Denver might be best known as a beer town, but that’s not really a beverage you can responsibly enjoy before work on a Tuesday morning. Luckily, the Mile High City’s coffee scene is thriving, and there are plenty of cozy coffee shops with something for everyone.
And now that the weather is getting colder, this is the perfect time to try something new, catch up with an old friend, and enjoy a shared caffeinated beverage.
Here’s a list of some of the best coffee shops in and around Denver, including the best spots for remote work, businesses that support the greater good, and even a location without wifi to distract you from your bad Tinder date.
The Best Cozy Denver Coffee Shops for a Date or Meeting a Friend
Middle State Cafe
Baker
With its cool-yet-cozy interior, Middle State Cafe is the perfect Denver coffee shop to meet an old friend or to invite a first date. The flagship cafe and roastery is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, serving several different coffee varieties as well as baked goods, house-made waffles, breakfast burritos, yogurt and granola, and even cereal. Another thing to note? Wine is available if the coffee date extends into the afternoon.
Pablo’s Coffee
Capitol Hill
Pablo’s Coffee is famous for its lack of wifi — and that makes it the perfect place to catch up with a buddy without any of the distractions of modern technology. The location off East Sixth Avenue and Washington Street has a charming exterior and knowledgeable baristas who are happy to serve up some of the best drinks in town. Pablo’s has been roasting its own coffee beans since before it was cool, and with ample people watching, there will be no shortage of things to talk about in this cozy Denver coffee shop.
Stella’s Coffee Haus
South Pearl Street
Stella’s is hands down one of the cutest coffee shops in Denver, and it’s been a meeting place for friends new and old since it opened in 1991. Grab a locally roasted coffee and watch students from the nearby University of Denver study inside or, if outside is more your speed, post up on the dog-friendly patio, which has plenty of space heaters that make it a comfortable option on even the coldest of Denver nights.
Navah Coffee House
Westminster
This Westminster coffee shop wants its visitors to see the establishment as an extension of home — that is, if your house happens to have handmade coffee drinks and all the smoothies you could ever want. Chat with a friend near the coffee shop’s fireplace, post up at the bar, or sit on the patio. No matter what you do, you’ll agree that this is one of the coziest coffee shops near Denver.
Queensberry Coffee Company
Highlands
This cozy North Denver coffee shop’s building is a great conversation starter alone. Back in the early 1900s — long before it was a coffee house — this combination live theater and bar was the first place the Coors family sold their beer outside of its bottling facility. Later, it became the center of less-than-legal activities during the Prohibition. Now, the building is home to a great coffee shop that serves as an excellent meeting place for a friend with an appreciation for history (and caffeine).
The Best Coffee Shops for Remote Work
Lost Coffee
Littleton
Located in a former gas station, this sunny coffee shop has ideal remote work setups, from tables and chairs inside to a covered patio with plenty of space year-round. This spot is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day of the week, meaning it can accommodate most work schedules. With plenty of outlets, your laptop will be charged and ready for you to be a corporate warrior regardless of what your boss throws at you.
Monk and Mongoose Coffee Company
Lone Tree/Denver Tech Center
With locations close to Lone Tree and the Denver Tech Center, this coffee shop is the perfect suburban Denver spot to get caught up on some remote work. Both cafes have plenty of outlets and lots of bar seats for laptop users, and the menu includes a wide variety of espresso drinks, tea, and drip coffees. Seasonal drinks, like the amber and honey blossom latte, will have you coming back throughout the year.
Improper City
River North
A small coffee shop is great, but with the limited space, some remote workers might feel a bit self-conscious about posting up for hours at a time. That’s definitely not a problem at Improper City, a massive facility in the heart of River North. The espresso bar opens at 8 a.m. during the week and has all the coffee, tea, and kombucha you could ever want — as well as Bonfire breakfast burritos for when you find yourself a bit peckish. By afternoon, the space turns into a lively bar with food trucks and plenty of people watching — meaning you might want to hang around even after you turn off your laptop.
Corvus Coffee Roasters
Arvada
This cute coffee shop in the Ralston Creek development of Arvada has everything a remote worker needs. It has hipster cred that makes it a nice break from the home office, freshly roasted coffee that’s much better than anything you can make at home, and comfy spaces with plenty of outlets and fast wifi for when you need to finally get that big project done.
Coff33
Castle Rock
This remote, worker-friendly coffee shop south of Denver has everything you need: free wifi, plenty of outlets, quiet music, and an excellent selection of caffeinated beverages to power you through the day. And, if other coworkers want to stop by, visitors can even reserve a dedicated meeting space.
The Most Unique Specialty Coffee Shops Near Denver
Brockmeyers
Lakewood
Is this unique outpost in Lakewood a German beer garden or coffee shop? Honestly, it can be whatever you want it to be. Stop by in the morning to try homemade bagels and pretzels, and wash it down with a freshly brewed local Huckleberry’s Coffee. If you’re in the mood for something stronger, this spot has a full bar and plenty of beer on tap.
Enchanted Grounds
Highlands Ranch
Drinking a cup of coffee doesn’t have to be an entirely chill activity — in fact, it pairs perfectly with a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. This is more than encouraged at Enchanted Grounds in Highlands Ranch, which has a full menu of delicious coffee drinks as well as dozens of rotating board games and comic books to keep you entertained.
Grounds for Dismissal Coffee
Southeast Denver
Flights of beer are probably one of the best parts about visiting breweries, so why not apply the same concept to coffee? Each flight at Grounds for Dismissal features four 12-ounce lattes with two shots of espresso each. The current fan favorites flight includes creations that feature Nutella, chocolate cold foam, honey vanilla chai, and white chocolate lavender. If this seems like too much coffee, matcha flights are also available. If a whole coffee is more your speed, there are dozens of specialty drinks on the menu, as well as plenty of food for when you inevitably get hungry.
Lucy Coffee House
Aurora
The owners of this coffee shop are immigrants from Ethiopia, and they hope their new brick-and-mortar location off East Mississippi Avenue can become a meeting place for other newcomers from around the world, as well as the surrounding community. The menu includes freshly roasted coffee sourced from farms in Ethiopia, as well as a tea that the owners say has the perfect amount of spice for cold weather.
Bahn and Butter Bakery Cafe
Aurora
This coffee shop and bakery brings the tastes of Vietnam to Aurora. Swing by and try an iced Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk or pasteurized egg foam. You can also really go all out there and snag a colorful Ube foam latte. The food menu includes banh mi as well as an assortment of pastries and sweets.
Purple Door Coffee
Capitol Hill
This cozy cafe combines yummy drinks with a good cause. Purple Door Coffee provides real-world employment services to teens and young adults who are experiencing homelessness. They work in both the Capitol Hill cafe and roastery in Englewood. The coffee comes from ethical coffee growers and importers from around the world. It’s so good that you might want to take a bag home.
Tonatzin Casa de Cafe
Baker
Located right in the heart of the Santa Fe Art District, this unique Denver coffee shop specializes in hot drinks inspired by Latin American and Indigenous preparations. That includes atole, a traditional Mexican hot beverage that combines masa, water, and cinnamon, as well as drinks like a horchata espresso and mocha picante. The larger, shaded patio is the perfect place to spend an afternoon, and the food menu includes pastries, empanadas, burritos, paninis, and more.
Metro Denver is home to countless coffee shops, but sticking with this list is sure to give you a snug fall feeling (and taste!) you’ll want to appreciate time and time again.
