Best coffee (by the cup)
Dutch Monkey Doughnuts is your pick for best coffee in and around Atlanta, but those tasty doughnuts look like a good enough reason to make the trip. Photo: Becky Stein, Special
YOUR PICKS
1. Dutch Monkey Doughnuts
You say, “It is a bit of a trek for those of you inside the perimeter but I assure you, it is entirely worth it! They brew up Counter Culture Coffee which is truly the best coffee I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Oh, and the doughnuts……nuff said! Get in the car and head on up there, you won’t be disappointed!”
2. Dancing Goats Coffee Bar
3. Dunkin’ Donuts
4. Octane Coffee
5. Aurora Coffee
6. Condesa Coffee Cafe & Espresso Bar
Grab a cup of joe at Steady Hand in Emory Village, our pick for the best place to get a cup of coffee in and around Atlanta. Photo: Gene Lee
OUR PICKS
1. Steady Hand
The AJC dining team’s specialist in International Cuisine Gene Lee says, “This cozy Emory coffee bar puts out a stellar product prepared with intelligence using Intelligentsia brand coffee beans. Each coffee is prepared individually and with devices resembling something from high school chemistry. But fear not, this is one fine cup of robust coffee. And also try the velvety-brown Americano; it rivals anything I had in San Francisco.”
2. Octane, Westside
3. Empire State South Coffee Bar
4. Dancing Goats Coffee Bar
5. Condesa Coffee Cafe & Espresso Bar
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104 comments Add your comment
j
October 24th, 2011
1:17 pm
mcdonalds tops them all, price and tatse wise. remember not all mcdonald’s coffee is created equal.
Matthew Snyder
October 24th, 2011
1:24 pm
I have a few I frequent:
A. Octane Coffee. They serve Counter Culture Coffee, which is direct/fair trade and DELICIOUS.
B. Dancing Goats. Located in Decatur, but totally worth the drive. They’re supplied and operated by Batdorf and Bronson, which is a direct/fair trade roaster located in Atlanta.
C. Aurora Coffee. There’s one in the Virginia Highlands that I like to hit up. Had one of the best carmel lattes of my life there.
Marie Dillon
October 24th, 2011
1:41 pm
There isn’t anything better than a skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks.
Stewart Wallace
October 24th, 2011
1:50 pm
Dancing Goats, followed by San Francisco Roasters.
Jen
October 24th, 2011
2:26 pm
Cafe Intermezzo
Jordan
October 24th, 2011
2:36 pm
Octane, Condesa, Empire State South
Sara
October 24th, 2011
3:54 pm
Dancing Goats… and any one who serves their coffee! First had it at West Egg Cafe.
Kay
October 24th, 2011
4:28 pm
Thousand Hills Coffee House in Roswell is by far the best!
They have a good, toasty, aromatic roast with very low bitterness and acidity. It’s got a caramel like roundness to it.
And I love how they serve their latte in a big cup with a pattern drawn on the top.
And love that their coffee is Fair Trade, benefiting people in Rwanda.
And all that greatness for only $3.50!
Jeffrey
October 24th, 2011
5:25 pm
Empire State South (restaurant coffee)
Caribou (retail coffee)
that guy
October 24th, 2011
5:26 pm
Dancing Goats in Decatur!
Sam
October 24th, 2011
5:29 pm
Rev Coffee in Smyrna
Stephen
October 24th, 2011
5:31 pm
Radial Cafe! Great coffee and a nice atmosphere.
Fred
October 24th, 2011
5:32 pm
How long before some “clever” asshat posts “My house.” We should start a pool on the over/under. It ALWAYS happens in every “best of” thread. It’s only a matter of time.
I can’t nominate anyone because I was always partial to that triple strength nasty rocket fuel they dished up at Army mess halls when I was in the Army………………
Fred
October 24th, 2011
5:33 pm
Or maybe Waffle house (see my above post concerning Army coffee lol).
Mary
October 24th, 2011
5:42 pm
Cool Beans Coffee Roasters in Marietta.
QT
October 24th, 2011
5:43 pm
I used to be a fan of Dunkin Doughnuts until the price hike.
GT student
October 24th, 2011
5:55 pm
1 San Fransisco Coffee
2 Octane
John
October 24th, 2011
6:00 pm
Dunkin Donuts by a long shot!
BigEd
October 24th, 2011
6:02 pm
Octane is the best coffee shop. Dancing Goats is a close second (I prefer the beans from Dancing Goats but to go out for a cup of coffee I prefer Octane)
Brookhaven
October 24th, 2011
6:18 pm
Library Coffee Co. in Brookhaven.
