The USA has a reputation for being a world-leader in practically every field: science, technology, music, and business. But what about coffee? Ask any European about American coffee, and they’ll likely turn their noses up. But often they’re just lamenting the watery coffee churned out by the nation’s biggest chains. What about all the independent coffee shops that make amazing cups of coffee? Don’t they deserve a chance to shine? Here, we’re going on a search for the best craft and independent coffee shops in the US. Let’s take a look at what’s out there and what makes these coffee shops so special.
Palace Coffee Company
The Palace Coffee company is located in the panhandle of Texas, and it’s mission is to bring amazing coffee to both Amarillo and Canyon. Customers get a healthy dose of southern hospitality when they arrive, with the shop itself retaining much of the traditional appeal of a saloon. Last year, the shop actually won America’s Best Coffee House competition, making the shop famous all over the world. Palace Coffee company has some interesting coffee shop marketing ideas and presents itself in a unique Texan style. It’s certainly an establishment worth checking out.
Octane
Octane coffee started out life as a single shop in the peach state. But thanks to its unique appeal, it soon spread to more than five other locations. The shop itself isn’t just based around coffee and cake, like most coffee shops in the area. Instead, Octane lives up to its name by providing customers with a selection of wines, beers, and cocktails. There’s also a range of local craft beers on offer too, cementing Octane as somewhere that is truly alternative. The result of all of this is a shop that is bustling with interesting people and even more interesting menu choices.
Panther
Panther is a coffee shop that is focused on brewing the perfect small batch coffee, roasted in-house. It currently has two locations across Miami and delivers a friendly service, mainly thanks to its team of baristas. The Panther shop itself is certainly a product of the Miami atmosphere. It’s bright and vibrant and departs significantly from the usual brown and neutral tones you’d expect from a regular coffee shop. Being Miami, there’s an outdoor patio area where guests can enjoy the fantastic weather, as well as a stage where live music is performed on a regular basis.
G&B Coffee
G&B Coffee is short for Glanville and Babinski, the names of the founders who started the coffee shop in Los Angeles, decades ago. Since then the shop has grown in reputation, thanks to the quality of its coffee as well as the number of flavor options on offer. The New York Times weighed in on the sho’s coffee offering, citing, in particular, its amazing macadamia-almond milk inspired coffee drinks as being something truly original and unique, not available anywhere else in the world. Thanks to its reputation for excellence G&B Coffee is widely considered to be the best coffee shop in town – which isn’t bad when the town is Los Angeles, a city of more than 10 million people.
