For richer or pour over, Richmond’s coffee shops are what keep us going in the morning. The River City has no shortage of masterful baristas, aromatic roasts, and foamy lattes. But if you’re having trouble deciding on a spot, gather some brews clues with our guide to some of the best coffee shops in Richmond.
⭐ Editor Elise here — I’ll be popping in throughout the guide to add some notes and recommendations. Don’t worry, it’s no skim off my back.
Espresso yourself
Brick Road Coffee Company, 8055 Shrader Rd. | Unwind — or wind up — with a coffee, and sit down for a great work-away-from-home space.
Fuel Pump, 3200 W. Cary St. | You can count on specialty seasonal flavors at this Carytown coffee station, which also doubles as a wine bar.
⭐ Fuel Pump is smack dab in the middle of Carytown, just west of Cary Court.
Grant Coffee Company, 11884 Chester Village Dr. | This Chester shop offers a selection of coffee drinks including espresso, blended drinks, and affogato.
Ironclad Coffee Roasters, 1805 E. Grace St. + 2100 John Rolfe Pkw. | If you want your latte down to a science, this shop’s flavor concoctions will have you covered.
Lift Coffee Shop & Cafe, 218 W. Broad St. | Try a specialty drink like the Banana Bread Latte, Mayan Mocha, or Jane Eyre — that’s a lavender white mocha latte.
Paix Espresso, 407 Cleveland St. | The espresso experts at Paix will set you up with specialty drinks and baked goods.
Sefton Coffee Company, 24 N. 8th St. | Trust the experts at this Downtown shop — your morning latte will thank you.
⭐ Keep an eye out for the occasional vintage popup at Sefton, like the Virginia-based curator Le Marché du Soleil.
Roasts to boast
Afterglow Coffee Cooperative, 1719 Summit Ave. | Richmond’s first worker-owned coffee roaster offers bags of beans, specialty drinks, and community events.
Blanchard’s Coffee, multiple locations | Grab a drink and a bag of beans.
⭐ The Richmond blend has notes of toffee and dark chocolate, or you can go for the caramelized + nutty Handshake blend.
Grit Coffee Roasting Co., multiple locations | Based in Charlottesville, this shop has two Richmond locations and offers a coffee subscription club.
Qahwah House, 900 W. Franklin St. | This regional chain specializes in Yemeni coffee and is open late.
Reviresco Coffee Co., 710 Lafayette St. | This cafe and micro-roastery opened near Malvern Gardens in July 2023.
⭐ Fun fact: Steven and Melissa Dalton chose the name of their shop from the Latin word meaning “to flourish again.”
Riverbend Roastery, 2623 E. Broad St. | Swing by this Church Hill roastery for a fresh brew and a breakfast sandwich.
⭐ If the weather’s nice, take your coffee on the road, trade for a new book at the Little Free Library around the corner, and head to Libby Hill Park for a picturesque Richmond afternoon.
Roastology, 3015 West Clay Street | Formerly located in Carytown, this Scott’s Addition space boasts a refreshing, open-air environment.
Rostov’s Coffee and Tea, 1618 W. Main St. | These quintessential Richmond roasters got started in 1979 and haven’t slowed down since.
⭐ You can always count on Rostov’s for a fun seasonal flavor, and it’s hard to resist looking through the gifts and accessories while you’re there.
Best bites
Buna Kurs Ethiopian Cafe, 402 1/2 N. 2nd St., Ste. A | In addition to coffee, frappes, smoothies, and tea, this cafe has all-day breakfast and Ethiopian favorites like ertib.
Cafe Synai, 416 N. 1st St. | Coffee is just the start at this fresh-baked oasis, which offers sandwiches, smoothies, and desserts.
Café Zata, 700 Bainbridge St. | Enjoy a sandwich, soup, or salad with your joe at the Manchester spot.
⭐ The bagels are sourced from Cupertino’s — the real deal.
Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream, 3600 Forest Hill Ave. | This Forest Hill spot has coffee, smoothies, bagels, sandwiches, and sweet treats.
Perk! Coffee & Lunchbox, 2620 Buford Rd. | Coffee, baked goods, bagels, biscuits, and sandwiches are all on the menu at this Bon Air favorite.
Keffiyeh Café, 316 N. Arch Rd. | People can’t get enough of the Dubai Strawberry dessert at this newly opened cafe serving coffee and treats.
The Smoky Mug, 2930 North Ave. (New location opening soon) | Latte lovers will adore this Northside gem, also serving breakfast burritos and lunch briskets.
Stir Crazy Café, 4015 MacArthur Ave. | Hungry? Try a bagel sandwich at this Northside cafe.
⭐ Fun fact: Stir Crazy celebrated 20 years in business in May 2024.
Surrounding Counties, 8801-A Three Chopt Rd., Apt. L | Enjoy your coffee with a bagel, bowl, or fancy toast.
Whisk, 2100 E. Main St. | Grab hand-crafted drinks to pair with a bundle of French-inspired pastries.
