With a rich and detailed history, Richmond in Virginia is becoming increasingly popular as a tourist destination.
The historical attractions, such as statues and museums, preserve the in-depth history of the city, whilst the various canals and the James River make for peaceful scenery.
If you are planning a trip to Richmond, and know that you are going to be needing your caffeine fix, then it is important to find the best coffee shops Richmond VA has to offer. You can of course search for coffee shops near me in Richmond but that won’t give any recommendations, just a list.
That’s where we come in! We are going to be going through fifteen particularly noteworthy Richmond coffee shops that you can make a note of when you decide to visit this beautiful city. Let’s get started.
1. Harrison Street Café
Harrison Street Café has been a staple of Richmond for over twenty years, having been established back in 2000.
They are a unique café in that it has always maintained a vegetarian menu, which they refer to as its “good eats, no meats” menu.
This menu includes items such as tofu, beer-battered steak sandwiches and vegan biscuits and gravy.
When it comes to its coffee menu, Harrison Street Café offers standards such as lattes, Americanos and local brews as well as iced coffees (Check out How To Make Flash-Chilled Iced Coffee).
If you are looking for a place to relax with a simple cup of coffee and some tasty food, this is the place for you.
Address: 402 North Harrison Street, Richmond, Virginia 23220 (click for map)
2. Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Company
Blanchard’s has three cafés to be found in Richmond although each one is different in terms of location.
With one on Broad Street, one on Forest Hill Avenue and one on Morris Street- you will find the same excellent quality coffees in every store.
Blanchard’s sells their own beans so that you can make your own versions of their signature blends at home, including their Richmond blend, Midnight Oil blend and Black Dog blend.
Address: 3121 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23230 (click for map)
3. Grit Coffee
Grit is another coffee establishment that has multiple locations, with most of them being in Charlottesville, also in Virginia, though they have one shop on Libbie Avenue in Richmond.
As well as lattes, espressos and general coffees and teas, Grit also offers baked drinks as well as seasonal specials, including a Pumpkin Pie latte with espresso, honey, seasonal spices, pumpkin pie syrup, and steamed milk.
And a Spooky Bear latte, which features seasonal spices with espresso, honey, vanilla and steamed milk.
Address: 409 Libbie Ave, Richmond, VA 23226 (click for map)
4. Urban Hang Suite
As the name would suggest, the Urban Hang Suite is the perfect cool spot to hang out with friends or family and enjoy some delicious coffee.
The urban nature of the social café doesn’t stop with the decor, as the clientele themselves tend to be a mix of those from the eclectic Jackson Ward, Arts District, and Downtown Richmond communities.
The coffee menu is basic but ticks all the necessary boxes, whilst there is plenty to enjoy in terms of food.
Address: 304 E Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219 (click for map)
5. Crossroads Coffee And Ice Cream
If you are a fan of ice cream as well as coffee, then this next venue is going to be a dream come true!
Despite the name, coffee, and ice cream aren’t all that Crossroads has to offer, as they also have an extensive menu of foods, including sandwiches, salads, breakfasts, and even craft beers.
No matter what your tastes might be, Crossroads has enough variety on its food and drinks menu that you are sure to find something to your liking.
Address: 3600 Forest Hill Ave, Richmond, VA 23225 (click for map)
6. Perk! Coffee & Lunchbox
Perk has a pretty simple coffee menu, but it is one that still offers enough for you to get your chosen caffeine fix, as well as being pretty delicious!
The house specialty coffee at Perk is known as the Perkolator, and it is a decadent mixture of cold brew with a shot of espresso alongside maple syrup and sweetened condensed milk.
As well as the Perkolator, you can also get classics like regular mochas and cold brews.
There is also a tasty breakfast menu at Perk, including a breakfast sandwich and homemade Greek yogurt parfait.
Address: 2620 Buford Road, N. Chesterfield, Virginia 23235 (click for map)
7. Cafe Zata
Cafe Zata is a haven for coffee enthusiasts in Richmond. With a focus on using locally roasted beans from Ironclad Coffee, they serve a variety of freshly brewed coffees and espressos.
