If you are visiting Atlanta, or are a local looking for a great cup of coffee, you’re in luck. This roundup of coffee roasters is a great place to get started tasting the best of Atlanta. Read on to learn more about what these roasters have to offer!
Are you a coffee lover looking for the best coffee roasters in Atlanta, GA? If so, you’re in for a treat. From cold coffee to strong espresso, Atlanta has some excellent coffee. The city boasts over 50 small cafes and local roasters, and many hidden gems are just outside the city.
With so many options, it can be tricky to pick the top ones. From popular names like Firelight Coffee Roasters and Brash Coffee to lesser-known gems like Chrome Yellow Trading Co, these roasters craft the best coffee for connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike. Skilled baristas, carefully chosen coffee beans, and cozy spaces make these coffee roasters unique.
In this guide, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best specialty coffee roasters in Atlanta, so coffee lovers can get their caffeinated fix while in town.
BRASH Coffee
BRASH Coffee is an absolute must-visit if you’re visiting Atlanta for the first time. Tucked away within the Westside Provisions District, BRASH Coffee is a delightful coffee shop ingeniously constructed from transformed shipping containers. Their selection includes artisanal blends such as their signature brew and single-origin coffees.
BRASH Coffee was founded in 2015 by Chris McLeod and now has three locations in Atlanta. The original café, located on Howell Mill Road, is quite modest, with only a few people fitting within two shipping containers. They expanded their space at the Atlanta History Center in 2018. In 2019, they collaborated with a design firm to open a third location named “Huge X Brash.”
They not only provide delicious coffee, but they also embrace technology. Their café features interactive displays and augmented reality coasters that inform you about the coffee.
When it comes to getting their coffee beans, BRASH cares about being fair. They really love coffee and work hard to get the best beans from specific farms in El Salvador. They get the coffee beans, roast them, and ensure that everything is perfect to provide you with a delicious cup of coffee. They are extremely careful when making different types of coffee, such as pour-overs and drip coffee.
So, if you’re in Atlanta, don’t miss their delicious iced lattes and great coffee.
Bellwood Coffee
Bellwood Coffee is a relative newcomer to the specialty coffee market in Atlanta. It started as a mobile coffee bar at Jim Adams Farm & Table on Bolton Road, NW, in 2019. When the farm closed, Bellwood took over and turned it into their café. Today, they not only serve coffee but also sell it online, at their shop, and to other Atlanta businesses.
Bellwood Coffee Roaster has three coffee shops in Atlanta: Riverside, Peachtree Workspace, and East Atlanta Village. They source coffee from Mexico and Colombia and roast it in their Riverside location. If you can’t go to one of their shops, you can buy their coffee online or join their coffee club to experience different blends every month. Smoke Signals is their most popular blend with nutty, chocolaty flavors.
You can get exceptionally good coffee in a cozy ambiance with friendly service at their cafes. The East Atlanta Village location is a local favorite because it is next to Victorian Atlanta, a plant shop. You can sip your coffee while surrounded by plants and even buy some to take home.
EasT Pole Coffee Co.
East Pole Coffee Co. is a popular coffee roastery and cafe in Atlanta’s Armour Yards area. The coffee bar, known for its friendly and patient staff, serves a delightful blend of sweet pastries, savory treats, and flavorful coffee. East Pole guarantees the best coffee experience with an on-site coffee bean roasting setup.
The company was founded in 2015 by Atlanta locals and friends Jared Karr and Jules Tompkins. Today, it is operating as a specialty coffee roaster, wholesaler, retailer, and cafe.
East Pole sources its coffee beans from around the world, focusing mainly on South American origins. Blends such as Agua Blanca and Traffic: Popayan Reserve are famous for their chocolate and almond notes, which create distinct flavors. The coffeehouse, which recently extended to Poncey-Highland with a wine bar, has become a favorite destination for both coffee connoisseurs and those looking for a charming romantic location.
Their location in Piedmont Park is perfect for sipping a pour-over while soaking the atmosphere. The cafe’s dedication to quality and community engagement has solidified its status as one of the best coffee roasters in Atlanta.
Firelight Coffee Roasters
Firelight Coffee Roasters, established in 2014, is one of the best coffee roasters in Atlanta. The journey began with Todd Johnson’s home-roasting experiments with an old popcorn popper. The coffee quality improved significantly with persistence and support. Encouraged by friend Ryan Harlan, they got their first production roaster in 2014. This marked the official launch of Firelight Coffee, which quickly gained positive feedback.
They roast their coffee in the Strongbox West coworking space in West Midtown Atlanta at 1040 West Marietta Street NW. The facility offers a welcoming tasting room, cafe, and tiny Ambex roaster.