On-the-go joe
Alchemy Coffee, 814 W. Broad St. | Stop by The Lab for a cup from a guest roaster and a quick bite in the middle of VCU.
Brookfield, 301 W. Franklin St. | Get a drink or a quick lunch at this cafe located in the lobby of the Graduate hotel.
Can Can Café, 800 E. Broad St. | Swing into the Library of Virginia for a cold brew on your way to work, or grab a to-go salad or sandwich.
Greenbriar Cafe and Coffeehouse, 1211 W. Main St. | This VCU-area shop is well-designed for busy students. Walk up or call ahead for takeout.
⭐ Hot take: The Huge Breakfast Burrito is the ultimate hangover cure... if you can handle it.
Sugar & Twine, 2928 W. Cary St. | Cap off your Carytown shopping spree with an espresso beverage and a pastry.
⭐ Indoor seating is coming back to the shop this summer. The shop is expanding into the adjacent storefront, the former Bits & Pixels location.
Quirk Coffee Bar, 201 W. Broad St. | Fuel your Arts District afternoon with a cup of local coffee and a snack.
Perfect for a date
Abi’s Books and Brews, 1212 1/2 W. Cary St. | Browse the shelves together, pointing out what interests you with one hand and holding a coffee in the other.
⭐ Book navigation can be substituted for hand-holding.
Best Café, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd. | Add an iced coffee to your obligatory first date at the VMFA.
Birdie’s, 305 W. Broad St. | This cafe becomes an oyster bar and wine cellar in the evenings.
⭐ If you’re already counting down to December, make sure to keep Birdie’s on your radar. The shop hosts one of the top holiday pop-ups in the area.
Black Hand Coffee Company, 3101 Patterson Ave. | The patio area next to this Museum District shop is great for conversation.
Urban Hang Suite, 304 E. Broad St. | This social cafe offers great coffee and the opportunity for great conversation.
The Urban Farmhouse Market & Cafe, multiple locations | Meet up for a drink or make it a meal at this relaxing eatery.
ICA Café, 601 W. Broad St. | Make a date to explore the galleries and enjoy coffee, tea, and eats.
Lamplighter Coffee Roasters, 116 S. Addison St. | Convenient mobile ordering and plenty of cozy table settings make for an ideal date setup. Plus, Lamplighter frequents with plenty of pups, perfect for a conversation starter.
⭐ I love Lamplighter’s Thai Iced Coffee + Slayer Bagel so much, I even gave them a shoutout in my editor’s bio.
Le Cache Dulcet, 109 E. Broad St. | Flip through hundreds of records with a coffee in your other hand.
Find in the wild
Coalesce Coffee Co. | Find this mobile barista at Kickers games, Virginia Credit Union Live! concerts, and festivals around Richmond.
Espresso A Go Go | Look for the Rosie the Riveter-inspired logo at the next festival or farmers market you stop by.
The Exit Plan | This popup drink cart is for the matcha lovers.
⭐ Purchases from this mobile cart support owner Jace Camarillo’s emigration and ultimate dream of opening a Mexican cafe in Tokyo, Japan.
Daily Coffee Co. | This 1960s yellow bread truck is home to a variety of specialty coffee drinks, plus treats from Shyndigz, Up All Night Bakery, and Montana Gold Bread Co.
Maharajah Coffee | Find this mobile cafe most Saturdays at the RVA Big Market or Sundays at South of the James farmers market.
Parousia Coffee | This truck is a common find at the RVA Big Market at Bryan Park on Saturdays.
Purpose Espresso | This mobile espresso trailer hails from Midlothian and has been known to appear at PopUp RVA and Carytown Farmers Market.
⭐ A local farmers market could very well be where you find your next great Richmond roast. Consult our guide to see where you should be shopping.
Be the barista
Shop our favorite coffee essentials to turn your house into our city’s next great coffee destination.
- It all starts with the beans — for the best coffee (and tea), skip the big brands and shop this collection of coffee from local roasters. For a whole bean coffee, try Methodical Coffee’s Pink Lady, while these Loveland Coffee K-Cups are a great Keurig option.
- For a French Press that lasts, avoid breakable glass options and opt for stainless steel — this Secura French Press is highly rated and comes in multiple colors.
- Bloom pourovers like a pro with elegant gooseneck design of the COSORI Electric Gooseneck Kettle.
- These double walled glass espresso cups or these handmade ceramic espresso cups will set your home cafe apart.
- Hide coffee stains under espresso makers with this absorbent drying mat that sucks up coffee drops like magic.
- For the sleekest coffee accessories imaginable, shop the Fellow collection for coffee bean grinders, kettles, and carafes.
- Ready to go all in? The Breville Barista Espresso Machine is a best-selling espresso machine that makes coffee shop-worthy lattes, cappuccinos, and espresso at home.
Check out our map of coffee shops in Richmond and let us know what places we need to add.
