It’s no secret that Columbus has some of the best coffee experiences in the nation, making it within the top 100 cities for coffee lovers in the United States. It’s one of the numerous ways that Columbus is crafting amazing experiences for consumers all across the city, and Columbus has enthusiastically embraced their identity as a coffee connoisseur’s dream. There are numerous festivals held around the year to celebrate the joy and community of coffee lovers, but some places offer distinct charm and a mindblowing mug all year round. Here at HER, we love to tell our clients about the outstanding venues they can support and enjoy, and here are our top picks that we’d like to recommend.

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Columbus’s Best Coffee

1. Boston Stoker
2. Red Velvet Cafe
3. The Roosevelt Coffeehouse
4. Stauf’s Coffee
5. Das KafeeHaus von Frau Burkhart
6. One Line Coffee

1. Make A Bee-Line For Boston Stoker

This Ohio-native store has a deep, decade-long history with coffee that shows through in their dedication to delivering the perfect cup

Boston Stoker has had a long history in Ohio, and it’s possible you might have already heard of their popular stores without hearing about the origin of what’s become an OH favorite. Founded in 1973 in Englewood, Ohio, it started out as a pipe and tobacco shop of all things by Don and Sally Dean, and as a tactic to gain people’s patronage, they gave out free freshly-brewed coffee to their customers as they shopped. Eventually, as the demand for their delicious beverage grew and the production of the coffee became more integral to the business, Boston Stoker began its first foray into the specialty coffee business. In 1986, Boston Stoker was one of the 80 members of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, which has grown into global organization, as Boston Stoker has grown to be one of the household names of Ohio’s beloved coffeemakers. Luckily, they opened a location in Columbus later in the 20th century, and we’ve been proud of their establishment since its inception. They also make a commitment to establish more direct relationships with their farmers to support the foundation of their beloved coffee, and they offer educational materials to anyone interested in the farms that they buy their coffee from and their effect on those people, or anyone looking to learn how to brew their own coffee. For a legendary coffee with unparalleled precision, we know that Boston Stoker is  must for everyone to try.

2. Experience Cupcakes And Coffee At Red Velvet Cafe

We probably would have guessed that cupcakes and coffee would go great together, but Red Velvet Cafe is making it better than we ever imagined

Another coffee shop adopted by Columbus from someplace else in Ohio, Red Velvet Cafe originated in Pickerington, Ohio in 2012, before moving to Columbus after their success skyrocketed them into the spotlight. At least, that’s formally where Red Velvet started, but as they’ll tell you on their website, the real beginnings started much further than from Pickerington. In the Philippines, Krizzia Yanga’s great aunt first taught Yanga’s mother how to make a brioche, which sowed the seeds of a lifelong love of baking, and a desire to one day open a bakery of her own. Yanga has noted that their menu is influenced by a variety of different cultures, much in the same way that Filipino food has had touches from China, Spain, North and South America, and Malaysia. Their Filipino dishes were so popular that it inspired them to open a full-service restaurant, Bonifacio, serving the cultural cuisine. The Red Velvet Cafe still keeps people coming though for their amazing coffees, like Vietnamese Iced Coffee or their Cuban espressos, not to mention some international coffees from Ethiopia and Guatemala sourced by another coffee house on this list, One Line Coffee. We’re proud of Columbus’s ability to nurture and support businesses like this, and we hope you pay a visit to Red Velvet Cafe to experience their sublime coffee for yourself.

3. Change The World With Roosevelt Coffee

It’s not often that buying a cup of coffee will have a real, meaningful impact on the world; unless you’re buying from The Roosevelt House, that is

It’s a dilemma we face each and every day: we want to do all that we can to erase the horrifying injustices that exist in our world today through hard work and determination, but we also need a good cup of coffee. Luckily, our prayers have been answered with the truly extraordinary Roosevelt Coffehouse in Columbus. We could talk about the amazing charity work that this organization does through their huge monetary contributions, but we wouldn’t know where to start: is it better to start with their efforts to supply clean water to impoverished communities all over the world, and to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the continent of Africa? Or should we begin with their donations to 7 different charities to fight human trafficking and modern enslavement? These dedicated people have donated roughly $79,000 to a host of charities combating some of the fiercest problems facing our world today. Their contributions (and by extension, your cups of coffee) have bought DNA testing kits, food for food banks in Houston and for refugees in the Middle East, and a home for Syrian refugees in Iraq, as well as much more. You can rest assured knowing that their coffee is delivered to you with the same principles that fuel their other humanitarian work, with their efforts to support local and international businesses with the coffee they serve. They offer V60, chemex, and drip coffee, in addition to your classic drinks like espressos and mochas, as well as cold brew bottles from Stumptown and One Line Coffee from Columbus. These hometown heroes are doing some good in the world, and we can’t recommend The Roosevelt Coffeehouse enough.

