These local coffee shops should be on your list when the need for caffeination calls
In our Dining Guide section, we feature some of our favorite eateries and dining establishments in the region, selected and listed by cuisine type, theme or geographic area. In this edition, it’s all about the coffee talk. These are locally owned coffee shops (or limited franchises with a selective local presence). You’ll find no twin-tailed sirens here, just good coffee, tasty treats and all the local vibes and caffeination you might need as you are penning that world-changing business plan or writing that great American novel. Because great local coffee shops are about community just as much as they are about coffee. Here, you’re invited to sit, sip and savor the Coastal Virginia ambience.
aLatte Cafe Owners Neil and Melissa Sanders were newlyweds when they opened this Granby Street staple in 2007. It has since become a popular destination for visitors and locals, particularly downtown residents and TCC students and staff, who love its fun and funky vibe; friendly service, and house-roasted coffee. alattecafe.wixsite.com/mysite-4
American Brew Opened in 2016 by fitness guru Ashley Horner, American Brew is known for its coffee, smoothies and health-conscious breakfast/lunch offerings, and has a killer cocktail list, to boot. Located at the bottom of the Lesner Bridge in VB, the cafe also hosts live music, pop-up shop vendors, and local craft markets. theamericanbrew.com
Aromas Coffee House Bakery & Cafe Located on Prince George Street in Williamsburg, with a second location called Captains Den in Newport News, Aromas is a family-owned coffeehouse that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner at very fair prices, as well as a wide array of specialty cakes, pies and pastries, including vegan and gluten-free options. Bonus—the cafe is pet-friendly, too! aromasworld.com
Astraea Coffee Situated in a charming little house on N. Landing Road in Virginia Beach is Astraea Coffee, an establishment that’s all about “Liberty, Justice & Coffee For All.” Inspired by the Greek virgin goddess of purity and precision, owners Heather and Christy sought to create a space for community, conversations, and calmness. astreacoffee.com
Bad Ass Coffee Though it’s part of a small chain of cafes that can be found in the U.S., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Japan, the VB Oceanfront franchise of Bad Ass Coffee is a well-loved spot that locals and tourists flock to for its Kona coffee, laid-back surfer vibes and aloha spirit. badasscoffee.com
Borjo Coffeehouse Originally opened in 2004, this ODU Village favorite re-opened with new ownership in 2022 to much fanfare. Their menu features organic, fair-trade tea and coffee, the latter of which is sourced from Mahogany Roasters in Gloucester County; pastries from May’s Parlor, Yorgo’s bagels; and a selection of house-made sandwiches and small plates. borjocoffeehouse.com
Cafe Stella With locations in Ghent and downtown Norfolk, Cafe Stella is definitely a place at which to “see and be seen.” But it’s not all just vibes—the all-day menu boasts pretty spectacular bistro fare, plus a fresh juice bar, craft beer and wine; not to mention house-roasted coffees sourced from all over the world. cafestellaroasters.com
Column 15 Started as a roastery selling to shops and markets, this hip java joint created by two former William & Mary students has killer nitro cold brew (the name is a reference to nitrogen on the periodic table) and much more. Check out their Obsidian Nitro solo or pair it with flavors like Salty Valentine or Milky Way. You may also find yourself obsessed with their coffee ice balls and seasonal sweets. column15.com
Cova Brewing Owned and operated by two local families, this unique Ocean View establishment houses a cool, modern coffeeshop on one side, and on the other a brewery and self-serve taproom, in what was once an old auto garage. The property also has a huge outdoor space with tented areas, fire pits, picnic benches, and visiting food trucks. covabrewco.com
Cure Established in 2011 in the Freemason neighborhood in Norfolk, Cure now has three additional locations in downtown Smithfield, Olde Town Portsmouth and Oyster Point in Newport News. The cafes exclusively serve Durham, NC-based Counter Culture Coffee, as well as made-from-scratch pastries and sandwiches, craft beer and wine, and a seasonal cocktail menu. curecoffeehouse.com
Fair Grounds Upstairs, inside the chartreuse-colored house on Baldwin and Colley Avenues is Fair Grounds, which was originally opened in 2001 by Elliot Juren as a place for fair-trade, organic coffee (a rarity at the time). Under new ownership since 2013, the cozy cafe remains a fixture amongst coffeeshop scenesters and continues to be Norfolk’s oldest independent coffeeshop. fairgroundscoffee.com
Fathom Coffee When Jeff Werby and Lisa DeNoia’s co-workers discovered the coffee Jeff’s dad, Bob (a retired Navy engineer), was roasting at home and started trying to buy it, the three went into business together with a roastery and then a coffeeshop in 2019. At their ViBe District spot, you can buy just coffee, beans, Fathom merchandise and brewing supplies. fathomcoffee.com
illy Caffè Though this Italian gourmet coffee brand and international franchise has a few dozen U.S. locations, the arrival of this café, with its distinctive coffee cup chandelier, was a coup in Williamsburg’s Merchants Square. Their signature mild roast can be found in espressos and lattes while bagels, frittatas and sandwiches share menu space with croissants and bomboloni. facebook.com/illyCaffe
Williamsburg
Gather Cafe Every cent of profit made at this coffeeshop in the Western Branch area of Chesapeake is donated back to local charities. That’s because this cafe is a 501(c)3 that serves classic coffee primarily sourced from locally based Prescription Coffee Lab, as well as breakfast and lunch, as a means to serve the community. gathercafe.net
