17 Absolute Best Coffee Shops In Denver
Like many of the country's megametropolises, the city of Denver has a great relationship with coffee. However, it's not something that grew overnight, nor has it always been a part of the city's culture. While coffee was almost definitely consumed by railroaders, trappers, miners, frontiersmen, and the Beatniks after them, it wasn't really until the '70s and '80s that coffee shops became places of social interaction in the Mile High. First, it came through shops like the Mercury, Café Nepenthes, and Muddy Waters, where coffee was more of an amenity to community gathering than it was a reason for showing up. Then, shops like Stella's and St. Mark's followed, uplifting the quality of the java along with the aura of the meeting space itself.
The 2000s brought a rush of new development to Denver, and with it came the third wave of coffee history. Since the mid-aughts, interest in craft beans and specialty service has exploded nationwide. Thanks to a mix of rising affluence, historic neighborhoods, and a unique Mountain West ambiance, the 303 has become one of the best places in the country to get a cup. As someone who visits Denver on an annual basis (often several times a year) and drinks an unholy amount of coffee, I have spent a fair bit of time exploring the specific shops included in this roundup.
All around the city, local coffee chains are thriving, while independent shops continue to bloom, too. Together, they form a caffeine scene that is distinct from anywhere else in America. Denver's best coffee shops are case in point, highlighting a dedication to a few of the things that make good beans: integrity, ritual, and fantastic taste.
Crema
Ask people around town about who started the third wave coffee revolution in Denver, and, like, eight times out of 10, you'll hear the same response: Crema. (The other two people just probably don't know what they're talking about.) The café has been doing it since 2009, which is an incredibly long time to be serving such a mean cup of java.
The baristas at Crema are about their spro' business. The small, no-frills menu is dialed in support of that, and you won't find many slow-bar options. It's not just the skilled baristas who make this RiNo staple such a hit; that welcoming approach also extends to the coffees on offer. The merch shelves are lined and the bean hoppers are loaded with micro lot products roasted by local and national outlets alike. To make matters better, Crema offers some of the best food you're likely to have at a coffee shop.
2862 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
Blue Sparrow
I've written about Blue Sparrow in the past, back when I listed some of the best coffee shops in the country for Mashed. My position on Blue Sparrow is still exactly the same. Yes, the coffee is phenomenal, and yes, the ambiance is both sophisticated and approachable at each of its three locations. Yet, the thing that makes this shop worth a visit every time is its dedication to sustainability, including its yearly report on the way products and operations are impacting better-for-the-planet goals (Surprising no one, takeout habits really put a damper on those initiatives.).
Okay, now that the high horse has been hitched, let's talk java. Blue Sparrow's signature Headliner espresso is a blend of natural and washed Caturra, SL34, and Blue Mountain varietal coffees. It's smooth as a jazz note. On those hot summer days when you need a rest in those cool blue booths, there are equally cool options to quench a thirst, like flash-chilled Japanese style iced coffee.
Multiple locations
Sweet Bloom
With three locations (Lakewood, Westminster, and Arvada) and differing interior designs for each, it can be challenging to pin down what makes Sweet Bloom a great place to hang out. Fortunately, there are common threads: Each coffee shop is a decidedly hip place with unique character and slings premium coffee roasted in Denver.
Prior to opening Sweet Bloom in 2013, proprietor Andy Sprenger was an award-winning roaster at Annapolis-based Ceremony Coffee. He brought the same attention to detail into Sweet Bloom's roasting programs and honed in on values, offering coffee produced by micro lot farmers. The result is origin-traceable beans, even some heirloom varietals, ground into a craveable everyday cup. What's more, Sweet Bloom isn't afraid to have fun with it. Yes, you've got classic espresso beverages, but the menu frequently features signature drinks that don't overwhelm the java. Think spro' tonics with cherry and peppercorn syrup in the summer and black sesame miso lattes in the fall.
(303) 261-5954
Multiple locations
Novo
Jokes about third-wave history aside, Novo is a café that was putting specialty coffee on the map before Crema was a sparkle in Noah Price's eye. With over 20 years of time to get the experience dialed in, each of Novo's four locations is a premier place to see and be seen. The Downtown location has an industrial, hustling feel, while over at Congress Park a stop-in feels like you've become part of the neighborhood. The urbane ambiance at Cheesman Park is something of its own.
One thing Novo does exceptionally well at is educating its customers. The Larimer Street roastery holds classes for espresso brewing, mastering milk art, and learning about coffee from seed to cup. When you finally sit down for your single-origin Americano or steaming cortado, it will taste even better knowing what truly goes into making it.
Multiple locations
Thump
Thump Coffee Roasters is a Bend, Oregon-based coffee chain, but its Denver location on East 13th Avenue has been part of the neighborhood since 2013. The burnt-orange facade belies an interior that's all exposed brick, reclaimed wood, and distressed steel features that harken back to early hipster history (respectfully). Thump thrives as a coworking café, given the abundance of high-top seating that rings the windowed alcoves and also divides the coffee bar from the rest of the seating area.