4. Stuff Your Face With Stauf’s

Is it coffee? Yes. Does that mean you can’t stuff your face with it? No.

Stauf’s Coffee Roasters is a classic Columbus native that has made it its mission to serve the people the best cup of coffee they can. They do this by ensuring that the entire process of making your coffee, from choosing the best beans to making their coffee in profile roasts to ensure their authenticity and freshness, is tailored to their exquisite standards. They’re also Columbus’s first micro-roaster, roasting their beans in smaller quantities by hand every day. As you can imagine in any artisanal project where someone spends a great deal of time and effort on a single product, this method allows for Stauf’s to create coffee that is exciting, bold, and adventurous. We also just love the vibe of the entire organization; it has a professional-quality aesthetic due to their penchant for precision, but a distinct casual air about it, making it perfect for any and every type of social encounter. You’ll find this same atmosphere in each of their five different locations across Columbus, ensuring that no matter where you reside you’ll have access to a Stauf’s just around the corner. Their coffee comes from Peru, Colombia, Tanzania, Costa Rica, and Ethiopia, with some limited edition batches from locations like El Salvador, Kenya, and Honduras. Stauf’s also provides a number of educational resources for anyone interested in exactly how the decaffeination process works, or what goes into creating flavored coffee, or even just how to brew your own perfect cup of coffee at home. Whatever your need, Stauf’s Coffee Roasters has proven that they know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to creating some amazing coffee.

5. An Edgy, Underground, Pub-Style Coffee House

For a distinctly European feel in the heart of Ohio, this eclectic coffee spot delivers

This venue is dripping with personality and style, and we can’t wait to tell everything we love about it. To begin, this coffee house is trying very hard to go against the grain of what we’re told to expect from American coffee establishments, that either vie for a free love, menage a trois aesthetic, or a bustling, “let’s get a move on” vibe. At the same time, it’s a distinct break from what anyone would describe as a distinctly “German” place too: their website has a paragraph dedicated to how their take on a Kaffeehaus might not appeal to what someone from Germany might expect. So what do you get from this refusal to conform to either an American or European tradition? The result is a warm and intimate space that still somehow maintains an edge of mystery that’s reminiscent of European trends for these kinds of spaces. Part of that feel is due to the KaffeeHaus’s flirtation with EDM and techno music in the space, to emulate some coffee establishments in Germany that double as EDM clubs in the evening. The coffee itself also strives for an experience that breaks with your traditional expectations for an American coffee house, using a German roast recipe that dates back to 1632, and an Austrian recipe that’s just between an American roast and a Blittzkrieg, a bolder French roast. Their menu also hosts a variety of pastries like cheese danishes, cakeballs in the shape of the German umlaut, and a delicious honey cake. For an exciting blend of European cultures built for a coffee-crazy American audience, Das KaffeeHaus von Frau Burkhart is a modern masterpiece.

6. One Line Coffee Wears Many Faces

This enigmatic Columbus business helps everyone get the coffee they love

You’ve already seen the name of this coffee shop and wholesaler on this list, and now you get to hear why they’re the talk of the town. Started in 2009 by a father and son duo, Mark and Dave had been running two cafes already for years when they had the idea to truly connect with the people who were supplying them with their coffee. The coffee shops already on this list are just the beginning of the story: One Line provides coffee beans to 39 different businesses in Ohio and Kentucky. Many of these businesses are in Columbus as well, and there’s a fair chance that the coffee from your favorite place could be supplied by One Line. In addition to their wholesaling reputation, their actual cafes are sights to behold too, with locations in Short North and Capitol Square giving off their down-to-earth vibe and an extremely welcoming environment. The good people at One Line Coffee are doing good work for Columbus and beyond, and we hope they stick around for many more years to come.

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Columbus is truly an amazing place, sizzling with energy and bursting with creativity and ambition. It’s a place for innovators, big thinkers, and people lovers, and we think that our selection of coffee houses here can cater to exactly the kind of people that Columbus attracts as a whole. If you’re looking for even more great coffee shops, check out the Columbus Coffee Trail, a coalition of various Columbus coffee makers who have worked together to support each other’s businesses and create the best city-wide customer experience possible. Which is your favorite coffee shop? Is there a cafe that’s your favorite that you think deserves to be on this list? Let us know what you think of these amazing businesses! And if you’d like to relocate Columbus to get to have all of these amazing experiences on your doorstep, make sure to come to HER!