Java Surf Cafe & Espresso Bar This colorful counter-service breakfast and lunch cafe in the ViBe District has been serving up coffee, espresso drinks, wraps and paninis down at the Oceanfront since 2005. It’s also the site of Cars & Coffee, a long-running classic car meetup that takes place on the first Saturday morning of every month. javasurf.com
JoJacks Espresso Bar & Cafe
This unassuming cafe in Churchland is a nice surprise, serving classics and more inventive fare; like the Killer Bee Latte (honey, cinnamon and cayenne), Black Forest Latte (blackberry and dark chocolate), the Philly Brie Steak Sandwich (tenderloin, mushrooms, roasted red peppers and brie), and the Bordeaux Burger (topped with prosciutto and provolone). Bonus: they have a drive-thru! jojackscafe.com
Knott’s Coffee Company This newer coffeeshop is located in the Bridgeport development in Suffolk. In addition to classic coffee drinks, they serve smoothies and a limited selection of wine, beer and cocktails, as well as sandwiches, salads, flatbreads, and a great selection of $4 empanadas. Looking for a fun hang? They also host regular trivia nights and BINGO! knotts.coffee
Kobros Inspired by cafes they visited while traveling the world for their military careers, identical twins Erik and Sean Kopack opened their coffeeshop in 2020 before also establishing their own roastery in 2021. Their 21st Street space is tiny and spare yet filled with personality, and their house-roasted coffee menu is tightly curated but packs a punch. kobroscoffee.com
Lynnhaven Coffee Company Tucked in a strip mall on Shore Drive is Lynnhaven Coffee Company, a whimsical little cafe, serving coffee, espresso drinks, smoothies, and a handful of healthy, wholesome breakfast and lunch menu items. All their coffee is small-batch roasted in their own facility less than a mile from the cafe. lynnhavencoffee.com
Mea Culpa Owners Cristina Angelo and Kristopher Harvey evolved their extremely successful pop-up concept, Waffletina, into this bright and beautiful cafe, located in the bottom floor of a white Victorian house on Colonial Avenue. They serve up drip coffee, specialty lattes, delicious breakfast and lunch plates, and the tastiest waffles you’ve ever eaten.
meaculpacafe.square.site
Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters After many iterations over 289 years, the Cole Diggs House in Historic Yorktown Village became home to Mobjack Coffee in 2007, fulfilling the vision of owners Celeste and Jo Gucanac. In addition to serving coffee, baked goods, and lunch menu items, Mobjack Coffee offers historian-led tours in Colonial National Historical Park! mobjackbaycoffee.com
Mudita Café & Bar Mudita means joy in Sanskrit, and that is what owners Kate Bianchi and Madison Hahn wanted to bring to Ocean View with their craft coffee and cocktail bar. Within the turquoise exterior is a fun and urban space with colorful lighting and decor. On the menu you’ll find brunch bites, tacos, sandwiches and snacks. cafemudita.com
Pale Horse Coffee At his two Chesapeake stores/roasteries (Great Bridge and Summit Pointe), where all coffee is roasted in-house daily, owner and retired Air Force officer Gray Livingston infuses all aspects of Pale Horse Coffee with a sense of patriotism, from the names of menu items to fundraising efforts for organizations like the Navy Seals Foundation. palehorsecoffee.com
Pourfavor Wife and wife duo Marie and Tina DePedro describe Pourfavor as “a specialty Puerto Rican based coffee shop,” which they created “to combine coffee, community and inclusivity.” Their two locations (Virginia Beach and Suffolk) both serve an extensive drink list; “coffee flights” for indecisive guests; plus breakfast, lunch, and lots of desserts. pourfavorcoffeeshop.com
Roast Rider Coffee & Cafe Owners Wayne and Lisa Richmon consider themselves “curators” who leave the roasting to partners like Equator, Amavida and ONYX Coffee Lab; and the scratch-cooking to food partners like Prosperity Kitchen, Azar’s, and My Vegan Sweet Tooth. Roast Rider’s non-coffee menu includes cocktails, natural wines, breakfast items, pastries, pizzas and mezze. roastridercoffee.com
Sawdust Road There’s a beautiful old farmhouse turned cafe out in Pungo called Sawdust Road, owned by locals Eddie and Kristine Compo, that not only serves great lattes, breakfasts and lunches; they also source everything locally and are committed to being a fair employer. The vibe is warm and modern, and the menu features approachable classics with a twist. sawdustroadva.com
The Coffee Shoppe Open since March 2009, this cozy little corner spot in Olde Town Portsmouth has changed hands but remains locally owned and has certainly retained its quaint, neighborhood feel. Besides coffee and tea, they serve up smoothies, breakfast, lunch and pastries, and in warmer months you can sit at an outside table and enjoy High Street. thecoffeeshoppeva.com
Three Ships Coffee Since founding the roastery in their garage in 2013, owners Amy and Brad Ewing have expanded the Three Ships coffee brand to three locations (ViBe District, Hilltop and downtown Norfolk) that share a hip vibe, fun design, extensive coffee and tea offerings, and a menu of hearty biscuit sandwiches and pressed sandwiches. threeshipscoffee.com
Town Center Cold Pressed With six total locations throughout Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg, Town Center Cold Pressed has grown quickly since its inception in 2014. Known for its pressed juices, TCCP also offers bagel sandwiches, oatmeal bowls, smoothie bowls, and an extensive beverage list, including coffees, espresso drinks, and “superfood steamers” like matcha, chai and turmeric. tccp.cafe
Vessel Craft Coffee Founder Sarah Beth Cowherd discovered her love for coffee on a small Nicaraguan farm she visited as a teenager on medical mission trips. At Vessel—a coffee bar, roastery and breakfast/lunch spot in West Ghent—her mission is to continue supporting ethical and sustainably sourced coffee farms around the world. vesselcraftcoffee.com
Please note this is a partial list compiled by Coastal Virginia Magazine editorial staff and contributing writers. Look for more listings of local restaurants in future issues!
