Room”.
Locations:
- 4239 Baltimore Avenue
- 43rd & Baltimore – Clark Park
- 4th & Gaskill – Queen Village
- 17th & Arch – Center City
- 37th & Lancaster – Powelton Village
- 45th & Locust – Walnut Hill
1.2. Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books
In the Centre of Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood lies a coffee shop and bookstore called Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books, one of the favorite coffee shops in Philadelphia.
In order to give underprivileged communities access to literature and a place where everyone feels respected, Marc Lamont Hill founded Uncle Bobbie’s in 2017.
For anyone in Northwest Philadelphia (and beyond) looking for books written by people of color, Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books is the go-to location.
The extensive range offered — for adults, youth, and children — is inspiring. Customers can purchase drip coffee, espresso, specialty lattes, lemonade, and baked goods from Au Fournil and Crust Vegan Bakery while perusing the aisles.
Isn’t Uncle Bobbie’s a heaven for a bibliophile and javaphile– a term coined for coffee fans, where the new read and quality coffee drinks are served at the same time? Also, If you’re curious about the current specialty drinks in rotation, check out the coffee shop’s Instagram.
Location:
5445 Germantown Ave
1.3. ReAnimator Coffee Roasters (Multiple Locations)
Roasting takes place in Kensington using freshly sourced beans from all over the world to make some incredible coffee and espresso beverages by slowly splattering finely ground beans.
Mark Corpus and Mark Capriotti, two Fishtown residents, jointly own ReAnimator Coffee.
It is well known that ReAnimator Coffee Roasters makes their bean juice. You may do so if you want to be your barista and make delectable drinks at home.
Ground or whole bean bags, to-go cups with the company’s logo, tote bags, bumper stickers, coffee mugs, single-serve coffee bags, instant coffee, and a wide range of other goods are all sold by ReAnimator. These items are available both online and in physical stores
In addition to their five cafés, the coffee is also sold at Hello Donuts + Coffee, which frequently develops inventive doughnut recipes using the coffee, including their well-known tiramisu flavor. Pizza needs can also be satisfied at Eeva, another successful establishment.
Reanimator apparel is incredibly stylish, and if you have a loved one who is crazy about this well-known Philadelphia coffee establishment, it makes it the ideal gift. You can even sign up for ReAnimator’s coffee subscription service to ensure you never run down your favorite beans at home.
Also, you may sign up for ReAnimator on our website to receive fresh coffee whenever you want. You have the option to alter, postpone, or cancel your delivery whenever you choose.
Locations:
ReAnimator has around five destinations around Philly.
- Headquarters: 310 W Master St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19122, United States
- Fishtown 1523 E. Susquehanna Ave
- Garden Court 4705 Pine St
- South Philly 1248 S Clarion St
- Port Richmond 3118 Richmond St eeva 310 W. Master St
1.4. Ultimo Coffee (Multiple Locations)
Aaron and Elizabeth Ultimo exclusively choose and roast the best coffees, enhancing the flavor of your beverage. They previously worked in a D.C. coffee shop before opening one of their own in Philadelphia.
This coffee is unlike your typical cup of joe because it has rich flavors like lime and lavender. Ultimo Coffee was also one of Philadelphia’s earliest specialty coffee businesses, according to the website, but that doesn’t make it a snobbish café.
In addition, it offers chai, lemon bars, wonderful macchiato, and other vegan baked goods. They also carry products from the vegan bakery Crust.
One of the great things about this store is that every three months, it donates 5% of its earnings to deserving neighborhood non-profits and organizations. Indeed, Ultimo Coffee has it all.
The appealing Instagram photos on the company’s profile truly reflect the high caliber of the experience you have at any Ultimo Coffee shop.
Locations:
- 1900 S. 15th Street
- 5901 Wayne Ave
- 238 S. 20th Street
- 2149 Catharine Street
1.5. Jiggy Coffee
If you are looking for new coffee shops in West Philly, you surely can’t miss this hidden gem.
With welcoming service, a light atmosphere, and a selection of vegan pastries from Grind, Jiggy opened in January 2022. They get their beans roasted from Little Plans, a roaster in Washington, D.C., that specializes in ethically produced, fair-trade coffee.
Jiggy Coffee is one of those innovative companies that was launched in the aftermath of the pandemic. The company sells small coffees, organic tea, and pasty, traditional, or vegan pastries.