Firelight Coffee Roasters are known for their good-priced, sustainably sourced coffee worldwide. Most of their 12 oz. bags cost less than $20. You’ll love their Canopy coffee with vanilla and citrus flavors and Portico blend with citrus and berry notes.
They plan to expand by partnering with cafes and providing value to subscribers and their online community. Firelight Coffee Roasters is a story of dedication, growth, and a commitment to great coffee. You can see it in their perfectly brewed cups.
Chrome Yellow Trading Co
Located in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward, Chrome Yellow Trading Co. is a trendy café with counter seating and a cozy outdoor terrace. It’s a unique neighborhood that is both historic and modern.
The café is located near the famous Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr. Concrete floors, old rugs, and white walls give the interior a hipster vibe.
They serve coffee from well-known roasters such as Stumptown and Methodical. The baristas know everything about the beans and can recommend different options based on your tastes. They also prepare unique drinks like vanilla bourbon latte and maple-oat cold brew. Their Edgewood Ave. location is well-known, and they offer seasonal lattes and coffee beans for home brewing. The café’s minimalistic design includes a space for locally-made artisans.
Don’t miss out on their special lattes, and be sure to grab a couple of bags of coffee to enjoy at home.
Radio Roasters
Located near the renowned Dekalb Farmers Market in Decatur, this small one-room roastery offers a unique coffee experience near Atlanta. Chip Grabow, a former NPR producer and West Coast expat, founded it in 2013 as a home-roasting experiment.
It grew into a successful small business worth seeking out over time. Radio Roasters sells coffee mostly through subscriptions, but they also have a shop downtown Decatur where you may buy it. They even sell their coffee to other Atlanta stores.
Unlike a traditional café, Radio Roasters only focuses on the roasting process. It is not a big café, just a small room with a table and chairs. On weekdays, the retail store is open until 1 p.m.; on weekends, it is open until 5 pm. You can have some espresso and talk to Chip there. He will even recommend which coffee you should take home with you. They have special coffee from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Latin America. You can see how they roast the coffee beans and buy coffee-making supplies if you visit their Decatur store.
Chattahoochee Coffee Company
Chattahoochee Coffee Company, located in Atlanta, GA, aims to make a positive difference in the world through outstanding coffee, justice, and community engagement. They’ve been serving fantastic coffee and specialized beverages since 2012, with stores in Westside, Riverside, and The Eddy. The Riverside location features outdoor seating and a beautiful view of the Chattahoochee River.
They are dedicated to serving sustainably produced coffee worldwide. They work with Counter Culture Coffee. Additionally, they guarantee the quality of other ingredients, such as locally sourced milk and in-house crafted flavor syrups.
They vow to use their resources and space for positive change by contributing at least 10% of their annual earnings to non-profits and charities, supporting organizations, and hosting charity events. Whether you need a space for work or relaxation, Chattahoochee Coffee Company wants to make you feel at home.
If you also love wine, you’ll love checking out my post on the Best Wineries in the Georgia Mountains.
Dancing Goats Coffee
Dancing Goats Coffee Bar is a coffee shop that started in Washington and now has multiple locations in Atlanta. Their shops are known for being cozy and inviting, making them ideal places to relax, work, or study while sipping a cup of coffee.
The name “Dancing Goats” is inspired by the story of Ethiopian goats discovering coffee, and the coffee bar hopes to reflect the spirit of this discovery in its coffee selections. They provide a variety of coffee blends from around the world, catering to various tastes, such as fruity or black coffee.
You can find their stores in Midtown, Buckhead, Ponce City Market, and Decatur. They use the highest quality beans from Batdorf & Bronson. They offer a variety of coffee drinks, including creative seasonal types, at their Ponce City Market location, which was the first to operate. If you’re looking for a caffeine fix, Dancing Goats Coffee is an excellent choice.
Atlanta Coffee Roasters
Atlanta Coffee Roasters was founded in 1983, and since then has been providing the Atlanta area with exceptionally roasted and brewed coffees and specialty drinks. Their current owner purchased the shop in 2005 and has been focused on a scientific, yet delicious approach to roasting, supported by growers focused on producing top-quality beans while also supporting their community.
Atlanta Coffee Roasters offers single-origin beans from around the world, from Mexico and Honduras to Ethiopia, as well as delicious blends like Bill’s Special and the Espresso Blend. You can enjoy the perfect cup of joe in their tasting room, just about 1 mile from Emory University.
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re a dedicated coffee lover or just looking for a quick caffeine fix, these coffee roasters offer unique, ethically sourced blends, high-quality beans, and products, making each worth a try.
