Though New England may appear to run on Dunkin’, and social media buzz around Starbucks’ seasonal drinks tends to break the Internet, there’s way more to coffee in Connecticut. Here are 20 locally owned coffee shops where the brew is serious business.
Dom’s Coffee, Avon: A graphic on the wall of the sunlit shop reads: “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy coffee, and that’s pretty close.” The café on Route 44, which opened earlier this spring, produces French-press and Chemex coffee, and espresso drinks, like a soft and creamy honey latte. Food options include pastries, like turnovers and scones, along with packaged sandwiches and salads and aged Dziugas cheese, imported from Lithuania. 860-707-0925, domscoffee.com.
F.R.O.T.H., East Hampton: New to the area as of August, F.R.O.T.H. boasts an extensive menu of organic, fair-trade coffees and teas: pour-overs, lattes, espresso, matcha and chai, along with house-made flavored sodas. Food options include omelettes and breakfast sandwiches, soups and gluten-free pizzas. Décor is inviting, finished in turquoise paint and marked by a large mural honoring an iconic Hunter S. Thompson quote. 860-797-0626, frothcoffeehouse.com.
Maison Mathis, New Haven: The Belgian café/bakery is a popular Yale hangout, with Counter Culture coffee and espresso beverages, teas, fresh juices and select beers and wines. The food menu features breakfast all day (egg sandwiches, omelets, brioche toast); sandwiches and tartines (including croques madame and monsieur) and irresistible pastries and sweets. Just try to resist the aroma of its house-made Belgian waffles, with syrup, chocolate or salted caramel. 203-752-9779, mm-yale.com.
Down to Earth, Glastonbury: Cozy space with comfortable seating, organic and fair-trade coffees with single-origin options from around the globe; classic espresso beverages with a variety of flavors, including seasonal tastes like maple spice, peppermint and gingerbread. Light fare includes salads, soups and pastries. 860-633-1499. facebook.com/DownToEarthCoffeeHouse.
Koffee?, New Haven: By day, Koffee? features five kinds of drip coffee and creative concoctions: “gingersnap” spiced chai with espresso, a Nutella latte, frozen espresso drinks and smoothies, along with sandwiches and pastries. At night, its “after dark” premise offers craft beer and wine starting at 5 p.m. 203-562-5454, koffeenewhaven.com.
Peaberry’s, Simsbury: Full menu of hot and iced espresso drinks (flavored lattes, Americanos, mochas, flat whites); chai, cold brew, fresh-squeezed lemonade, fruit smoothies and more, including an innovative “nitro” coffee poured from a tap under nitrogen for a smooth, creamy texture. Food options include a menu of wholesome breakfast options, sandwiches, salads and soups and daily treats: cookies, muffins, scones and other pastries. 860-658-2930, peaberryscafect.com.
Tisane, Hartford: Café by day (teas, coffees and Asian-inspired sandwiches, salads and plates) turns into bar by night, with creative martinis and a full entertainment schedule of DJs and dancing, weekly karaoke, themed parties and drag shows. 860-523-5417, mytisane.com.
Klekolo World Coffee, Middletown: Offbeat café in its 22nd year, vibrant with local art. Daily selections for dark, medium, extreme, flavored and decaf brews, in addition to specialty espresso beverages, tea and hot chocolate. Cash only. 860-343-9444, klekolo.com.
Hartford Baking Company, West Hartford: One can easily live on bread alone at the New Park Avenue café, with daily loaves including baguettes, country French batard, ciabatta, multigrain and even German-style pretzels. But during its five-year tenure, HBC’s coffee has always been serious business, with single-origin varieties brewed to order and several traditional espresso drinks. 860-570-1579, hartfordbaking.com.
Giv Coffee, Canton: Jeff and Emily Brooks opened their café in late June after nearly four years of roasting and selling responsibly sourced beans from around the world. (Two dollars from each bag sold go toward three charitable causes.) Café customers now enjoy a variety of drip coffees, espresso drinks like lattes and cappuccinos and trendier cold-brew and pour-over options. Giv also serves snacks and light bites, like pastries, oatmeal, cookies and milk and savory pies with meat and vegetables. 860-874-5301, givcoffee.com.
Daybreak, Glastonbury: Coffee roasted in-house; a variety of blends, origins, flavors (caramel fudge, mocha butter crunch, toasted coconut); and hot and cold espresso drinks, panini and soups. 800-882-5282, daybreakcoffee.com.
Blue State Coffee, Hartford and New Haven: At this small chain of community-oriented coffee shops, two percent of sales are donated to local nonprofits. The café menu features traditional drip coffee, pour-over and aeropress-brewed varieties, lattes and other espresso creations, chai, cider, smoothies and loose-leaf teas. Each location also has a full menu of sandwiches, salads, snacks and all-day breakfast options. bluestatecoffee.com.
Coffee Pedaler, New Haven: The East Rock café has drawn raves for its lattes, pour-overs, bottled cold brew (which they refer to as “pure decadence”) and Montreal-style bagels. Assorted baked goods come in daily from Hamden’s Bread and Chocolate. 732-595-6414, facebook.com/thecoffeepedalernewhaven.
J. Rene, West Hartford: Sleek and trendy design — exposed brick, round pendant lights, white subway tiles — meet meticulously crafted espresso beverages and artisan coffees brewed by siphon pot, Chemex and French press. The business’ global outreach initiative raises awareness and funds for Team Rwanda cycling through the sale of its Victus coffee blend. 860-461-7858, jrenecoffee.com.
Sarah’s Coffee House, 257 Asylum St., Hartford: Socially conscious coffee serving a downtown crowd (sales benefit local causes like The House of Bread soup kitchen). Sarah’s features brewed beans from around the globe and hot and cold espresso drinks: lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, along with pour-overs and white and dark hot chocolate. In the works: a small bar with wine, beer and cocktails, intended for brunch, happy hour and evening events. Open Monday through Saturday, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 866-645-0180, sarahcoffeehouse.com.
Willoughby’s: The wholesale roasters, in business for more than 30 years, have four retail shops and coffeehouses in New Haven, Madison and its roasting plant in Branford. Products include unblended single origin coffees, various blends and French roasts. willoughbyscoffee.com.
Ashlawn Farms, Lyme and Old Saybrook: Shoreline residents and visitors have loved the rustic Lyme farm café and roastery for years, and its second shop in Old Saybrook, which opened in the fall of 2013, was a welcome addition to Saybrook Junction by the train station. Guests enjoy fresh-brewed hot and cold coffee drinks in addition to baked goods and sandwiches. farmcoffee.com.
Fuel, New Haven: In its new home at 208 Wooster St., which opened in the fall, Fuel continues to please with its organic, fair-trade coffees, pastries and vegetarian and vegan bites. Recent sandwich specials included tofu salad and vegetarian “unchicken” sandwiches on sourdough with fresh veggies. twitter.com/fuelcoffeeshop.
East Rock Coffee, New Haven: Guests have no choice but to unplug and unwind here — there’s a strict no-electronics policy, so don’t tote your laptop — but visitors enjoy creative breakfast and lunch sandwiches and pastries with their cappuccinos, cortados and chai. 203-785-9218, eastrockcoffee.com.
Perk on Main and Perk on Church, Durham and Guilford: Sweet and savory crepes are the menu stars at these cafes, along with Equal Exchange coffee, lattes and flavored iced or frozen “Perkaccinos.” The brand has expanded to include a truck, Perk on Wheels, and a third brick and mortar restaurant is planned for Middletown this year. perkonmain.com.