Dave
October 24th, 2011
6:33 pm
QT, and I’ll go for Fred’s over/under on the home thing. The reason being, what other outlets have is too expensive for what you get, especially, ready Fred, I make as good or better at home. And QT is pretty good.
Keith
October 24th, 2011
6:35 pm
Maybe I’m an old fuddy duddy … but I do so like Starbucks Pike’s Coffee.
@BearlyDoug
October 24th, 2011
6:35 pm
Dancing Goats, ATL, especially if Jason Dominy is brewing up his magic.
macarolina
October 24th, 2011
6:37 pm
Dancing Goat. I wish Peet’s had a coffee house here too…
Mark
October 24th, 2011
6:53 pm
Land of 1000 Hills in Roswell. Their dark roast french press is amazing..
SAWB
October 24th, 2011
6:54 pm
Sanka
Ben
October 24th, 2011
7:08 pm
Octane Coffee. Righteous caffeination.
USMC
October 24th, 2011
7:17 pm
Aurora in L5P serves a great cup of coffee then I would say San Francisco Coffee in Candler Park.
(Fred can call me an asshat, but I also like Publix brand INSTANT in the red label at home; don’t tell!
Ducks Quack
October 24th, 2011
7:25 pm
Anyone remember “BreakAway Cafe” in Norcross?
PJ
October 25th, 2011
8:38 am
Land of a Thousand Hills – the coffee is fantastic, the mission is amazing. It goes beyond “fair trade” to “community trade” – providing farmers with the support they need to run their coffee businesses & the prices per pound needed to provide wages that can support the workers & their families. The mission statement, “Drink coffee, do good” does exactly what it says.
KJ
October 25th, 2011
9:20 am
My standard is Aurora in Virginia-Highland.
loki44
October 25th, 2011
10:37 am
Nothing fancy here. I like Dunkin Donuts.
Jayne
October 25th, 2011
10:52 am
Octane doesn’t serve Counter Culture Coffee any more…. Which sort of sucks. But I’m all about swinging by that window at Empire State South for some fantastic coffee by those sweet girls. And I’m liking Condesa Coffee. They just seem so knowledgable. Those are my top two coffee joints right now.
Etain
October 25th, 2011
12:35 pm
Kavarna in OakHurst Village, Decatur
Mary B
October 25th, 2011
1:30 pm
ChocoLaté Coffee at Shallowford and 85, really the only one we have in our area that isn’t a Starbucks.
Mel L.
October 25th, 2011
1:37 pm
Java Vino in Va-High! Family run, and all coffee is from the owner’s family coffee plantation in Nicaragua. My favorite is “dirty nekkid man.”
A.S.
October 25th, 2011
3:27 pm
Why doesn’t Octane serve counter culture?
Local Coffee Shop
Condesa
Chain
Caribou
jimbob
October 25th, 2011
5:19 pm
Surprisingly, Flying Biscuit (or at least the one in Norcross) serves a great cup of coffee.
Just Me
October 25th, 2011
5:40 pm
Can’t see paying the outrageous prices for this “designer” coffee. I find it hard to beat either QT or RaceTrack. For pennies over a buck, you get a large coffee that actually tastes good. If you are a coffee snob, buy the best and then pour it into your designer cup so no one knows you drink the house brand.
RL
October 25th, 2011
5:50 pm
Dancing Goats and San Francisco Coffee Roasters
Thumbs up diner
October 25th, 2011
6:12 pm
Best without a doubt, organic arabica bean from nicaraugua.
Maria
October 25th, 2011
7:45 pm
Dutch Monkey Doughnuts!
Trevor
October 25th, 2011
7:47 pm
Huge fan of Dutch Monkey in Cumming and the warehouse!
Ray From NY
October 25th, 2011
7:55 pm
Canvas Cafe in Marietta near the hospital has a solid cup of joe. Add a junkyard bar and your set for the day!
Sandy
October 25th, 2011
8:11 pm
Dutch Monkey Doughnuts in Cumming!
frang
October 25th, 2011
8:18 pm
Great Harvest Bread Company in John’s Creek has the best coffee in Atlanta.
Mary
October 25th, 2011
8:20 pm
Dutch Monkey Donuts in Cumming!
Tabby
October 25th, 2011
8:21 pm
Berry Bean Cafe in Alpharetta!
It’s relatively new, but the coffee is fresh and the baristas can make anything you want!
Caroline
October 25th, 2011
8:42 pm
Dutch Monkey Doughnuts has to be the best!
Patrick Mewes
October 25th, 2011
8:46 pm
Dutch Monkey Donuts in Cumming is the clear winner! Counter Culture Coffee and the best donuts in the country!