By: Author Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Posted on Last updated: June 28, 2022
Philadelphia may be one of America’s most historic cities but don’t rule out Philly’s third wave coffee scene. Read on to discover the best Philadelphia coffee shops serving cappuccinos, espressos and pour overs.
Philadelphia holds a special play in our hearts when it comes to coffee. It’s the city where we progressed from coffee’s second wave to its third and current wave. It’s also where we became addicted to flat whites, cappuccinos and the occasional pour over.
We give much of the credit (or is it blame?) to Evan Inatome, the owner of Elixr for educating us about single sourced beans and light roasting more than a decade ago. His passion became our passion and has fueled us through dozens of countries and even more cities.
Third wave coffee was a relatively new concept in Philadelphia when Inatome opened the original Elixr in 2010. Over the past decade, he and other roasters have revolutionized the world of coffee in Philly.
Today, the city is literally percolating with specialty shops and roasteries. Sure, many Philly locals remain loyal to the coffee brewed at Wawa and Dunkin Donuts. This guide isn’t for those people. It’s for people like us who truly appreciate the experience of drinking great tasting coffee in communal settings.
Most travelers arrive in Philadelphia with an eating plan but few arrive with a coffee plan. We recently realized this when a European friend traveled to Philly and was at a loss as to where she could drink really good coffee and work on her laptop at the same time. After setting her on the right path, it only made sense that we would share our knowledge about the best coffee shops in Philadelphia more widely.
Coffee is just one aspect to explore. Discover the food you can’t miss eating in Philadelphia at the city’s best restaurants.
As specialty coffee fanatics who cumulatively lived in center city for more than three decades and now live in Portugal, we’re now sharing our favorite spots to drink third wave coffee in Philadelphia. Some of these shops have been around for years and others are new kids on the Philly coffee block.
Most serve tasty treats from local bakeries like Au Fournil and Crust Vegan Bakery in addition to their coffee programs. One specializes in soft pretzel sandwiches and another has a basement bakery.
Whether you’re looking to hunker down with a flat white while checking your email or if you just want to grab an iced latte on your way to the shore, the following Philadelphia coffee shops are well worth a visit:
We often have trouble choosing a favorite coffee shop in cities like Berlin, Paris and even our current home city of Lisbon. This isn’t the case in Philadelphia where Elixr easily earns our vote for crafting the best coffee in Philadelphia.
We have a history with this cafe that started at its original location on 15th Street before moving to Sydenham Street and later expanding to include national locations. Back in the days before Elixr roasted its own beans, the cafe sourced beans from as far away as Topeka, Kansas (PT’s Coffee) and Chicago (Intelligentsia) just to prove the virtue of excellently made coffee. They’ve since joined the roasting party and are now one of the best roasters in the USA.
Elixr is the cafe where we sent our European friend who was suffering from specialty coffee withdrawal. It’s the cafe that we visit first every time we return to Philly. And it’s the cafe where we buy bags of freshly roasted beans to enjoy at home.
Starting at the top and trickling throughout the Elixr empire, quality rules the day in all aspects of the business from sourcing quality single-origin beans around the world to serving quality espresso drinks to thirsty crowds who stream through the handful of Elixr cafes in Philadelphia as well as in State College and Nashville.
Pro Tip Drink outside the box by ordering a strawberry oat milk latte or a matcha butterfly lemonade.
Elixr Coffee Roasters has multiple Philadelphia cafes. They roast their beans at the cafe located at 315 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States.
Menagerie has been celebrating independence since it opened its original cafe in Old City in 2014. This statement sounds dramatic but hear us out…
For starters, Menagerie is located in the neighborhood where America’s founding fathers solidified the fledgling country’s independence from England. Equally important, the cafe’s female founders have remained committed to independently sourcing quality beans from roasters like Philadelphia’s Elixr and Minneapolis’ Dogwood Coffee Co.
Back in the day, Menagerie was our go-to coffee shop when we craved a good cup of coffee while wandering through Old City or driving to I-95. Sometimes we’d linger with a yogurt and other times we’d grab a cookie to go. After recently returning, we’re pleased to report that Menagerie’s coffee is just as good as ever.
Pro Tip Since parking can be difficult in Old City, consider following Philly music star Kurt Vile and park in a loading zone if you’re traveling by car. Be sure to adhere to the time limit since PPA agents are very good at their job.
Menagerie Coffee is located at 18 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, United States as well as in The Bourse Food Hall.
We love a good story as much as we love good coffee and Herman’s Coffee delivers both.