With coffee roasted on-site and an in-house bakery, it's also a quality place to eat, drink, and socialize. In particular, the shop offers bagels that are some of the better options you'll find around town. New specials are constantly popping up, like avo toast with ramen eggs, but you'll never go wrong with a classic ham and Gruyère croissant, either.
(720) 456-6648
1201 E 13th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
Queen City Collective Coffee
Like most spots on this list, direct-trade, highly traceable beans are a priority at Queen City Collective Coffee. There is an especially high focus on single-origin beans, whether sourced from the San Pedro Yepocapa in Guatemala, or the Hambela Wamena district in Ethiopia, and often these beans are even identified down to the washing station where they were processed.
Even with a shared value around quality coffee, no two Queen City Collective cafés are the same. The Union Station and McGregor Square shop, for example, has plenty of room to spread out and work; the Five Points shop is cozier and better suited for a catch-up with friends. You won't want to miss Cowpoke Fridays, either, a monthly hang where regular customers can refill cans of Starling Coffee while enjoying a little get-down.
Multiple locations
Bluegrass Coffee & Bourbon Lounge
Bluegrass Coffee makes this list of best coffee shops in Denver almost off pure vibes alone. Not that the coffee is bad; on the contrary, the java is exceedingly fresh, given that it's roasted in-house. It's also unpretentious and fun; ingredients like butterfly pea flower extract combine with cold brew and coconut milk, and further down the menu is a killer espresso tonic. But the real charm of this café is that it doubles as one of my favorite bourbon bars in the country.
Whether you're visiting the Olde Town or Candelas location, this all-day café is a great spot for a cuppa joe or a tipple. If you want to mix them together, try the Whiskey River pour-over: a barrel-aged coffee that smacks of bourbon and quality-brewed caffeine.
Multiple locations
Nowhere Coffee Co
Nowhere Coffee is unlike most shops in Denver in that there is always a chance it's going to be closed when you think it's not, and open when you're sure it may not be. That's par for the course for a coffeeshop that bills itself as a "social experiment in patience and persistence." And is it even a coffee shop, per se? Depends on your definition.
Nowhere Coffee can in fact be found somewhere (the Cole neighborhood, specifically), pushing bean water out of a white and salmon-orange Argosy Airstream trailer. When it is open, the coffee's worth traveling for. Proprietor Brandon Painter keeps a fresh, rotating selection of nationwide roasters on deck. The community feel is just as curated. Neighbors are often hanging around the outdoor seating with their dogs, and you just may end up scooping a bouquet of local, fresh cut flowers along with your iced latte.
1717 E 39th Ave, Denver, CO 80205
Coffeegraph
We all know someone who thinks of coffee as an entirely haughty enterprise. Certainly, a high-minded approach can be an indicator of a good coffee shop. But when a shop's ethos is stuffy, or the environment is ultra-minimalist, it's possible for the focus to be lost in simplicity. Coffeegraph is the unique shop that does both.
What makes Coffeegraph one of Denver's best coffeeshops is that it's mission-driven, with a zeroed-in focus on highlighting Indonesian coffee in North America. That manifests in green beans sourced directly from Sumatra, house-made syrups made of pandan, lychee, or aula aren, specialty pour-overs of single-origin coffees, and kopi tubruk, a traditional Indonesian-brewed cup. The shop is playful outside of that mission, too. Its seasonally themed menus are heavy with creativity and nostalgia, like the spring '25, which was inspired by Harry Potter.
instagram.com/coffeegraph.colorado
(720) 751-8899
3800 Julian St, Denver, CO 80211
Little Owl
A small but growing chain, Little Owl hones in on that aforementioned sophistication with locations that are often found in well-to-do buildings. In particular, the Little Owl outpost situated in the Populus is a striking café dripping in architectural intrigue. At each shop, that sense of unapologetic refinement feels earned, thanks to service that treats every guest well while looking good doing it.
The menu has your usual suspects, but don't be surprised if the baristas share their hot takes on ordering a flat white versus a cappuccino. Opinions on steamed milk aside, Little Owl is shows up properly when it comes to roasting the good good. It sources beans from premier growing regions in Guatemala, preeminent washing stations in Ethiopia, and puts the heat on wicked blends sourced partly from Chiapas. The shop isn't afraid to serve those luxe beans with a little bit of candied yam sauce if the season calls for it.
Multiple locations
Corvus
It's hard to think of a better name for a coffee shop than Corvus. Broadly, it covers an entire genus of birds that are highly intelligent and social. Both of those things appear in flocks at each of the six (soon to be seven) Corvus locations in the Denver area.
Corvus is another coffee roaster that prioritizes direct relationships with its coffee producers, many of which do their own experimenting: Colombian producers grow a highly-prized Sudan Rume variety and then dry it in the traditional style of cacao, while Panamanian growers play with the possibility of extended fermentation after nitrogen-flushed carbonic maceration. If it sounds scientific, let me simplify: The coffees are smooth, and the cafés' ambiances are just as smart.