You can also purchase online when possible. You can select your sweetness preference, and the syrups used are high quality, with none of that artificial-tasting stuff. It’s time for a hole in the wall to make it onto our list, and Jiggy Coffee serves the best coffee.
Even though the tables are lovely and fit for Instagram, you’re not going there for some opulent aesthetic. You’ve come here to get some delicious coffee. Jiggy Coffee is committed to producing great coffee at a good price, so they won’t disappoint you.
1.6. La Colombe Coffee Roasters (Multiple Locations)
Before becoming well-known and wealthy with the Travel Channel, Todd Carmichael launched the original La Colombe in 1994. He eventually sold the coffee business to Chobani. La Colombe is currently a national coffee powerhouse with more than 30 stores in American cities.
Unquestionably the pioneer of Philadelphia’s first wave of coffee, La Colombe continues to be the go-to place for rich espresso drinks made in the Italian style, superb macchiatos, and eateries all over the city serve well-loved blends.
Espresso means “pressed out” in Italian. This name was given because of the practice of squeezing hot water through ground coffee. Many people enjoy drinking these highly caffeinated coffee shots!
They also have some of the most appetizing and mouth-watering pastries. The mediocre breakfast sandwiches and croissants are some of their bestsellers. Pairing your avocado toast with your cold brew will never go wrong.
Two large slices of fresh baguette are spread with chunky avocado and topped with olive oil, feta crumbles, red pepper flakes, and microgreens.
Locations:
- 1335 Frankford Ave
- 30 S. 19th St.
- 1414 South Penn Square
- 100 South Independence Mall W
- 915 W. Lancaster Ave.
- Suite 160 in Bryn Mawr
1.6.1 Did You Know?
According to legend, a goat herder in Ethiopia discovered coffee in the 1500s. He had noticed his goats eating coffee cherries. After that, he noticed a change in their behavior. They became extremely active and did not sleep at night.
The herder told the nearby monks about his findings, and after making a beverage out of coffee beans, they observed they could pray all night. They then passed it on to other Ethiopian monks, and word spread quickly throughout the industrialized nations.
You may say, “Goats are to Thank for Coffee.”
1.7. Rival Bros Coffee Roasters
Rival Bros. must be included while discussing enduring Philadelphia coffee houses. Two friends, Damien Pileggi, and Jonathan Adams, founded this coffee company in Philadelphia in 2011.
Rival Bros has many locations throughout the city, two to be exact, just like some of the other coffee shops on this list.
The first facility serves Passyunk Square in South Philadelphia, while the second, much farther north in the Frankford neighborhood, serves inhabitants of both sides of the city. Both locations provide coffee and freshly baked pastries, according to their websites.
Rival Bros. embodies many of the traits that define Philadelphia, and it even lists them on its website: approachable, genuine, and determined. Rival Brothers are all of those things, we can say.
It’s great to know that Rival Bros. is always there to pull you back up if you chance across a café that’s less than perfect when choosing among the many fashionable and locally-owned coffee shops in Philadelphia.
Locations:
- 2400 Lombard St.
- 1100 Tasker St.
1.8. Herman’s Coffee
One word that adequately describes Herman’s Coffee: is “unique.” You haven’t been to a location like this before, which is a brand-new kind. Herman’s Coffee is the newest coffee shop hotspot in Philadelphia with a garage aesthetic.
Owners Matt and Amy Falco, a husband-and-wife team, transformed an abandoned auto repair shop and petrol station into a specialty goods market with a small batch coffee roaster, local cheeses, handmade sweets, and Mat’s interest in unusually tinned fish that is hard to obtain elsewhere.
But they’re not finished yet! The pair also purchased a food cart for restaurant pop-ups to help promote their new venture.
Herman’s, a coffee shop in the center of Pennsport, was named after the proprietor’s grandpa, who enjoyed drinking great coffee while relaxing in a lawn chair inside his garage with the door open.
Herman’s Coffee is frequently highlighted in “Philadelphia Magazine” for its excellent food and delicious brews. Not only are they a coffee shop with amazing specialty drinks, but Herman’s also offers a variety of baked goods, pastries, pour-over, and espresso beverages.
1.9. High Point Café (Multiple Locations)
The High Point Café is desirable for visitors wishing to explore Mount Airy since it offers delectable pastries, a wide selection of coffee options, coffee bags, and coffee beans.
The Royal Bee pastry, which is created with cardamom and croissant dough and made with honey and sea salt, is simply excellent. The crêpes are a great option for breakfasts and lunches.