Owners Mat and Amy Falco dared to be different when they opened Herman’s Coffee in 2017 in a former auto repair shop and named the Pennsport cafe after Mat’s grandfather Herman. They also eschewed regular chairs in favor of red lounge chairs – ‘Grandpa’ Herman’s chair of choice.
While those chairs are still there and have become part of the cafe’s logo, much has changed at Herman’s Cafe…
At a crossroad during the pandemic, Mat and Amy started selling obscure products that they loved from all over the world. Lo and behold, the neighbors loved them too.
For us, seeing the market at Hermans’ Coffee was a trip down memory lane. We could only smile while viewing shelves stocked with the likes of Mieli Thun honey from Trentino, Jose Gourmet fish tins from Portugal, Goo Goo Clusters from Nashville, Tony’s Chocolonely chocolate bars from Amsterdam, Naive chocolate bars from Lithuania and Marou chocolate bars from Vietnam.
Mat doesn’t just choose food items. He also roasts coffee onsite and serves it in creative ways. His latte flavors include caramel, mocha, lavender lemon and rose while his specialty drinks go beyond espresso tonics to include proprietary concoctions worth a sip.
Pro Tip Check out Herman Coffee’s pop-up schedule so that you can support local chefs while eating tasty food.
Herman’s Coffee is located at 1313 S 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States.
Hugh Morretta and Eli Shaika opened the original Rowhome Coffee in late 2020 with passions for both specialty coffee and comfort food. Clearly their passions have hit a nerve since they now have a second cafe on the other side of town.
Ironically, neither cafe is actually located in a row house. The original Fitler Square cafe occupies a former bar and the East Kensington cafe was originally a pharmacy. However, both cafes channel the spirit of Philadelphia by serving soft pretzel sandwiches in addition to specialty coffee.
Much of Rowhome Coffee’s buzz centers around its soft pretzel sandwiches, but coffee remains the heart of the cafe’s operation. This should be no surprise since the cafe is named Rowhome Coffee and not Rowhome Pretzel.
Considering Morretta’s role as a roaster at La Colombe (see below), it’s also no surprise that the cafe exclusively sources its beans from the Philadelphia roasting behemoth. And, since Morretta has the inside track on special single origin beans, this is a good thing.
Pro Tip Pair your coffee with a soft pretzel sandwich. Filling options include a variety of cream cheeses as well as roast beef, turkey, cheese and plant based sausage.
Rowhome Coffee has multiple Philadelphia cafes. The original cafe is located at 2536 Pine St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, United States.
You might think that Rival Bros. Coffee Bar is owned by two brothers with the last name Rival but you would be wrong. Instead, this Philadelphia coffee company is owed by two friends with the surnames of Adams and Pileggi.
However, you’re on the money if you suspect that the duo has culinary clout. One owner is a former chef and the other is a La Colombe alum.
After operating a mobile coffee truck for three years, the ‘brothers’ permanently parked the truck in 2014 when they opened their original cafe on Lombard Street. There’s now another Rival Bros. cafe in South Philly plus a roastery in northeast Philly.
The two cafes rival each other in terms of style and substance. Both offer beverages like kombucha and nitro cold brew in addition to typical brews and serve tasty treats sourced from local bakeries.
Pro Tip There’s no need to request a double shot. That’s how drinks are automatically crafted at Rival Bros. Coffee Bar.
Rival Bros. Coffee Bar has multiple Philadelphia cafes. The original cafe is located at 2400 Lombard St, Philadelphia, PA 19146, United States.
After roasting beans for a few years, ReAnimator Coffee opened its first cafe in Fishtown in 2013 and its Kensington location a year after that. Kensington is where much of the action happens now since this location houses the roastery and training lab. Other locations are in Port Richmond, South Philly and West Philly.
Don’t worry. You can also drink coffee in Kensington unless you’d rather drink coffee at another ReAnimator Coffee cafe or in the comfort of your home. You should probably sign up for ReAnimator’s coffee subscription if you fit into the latter category.
Pro Tip Satisfy your cravings for coffee and donuts at Hello Donuts. The Kensington donut shop exclusively serves ReAnimator coffee.
ReAnimator Coffee has multiple Philadelphia cafes. The original cafe is located at 1523 E Susquehanna Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125, United States.
Open since December 2020, Cake & Joe stands out from the pack by specializing in both coffee and cakes. But not just any cakes. These cakes are more like something you would eat at patisseries in Paris or Tokyo than at a typical Philly coffee shop.