Multiple locations
Tí Cafe
Tí Cafe is the Mile High City's first (and only) Vietnamese coffee shop. That means, of course, that it features some specialties of Viet coffee that have become familiar in the Western world, like cà phê phin and cà phê sữa đá. Tí Cafe's menu also deals in delights that are rising in popularity, too, like ube lattes and different versions of milk tea. And where else can you get cà phê trứng (a traditional Vietnamese egg coffee) or a cà phê sữa đá topped with flan? Okay, maybe the former isn't exclusive to Tí Cafe, but the latter sure is special.
The interior of Tí Cafe is a bit austere, and the best seats in the house are found at the phin bar. That said, it's got character — old TVs and video game consoles make up the front counter, and paper lanterns add visual congruency to the theme.
(720) 940-6663
30 N Broadway, Denver, CO 80203
MiddleState
MiddleState Coffee had been around in Denver long before there was actually a shop to support the brand. During the six years between when Dustin Pace and Jay DeRose first got down to business (2013) and when the first of their two cafés opened (2019), MiddleState was regarded as your favorite coffee shop's favorite roaster. Luckily, not much has changed from said notion; fine espresso is still pulled on the regular. Now, you can just partake in the milieu of MiddleState, too.
The two locations are akin to opposite sides of the same coin. At the Flagship Roastery, there's a tight wrap-around bar for computer work inside a shop that feels like a center of trade. Over in Potter Highlands, it's booth seating under white subway tile and a forest of houseplants, perfect for cozying up or having a chat with your community.
Multiple locations
Huckleberry Coffee Roasters
Another member of the 20+ year club, Huck Roasters, as it's colloquially known, is an institution around town. There are eight cafés to choose from in pretty much whichever direction your day takes you. They're united by colorful, lively murals and bright spaces that encourage a pop-in — whether you only have a few minutes to pass or a lot more time to spend.
Speaking of time, Huckleberry Roasters isn't known for slow bar options, so expect your standard espresso bevvies, alongside a delish drip option to boot. For an extra jolt of something tart and tasty, the cold brew limeade is what you need. The attitude in Huckleberry is quintessentially Denver: a little weird, but always high-quality.
Multiple locations
Atlas
Atlas Coffee is a sort of do-it-all style shop, with a large food menu for any time of day, and a generalist coffee list that uses another roaster from this list, Corvus Coffee. If that sounds a little utilitarian, it should, and that's not a bad thing. With an ethos that centers gathering, each of Atlas's three shops is made for passing your time however need be, whether that's setting up for remote work or connecting with folks IRL.
One thing about Atlas is that each location is a bit commercial-feeling. Over on Broadway, the shop has a bit more of '90s/early aughts energy, and on Sterling Ave., the café shares space with a local brewery. The OG location on Ken Caryl is still hopping and remains a pleasantly dependable java shop.
Multiple locations
Convivio Café
In similar fashion to Tí Cafe and Coffeegraph, Convivio Café starts with an immigrant story and proceeds with a fantastic cup of coffee. This Guatemalan- and women-owned bilingual café celebrates the richness of diversity beyond a single nationality. There are Guatemalan single-origin brews accompanied by Mexican cafe de olla, Colombian licuado smoothies, and brisa de Jamaica (hibiscus tea with coconut cold foam and lime zest). And that's only on the beverage list.
Food is something to heavily consider when visiting Convivio. Order up pan dulces in the form of rellenito de platano or champurrada, a traditional Guatemalan cookie that's vegan. The breakfast and lunch menu has plates of beans and plantains, Colombian-style empanadas, tostadas, and chia puddings, each better seasoned than the last. Regardless of whether you're at Northside or the Alliance Center location, there's a distinct feel of being in Latin America from the moment you enter the door.
Multiple locations
Hearth
Thanks to its partnership with local roaster Tablón, Hearth could've made this list on its coffee offerings alone. Yet taking its baking prowess out of the discussion wouldn't do this shop justice. This is one Denver coffeeshop where the quality of the oven-fresh goods that are available really just make the coffee experience better.
Recently, Tablón Coffee moved into Hearth's Littleton location. That change hasn't changed much, as the bakery is still pouring up crazy good cups, like a washed Peruvian that tastes so bright it sparkles. Let the sun through Hearth's big bay windows wash over you as that pungent coffee cuts through a churro waffle, and you'll see what we mean about this place being top of the list.
Multiple locations
Methodology
To collect my selections for this roundup, I began with personal experience. I make a visit to Denver at least once a year, and while there, aim to sample between three and five new coffeeshops. With that in mind, the majority of this list has been informed by my own travels and encounters with the businesses listed.
That said, I did also take the time to consider reviews, opinions, and feedback from consumer rating sites like TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, the Infatuation, and Yelp. I also did some deep digging around the numerous Reddit threads related to coffeeshops in Denver, and touched base with friends and family I know who live in the city and work in the service industry. On a qualitative level, I looked at cafés that pay particularly close attention on the quality of beans they use, the environment they cultivate, and if there was a particular story that went into opening up said business.