Who doesn't love a good cup o' Joe?
Cincinnati has quite the coffee scene, with everything from the latest in coffee technology to good old-fashioned coffee shops. Grab your laptop or a book (or just stop in on the way to work) and enjoy these great local coffee shops.
Coffee Emporium (five locations): Coffee Emporium is the granddaddy of Cincinnati coffee shops. The OTR location (110 E. Central Parkway) is the best place to go if you want to see the city's movers and shakers (particularly during election season), and the Hyde Park (3316 Erie Ave.) location is always packed. Outposts at Xavier University (Gallagher Student Center and Williams College of Business Atrium) and Downtown (301 E. Fourth St. at Queen City Square) are popular as well.
Try: The Bourbon Fizz, cold bourbon barrel aged coffee with San Pellegrino (delightfully refreshing!), and Belgian waffles (on weekends only at the Over-the-Rhine location).
Collective Espresso (three locations): Looking for an artisan coffee bar? Look no further. Espresso is the specialty here, with beautiful lattes, French press and more drinks made from a rotating selection of beans. From the original location in Over-the-Rhine (207 Woodward St.), it has added locations in Northside (4037 Hamilton Ave.) and Downtown (inside the Contemporary Arts Center at 44 E. Sixth St.).
Try: Almond milk macchiato or espresso lemonade (yes, it's delicious).
Coffee Please: A cute coffee shop in Madeira, Coffee Please caters to Madeira moms, high-school kids coming in for an after-school pick-me-up and everything in between. The shop roasts its own beans on site and has an entire wall filled with different varieties of coffee, from Ethiopian Yirgacheffe to flavors like hazelnut. 6930 Miami Ave.
Try: seasonal roast, which changes often.
Bloc Coffee Co.: Sponsored by Bloc Ministries, whose goal is to enable people in underserved areas to flourish, Bloc Coffee Co. in East Price Hill serves excellent coffee at good prices with a side of delicious food. It serves Deeper Roots coffee, uses Snowville Creamery milks and features art, jazz and yoga — it's where coffee meets community. 3101 Price Ave.
Try: One of the manual brews, such as Aeropress or Chemex, and on a Thursday or Friday grab a chipotle egg sandwich or oatmeal with Snowville Creamery half-and-half.
Luckman Coffee Co. (two locations): Luckman specializes in roasting its own coffee. Stop by either location (5200 Beechmont Ave. or 8298 Clough Road, both in Anderson Township) for coffee, breakfast or lunch. If you're in a real hurry, the Clough Pike location has a drive-through. It’s the convenience of national chains, but you're supporting local.
Try: Cincinnati Mocha, with cinnamon and cayenne pepper.
Awakenings: Awakenings in Hyde Park Square draws a regular crowd of folks grabbing coffee before work, after pilates at the nearby studio, and before or after school. It’s comfortable, with friendly baristas and a real community feel. Once the evening settles in, you can stick with coffee or grab a glass of wine. 2734 Erie Ave.
Try: The cornbread muffins.
Deeper Roots: Deeper Roots offers artisan coffee to many local coffee shops and has its own shop in Oakley. There, you can try Deeper Roots' cold black coffee (cold brew in a bottle) or many different kinds of coffee from around the world, all roasted at its roasterie in Mount Healthy. Bonus? It often hosts pop-ups, like Gadabout Donuts and Marty's Waffles. 3056 Madison Road, Oakley
Try: Cold coffee (on nitro!) and one of the signature toasts like the Eileen: 16 Bricks bread, cultured ricotta and Hen of the Woods' pineapple-habanero spread.
Carabello Coffee: Carabello Coffee’s symbol, a tandem bike, symbolizes its philosophy — coffee and compassion in tandem. Carabello helps fund both local charities like Ohio Alley Cat Resource and international charities like an orphanage in Nicaragua. It also supplies coffee to multiple restaurants in Greater Cincinnati. 107 E. Ninth St., Newport
Try: Cinnamon Roll Saturdays (with an espresso).
Left Bank Coffeehouse: This adorable space is filled with $1 books and a few tables — perfect for spending an afternoon reading or relaxing. Another purveyor of Deeper Roots coffee, Left Bank serves pastries and delicious eats from several local vendors. Grab some coffee, soup and a book, and linger at Left Bank. 701 Greenup St., Covington
Try: The French press.