Owners Sarah Qi and Trista Tang grew up in China but they clearly understand Philadelphia hospitality. The duo runs their Pennsport cafe with the goal of making people smile. In fact, the cafe’s motto is Bake | Brew | Smile. And, in a move which we approve, they’ve incorporated Asian items like calpis (a Japanese soft drink) and congee to the menu
Sure, you can go to Cake & Joe just for coffee but we don’t recommend it. It’s not that the cafe’s coffee brewed with La Colombe beans isn’t good. Rather, this is a cafe where you’ll want to linger with a beautiful piece of cake or enjoy afternoon tea.
Pro Tip Cake & Joe offers an eclectic brunch menu replete with special desserts.
Cake & Joe is located at 1401 E Moyamensing Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States.
Philadelphia isn’t the first city to have a cafe named after the process of transforming something in a mysterious or impressive way. Other cities with cafes named Alchemy include Cape Town, Hong Kong, London, Richmond and Salt Lake City.
However, Philadelphia’s Alchemy Coffee is the only one of the bunch that completes this task using Elixr beans. And, since Elixr roasts the best beans in Philadelphia, it’s a differentiator that we support.
The Rittenhouse cafe’s stark coloring and minimalist design elements reminded us more of coffee shops in Copenhagen than those in Philadelphia. During our visit, Alchemy’s tables were filled with millennial customers, all drinking coffee and working on laptops.
Also during our visit, the enthusiastic owners, both named Chris, completed our experience by personally crafting our cappuccinos and chatting with us about one of our favorite topics – coffee.
Pro Tip Try a new flavor by adding mint to your brew at Alchemy Coffee.
Alchemy Coffee is located at 119 S. 21st Street, Philadelphia PA, 19103, United States.
We felt positive vibes when we entered Suprema Coffee Roastery on Pine Street. Part of that vibe came from the cafe’s stylish design. The other part came from owner Stefan Radivojevic who shared his obsession for coffee with us.
As we learned, the curious culinarian started his coffee journey by buying raw ‘green’ beans on Amazon and roasted them in, of all places, his home oven. Yes – you can do that. He also taught himself latte art. Finally, he opened his compact Pine Street cafe in February of 2020.
No longer roasting beans purchased from Amazon at home, Radivojevic roasts single-origin beans sourced directly from Brazil and Colombia inside the cafe. He also roasts a blend of Ethiopian and Brazilian beans to create the cafe’s Supreme Crėma blend.
Coffee connoisseurs flock to buy bags of Radivojevic’s beans. Many stay to enjoy pastries as well as crafted drinks that transcend the typical cappuccino and latte.
Pro Tip Go big and try one of Suprema Coffee Roastery’s signature drinks. Options include the iced Mochly (two shots of espresso, Ghirardelli dark chocolate and Oatly oat milk), the Breakfast Latte (two shots of espresso and oat milk) and the Red Eye (black coffee with two shots of espresso).
Suprema Coffee Roastery is located at 1511 Pine St, Philadelphia, PA 19102, United States.
The owners of Ultimo Coffee weren’t being braggadocious when they named their original Newbold coffee shop. Instead, it just so happens that the owners’ last name is Ultimo.
Pre-dating Elixr by a year, Ultimo Coffee sourced its beans from Counter Culture Coffee in the early days. A lot has changed since then. Not only does the Philly coffee pioneer have locations in Germantown, Graduate Hospital and Rittenhouse, but it also roasts its beans inside the original cafe.
Customers can sample Ultimo’s beans in a variety of iterations. We typically order cappuccinos but many locals swear by the cafe’s espresso pulls. You can’t go wrong either way
Pro Tip Order a London Fog if you’re not in the mood for coffee. It’s basically Earl Grey tea with steamed milk.
Ultimo Coffee has multiple Philadelpha cafes. The original cafe is located at 1900 S 15th St, Philadelphia, PA 19145, United States.
Yulee Park clearly had a vision when she opened Three Graces Coffee Co. in 2000. Not only did she transform a former Queen Village bank building into a charming cafe space, but she also installed a magenta espresso machine for an extra bit of pizzazz.
Little touches are everywhere from the cafe’s wall length mural and mod light fixtures that descend from its ceiling. Those same touches apply to menu items like beignets and croissants plus tempting baked goods from the Mighty Bread Company.
Drink choices run the gamut from simple to elaborate with none more intriguing that the cafe’s signature Twix Latte crafted with both caramel and chocolate syrup. However, it was the Honey Lavender Latte which won our attention and infatuation. A seasonal special at the time of our initial visit, it has since graduated to permanent status.
Pro Tip Sip your coffee inside or outside unless you’re in a rush.
