Best Coffee Roasters Outside San Francisco & Portland

Coffee roasters that go beyond the bean

Time to debunk a myth: There is a robust coffee culture beyond San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. Across the United States, a handful of artisan roasters are creating community and educating consumers about how good coffee can be—and the good it can do. Here are three companies that practice what they brew:

Buy Green: Helping to transform Los Angeles's once bleak espresso scene, Handsome Coffee Roasters has created an inclusive ethos centered on demystifying coffee and committed to green-buying practices. At its bustling roastery and café in L.A.'s Arts District, the Handsome team churns out pitch-perfect lattes according to their rules. (Shop Handsome Coffee)

Educate: On the other coast, North Carolina-based roaster Counter Culture offers education programs in cities along the Eastern Seaboard, including Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Coffee geeks can learn about milk chemistry and brewing science or tag along on an annual field trip to Nicaragua. (Shop Counter Culture Coffee)

Document: Sourcing directly traded, sustainable beans, Austin-based Cuvee Coffee is a bright spot in Texas's roasting scene. And owner Mike McKim has dreamt up Wild Coffee, a food-documentary-meets-travelogue that brings his international coffee travels to the small screen. (Shop Cuvee Coffee)