All ages of adults and young adults will find inspiration in this wide range of literature. Generally speaking, younger people spend more on coffee than older ones do.
Along with specialty coffees, espresso drinks, lattes, and lemonades, customers can also purchase enticing baked goods from Au Fournil and Crust Vegan Bakery.
They have quite a warm ambiance and provide both indoor and outdoor seating. The drip coffee itself appears to be exclusionary.
Locations:
- The Original – “mother ship” at 602 Carpenter Lane
- Allens Lane Train Station at 7210 Cresheim Road
1.10. Elixr (Multiple Locations)
The coffee shop that you can’t skip during your visit is Elixir.
Elixir baristas are award-winning coffee roasters that have mastered the technique of latte art, adding even more appeal to their already excellent sips. If you live nearby, consider yourself lucky. This is one café you must visit while visiting Philadelphia.
With plenty of chairs and outlets everywhere, this caffeine center is the ideal place to set up shop and complete some serious work or reading.
Even though a few locations are scattered throughout the city, each with its temperament and flavor, the Sydenham Street venue seems very comfortable with its reduced illumination fixtures and dark stained wood interior.
Light roasts are Elixir’s specialty; they always research the sourcing, roasting, preparing, and shipping procedures. Bags of beans from countries such as Ethiopia can be purchased from Beekeeper Espresso for roasting in-house (and online).
Coffee beans sprout on a bush. They are technically a fruit because they are the pit of a berry. The most prevalent kinds are red and green beans. Green coffee beans that have been processed and dried are the first to be roasted.
Lattes, pour-overs, and more intriguing drinks like an Oatmeal Latte and Dirty Chai are all available on their menu. They purchased their delectable sweets from their neighborhood’s women-owned artisan bakery shop.
Locations:
Elix Coffee Roasters has nearly 6 Philadelphia cafes. West Philly and center city oasis Elixr are still kicking off some of the best pour-overs in the city. They roast their beans at the café at 315 N. 12th St., Philadelphia, PA 19107.
Other locations include:
- 207 S. Sydenham St
- 315 N. 12th St
- 3675 Market St
- 1600 Market St
- 5045 Broadway Place
- 123 W Beaver Ave.
2. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
2.1 What Are the Criteria for a Popular Coffee Shop?
An attractive ambiance, excellent customer service, and high-quality goods combine to produce an experience that customers desire to have repeatedly.
2.2 Does Philly have a Coffee Culture?
Yes. Philadelphians have a sweet tooth and immense popularity of coffee.
2.3 Which Third-Wave Coffee Shops in Philadelphia Are the Best?
Two of Philadelphia’s top third-wave coffee shops are Elix and ReAnimator. To find your favorite, try them all.
2.4 What are the Best Coffee Shops in Philadelphia for Working?
Herman’s Coffee, Uncle Bobbies Books and Cafe, Oneshot Coffee, ReAnimator Coffee, La Colombe, and Elixr are some of the best coffee shops Philadelphia has to get your work done.
2.5 Coffee Shop with Free WIFI in Philly?
Menagerie coffee, Uncle Bobbies Books and Café, Oneshot Coffee, La Colombe, ReAnimator Coffee, The Monkey and the Elephant, and Elixr coffee roasters are the Philly coffee shops that offer free WIFI and delicious drinks.
2.6 Which Coffee is the Most Delectable?
Arabica is the most widely consumed type. Many coffee drinkers claim that the flavor of Arabica beans is what makes them prefer those. Black coffee is typically made from Arabica beans because they have a richer, more complex flavor that can be eaten on their own.
2.7 What Two States are the Sources of American Coffee?
Even though Florida is now looking into the possibilities of producing coffee, Hawaii and California may still be the only two states in the United States that now cultivate coffee.
3. Conclusion
We do not believe that any one location is superior to all others. This list includes the top coffee shops in Philadelphia, each having a unique goal, ambiance, menu, and coffee drink options.
Given its extensive history, it’s no wonder that so many people adore coffee. It makes sense that more and more people are flocking to this unique beverage, given its capacity to awaken you every morning and provide a small amount of mental clarity throughout the day. Even the most hesitant coffee user can grow to love the beverage by experimenting with other beverages, sweeteners, and syrups.
Have any favorites not included here? Tell us in the comments section below. Although we can’t include them all in this article, we will keep them in mind for additional features.
Don’t forget to stop by these locations while you are in Philly on vacation!
While exploring Philadelphia, you can’t miss thrilling hiking adventures and parks for an amazing outdoor experience!
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