Three Graces Coffee Co. is located at 719 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States.
Located in Queen Village since 2010, Shot Tower Coffee is a sentimental favorite since it was our go-to neighborhood cafe for years. Though several coffee shops were located closer to our Bella Vista house, we usually trekked nine minutes to Shot Tower for our daily jolt of joe when we wanted to drink locally.
Back then, Collin Shapiro and Jonathon Zilber (now the co-owners of Philly Style Bagels) crafted our coffees with beans sourced from Counter Culture. Today, the cafe sources its beans from Elixr. But, other than the staffing and bean changes, much has remained the same at Shot Tower Coffee over the past decade.
The baristas at Shot Tower continue to craft good cappuccinos and lattes – that’s a given and the primary reason we keep returning to the cafe. We also appreciate the cafe’s natural light and communal environment.
Pro Tip Shot Tower offers a frequent buyer program for regular customers. Just ask the barista to put your information in the cafe’s system. As we’ve discovered, after years being gone from Philly and returning periodically to eat and see family, there’s no time limit for using your balance.
Shot Tower Coffee is located at 542 Christian St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States.
Function Coffee Labs is a Philadelphia coffee shop that proudly embraces science in its quest to craft and serve excellent coffee. Not surprisingly, co-owner Ross Nickerson is a mechanical engineer.
We might have been regulars at Function Coffee had the timing been different. Instead, the cafe debuted in April of 2016, just two months after we left its Bella Vista neighborhood. Nickerson opened the cafe with his fiance (now wife) Megan McCusker in a spot that previously housed a parade of cafes. It says a lot that their cafe is the one that stuck.
The science-friendly cafe originally sourced beans from out-of-state roasters but now uses beans roasted locally by sister company Vibrant Coffee Roasters. Its house roast typically incorporates beans grown in Central and South America while its ‘lab line’ features boutique beans grown around the world.
You’ll probably want to order Function’s ‘coffee shot’ – a true synthesis of science and coffee. Nickerson used all of his skills to engineer this shot that’s both smooth and satisfying. Why not give it a shot?
Pro Tip Don’t skip the cafe’s pastries which are made in house.
Function Coffee Labs is located at 1001 S 10th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States.
We felt enlightened when we first visited Bodhi Coffee in 2010 and not just because bodhi translates to enlightenment. This is the cafe where we first drank pour over coffees and it’s also the spot where we first drank coffee crafted with Stumptown Coffee Roasters beans. We’ve since enjoyed Stumptown in its home city of Portland as well as in Chicago and New York.
A second location followed a few years later but that one didn’t stand the test of time. Instead, Bodhi Coffee’s owners chose to focus their attention on the original cafe situated inside a historic 18th century Society Hill building. Its a cosy spot with plenty of charm. Plus, it’s conveniently located next to Headhouse Square.
Though Bodhi Coffee’s owners haven’t wavered from their affection for Stumptown, they now source some of their beans from PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. While those roasters aren’t local, Bodhi’s baking partners are all in or near Philly. Continuing the local theme, co-owner Tom Henneman is a key partner of Philadelphia’s Federal Donuts along with Steve Cook and über-chef Michael Solomonov.
Pro Tip Bring a canvas shopping bag if you plan to combine your Sunday morning visit with a shopping trip at the Headhouse Farmer’s Market.
Bohdi Coffee is located at 410 S 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19147, United States.
La Colombe was one of our gateways to better coffee before we outgrew the company’s dark roasting style. Todd Carmichael opened the original La Colombe in 1994 before he found fame and fortune with the Travel Channel and later sold the coffee operation to Chobani. With more than 30 locations in cities across the US, La Colombe is now a national powerhouse when it comes to coffee.
Even though the original cafe is located just off of Rittenhouse Square, the company’s flagship location/roastery is in Fishtown. In a sign of the times, some of its beans are now roasted more lightly than was the case a decade ago.
Pro Tip Try a draft latte when you visit La Colombe in Fishtown. The cafe’s signature caffeinated beverage is delightfully refreshing.
La Colombe Coffee Roasters has multiple cafes in Philadelphia. The flagship cafe is located at 1335 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125, United States.
Consider the following Philadelphia coffee shops if you’re thirsty for even more joe when you visit the City of Brotherly Love:
Check out our coffee guides for cities including Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, Bucharest, Budapest, Buffalo, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dublin, Florence, Hamburg, Lisbon, Lyon, New Orleans, Paris, Rome, Strasbourg and Vilnius.
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website and YouTube. The married Food and Travel content creators live in Lisbon, Portugal.
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