8 Coolest Coffee Shops in Connecticut!

Muddy Waters Café, New London, CT

Situated on 42 Bank Street in New London, Muddy Waters Café has become a local institution. Order a freshly-made egg sandwich on your choice of bread to go along with a perfect and simple large, black coffee. Take your coffee and breakfast selection to one of their mismatched chairs and tables, or if the weather is nice, take a seat on their deck, which overlooks the Thames River.

Essex Coffee and Tea Company, Essex, CT

The Essex Coffee and Tea Company brings a little hip twist to the quaint and quiet Essex Village. With hot beverages called “Chai-a La Beouf,” you can’t beat this spot. Essex Coffee and Tea Company changes their beans weekly, and sources their beans from specialty roasters (these change week by week). Currently, they have a range of light to dark roasts and have beans from Central America and Africa.

Atticus Bookstore & Café, New Haven, CT

Atticus Bookstore & Café, located right at Yale, is a popular spot among students. Expect to find trendy coffee drinks on their menu including cold brew, nitro, and espresso drinks. Additionally, they have simple but flavorful meals of soups, salads, and sandwiches to go along with your hot (or cold) coffee. Don’t forget that Atticus is also a bookstore, so after ordering your coffee, do browse their great selection of books.

J. René Organic Coffee Roasters, Hartford, CT

Enjoy artisanal coffee while chatting with friends at this large café. The exposed brick walls and large tables for sharing make a beautiful location to enjoy your locally-roasted coffee prepared to your liking. J. René prefers to use blends of coffee beans from all over the world rather than single-origin beans to get the perfect flavor for their espresso drinks. In addition to espresso drinks, you can also order coffee prepared via numerous methods including Chemex, French Press, and Siphon Pot. To go along with their coffee, they also serve pastries that they have baked in-store.

Lorca Café, Stamford, CT

At Lorca Café, it is really about the pairing of coffee with delicious food. Enjoy single-origin coffee beans roasted to perfection and made into cold brew or hot espresso drinks. To accompany your specialty coffee, order a sweet (or several). On their menu, you’ll find Spanish pastries including churros with sauces, alfajores (a type of filled cookie), and St. James Cake. If you are hungrier for something more substantial, they also serve breakfast and lunch sandwiches depending on the time of day.

NEAT, Darien, CT

Find delicious artisan coffee that is roasted by NEAT in their café and shop. NEAT’s aim is to serve single-origin coffee with bold flavor profiles for the customers to enjoy a transformative coffee tasting experience. At NEAT, you can enjoy espresso-based coffee drinks. 

Ashlawn Farm Coffee, Old Saybrook, CT

A family dairy farm since 1909, Ashlawn Farm recently decided to switch their focus to coffee roasting, and the equipment is housed in their former dairy barn. Conveniently located at the Old Saybrook Train Station, for your commuting pick-me-up, Ashlawn serves coffee prepared from beans they roasted themselves. You can even purchase their specialty beans online at their website. In the summer months, you can often find Ashlawn’s coffee being sold at larger farmers’ markets across the state.

Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters, Trumbull, CT

Focused on organic, fair trade coffee that is sustainably grown, stop by Shearwater Coffee Roasters to taste a cup of their coffee or purchase a bag of beans. The owner of Shearwater, Ed Freedman, focuses on organic beans since they can be more flavorful and less bitter than coffee beans grown with pesticides. This creates high quality coffee beverages for those with a discerning palate. If you can’t make it to Trumbull, you may be happy to know that many restaurants, bakeries, and even grocery stores stock Shearwater Organic Coffees for sale across Connecticut. 

Whether you enjoy your cup of coffee in a quirky café in one of Connecticut’s small towns, or in a bustling city, you’ll find the perfect drink for you. Travel Connecticut for artisan coffee, visit local coffee roasters, and find your favorite local coffee shop.