10 Best Coffee Shops in Richmond, VA

The 10 Best Coffee Shops In Richmond, VA

Coffee is having a bit of a renaissance in Richmond, and we are here for it. With that comes an influx of freshly roasted beans, a wide variety of flavors, and quaint coffee shops in which to sit and enjoy a cuppa. Frankly, don’t talk to us before we’ve had our first cup – but that said, we wanted to share our 10 favorite coffee shops in Richmond! (Richmond has a ton of incredible coffee roasters, but we are limiting this post to those with spaces you can sit and enjoy a drink in!)

Afterglow Coffee Cooperative

Richmond’s first coffee cooperative, Afterglow, is located in Scott’s Addition. Afterglow is a fully worker-owned and operated coffee roaster and cafe. The five founding members were formerly employees at Lamplighter, a Richmond original, and they purchase coffees that are transparently sourced and from where the metrics of sustainability are clearly defined and met. Many of the food items are sourced from other local shops, like Sugar & Twine and Birdie’s.

Black Hand Coffee Co.

Perfectly situated at the corner of Belmont and Patterson, Black Hand Coffee is the perfect spot to grab a beverage and breakfast sandwich and just enjoy the Museum District’s atmosphere. We think they make the best Dirty Chai in the city, but don’t sleep on the old fashioned drip coffee. All beans are sustainably sourced from farms and cooperatives. The SEC breakfast sammie on an everything bagel rounds it all out for a great morning.

Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Company

Blanchard’s Coffee is probably one of the biggest names in the coffee world to come out of Richmond. Originally just a roaster, Blanchard’s has now opened three cafes in the city – one on Broad Street just outside of Scott’s Addition, one in Forest Hill, and one in the heart of VCU. You can’t go wrong with a cup of Blanchard’s Blend, a straightforward medium roast, or Dark as Dark, a sweet, creamy, and chocolatey blend.

Grit Coffee Roasting Co.

Grit Coffee started out in Charlottesville, but they’ve since expanded to several cafes around Virginia, including two in Richmond. As a roasting operation, Grit seeks to establish relationships with farmers that have goals to cultivate the best coffees. You can find Grit in Scott’s Addition and at Libbie/Grove. We have a soft spot for the Side Hustle blend, a medium roast with notes of chocolate, nougat, and a green apple acidity.

Ironclad Coffee Roasters

If you’ve seen the Ironclad building, you immediately know how iconic this coffee shop is. Located in an old fire house, Ironclad Coffee Roasters serves up some incredible specialty coffee. You’ll pay a higher price here than a lot of other shops, but that’s because the beans come from environmentally sustainable farms that pay fair trade wages, so there’s no cutting corners here. The House of Usher Blend is our favorite, inspired by Edgar Allen Poe and his life in Richmond.

Lamplighter Coffee Roasters

Lamplighter, one of Richmond’s OG coffee shops, offers some seriously delicious specialty blends and breakfast sandwiches. We absolutely love the classic Tall Bike Blend with tasting notes listing cocoa, almond, fig, and cherry. Pair a cup of that with the breakfast burrito, and you’ve got yourself the perfect morning (or afternoon) meal at the shop nestled on Addison, right next door to Carytown.

Lift Coffee Shop & Cafe

Right on Broad Street in the middle of downtown Richmond lies Lift Coffee Shop & Cafe. Here you can find locally roasted organic and fair trade coffees, breakfast sandwiches, and specialty sandwiches. We love the adorable inside space, but the real hook is the back patio space, complete with a set of gorgeous mural wings to grab the perfect photo op. We highly recommend an Iced Latte with melted brown sugar & a dash of cinnamon.

Rostov’s Coffee and Tea

Richmond’s oldest roaster sits inside Rostov’s Coffee and Tea on Main St. in the Fan. The superheroes at Rostov’s have been roasting fresh beans and providing the perfect cup of coffee to patrons since 1979. Here you can find any flavor profile your heart desires – and even cooler, you can combine bean flavors to make a truly unique combination. Grab a cup and sit outside to people watch!

Sefton Coffee Co.

Sefton Coffee is the perfect cafe in the middle of downtown Richmond. It offers a great, airy space to get out of the hustle and bustle, and a perfectly balanced menu with delicious coffee options and great pastries and sandwiches (including some GF options!) The cherry on top? All beverages at Sefton are made with fresh and natural ingredients, and not lab-made syrups.

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