Whether you’re in the mood for a single-origin roast or their beloved House of Usher Blend, the cafe offers a range of flavorful options.
If coffee isn’t your cup of tea, they also boast a selection of Carytown Teas and seasonal sweet teas.
In addition to beverages, Cafe Zata provides a satisfying food menu featuring sandwiches, soups, salads, and locally made Cupertino’s bagels, all made with quality Boar’s Head Brand meats and cheeses.
Address: 700 Bainbridge St, Richmond, VA 23224 (click for map)
8. Sugar & Twine
Are you partial to some sweet, baked treats alongside your coffee? Then Sugar & Twine is where you want to come when you visit Richmond.
We all know that pastries and coffee are a match made in heaven, and Sugar & Twine bring them together perfectly.
You can grab yourself teas, coffees, and espressos at this establishment, all locally sourced, as well as some unique pastries and baked goods.
Such as a fontina and thyme croissant, a ginger molasses cookie or a maple pecan scone to name a few.
There are also plenty of tasty sandwiches to be had, as well as choices of beers and wines.
Address: 2928 West Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23221 (click for map)
9. Recluse Coffee Bar And Roastery
Recluse is a coffee establishment that works with coffee farmers directly in order to create and roast the best possible coffee for their specialty shops, including their store in Richmond.
Whilst they only have a few options of beans that you can buy to make your own version of their coffees at home, the choices they have are incredibly multicultural.
With options of beans from Ethiopia, Honduras, Peru, El Salvador, Guatemala and Colombia to give you different tastes from around the world.
In terms of their in-store menu, it is equally small but still features some tasty treats, such as a Black Walnut Maple latter and a Coffee – Cherry Wassail.
Address: 1310 Altamont Ave Richmond, VA 23230 (click for map)
10. Lamplighter Coffee Roasters
This unique coffee joint definitely has a modern, hipster vibe to it, with interesting coffee concoctions such as the Cranberry Espresso Soda featuring espresso, soda water, sage and cranberry syrup with ice and an orange slice, or the Lavender Latte.
Which is a double shot of Swiftwalker espresso alongside steamed milk and homemade lavender flower syrup.
Lamplight also features a fair amount of vegan food items on its menu, such as curry tofu salad, vegan pumpkin bread and vegan chocolate matcha cups.
Address: 116 S Addison St Richmond VA 23220 (click for map)
11. Roastology
A warehouse turned coffee shop, Roastology has a big space with lots of seating and a modern, industrial vibe with an appealing aesthetic.
The shop also features a viewing window, where you can watch as the staff roasts the beans for your coffee in-house.
The coffee itself is pretty damn good too!
In terms of their cafe menu, there is a lot to choose from such as standard coffees and unique creations.
Such as the Fall Equinox seasonal blend which combines Ethiopian, Brazilian and Mexican blends to create a spiced, buttery-tasting seasonal drink.
Address: 2701 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23220 (click for map)
12. Black Hand Coffee Company
Beginning back in 2009, Black Hand Coffee has grown significantly and continued with its mission of providing the best possible coffee to its customers at affordable prices.
This local coffee roaster offers premium roasts and blends that you can buy online or in-store to make for yourself at home, as well as their in-store menu.
Speaking of that in-house menu, there is plenty of choice with Black Hand, including regular lattes, flavored lattes, cold brew coffers and drip coffees as well as double or quadruple espressos if you need an extra burst of energy!
Address: 3101 Patterson Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221 (click for map)
13. Rostov’s Coffee And Tea
When it comes to variety, Rostov’s has something for everyone to enjoy when it comes to coffee in Richmond, Virginia.
Some of the choices you have, if you choose Rostov’s, include a Breakfast Blend, which combines French Roast with Guatemala Antigua and Bourbon Santos beans, or their Yigracheffe blend, which is an Ethiopian style of coffee with citrus notes.
That is to name just a few of their blends!
Address: 1618 W Main Street Richmond, VA 23220 (click for map)
14. Alchemy Coffee
Alchemy Coffee is all about education and the scientific processes surrounding coffee creation, making for a truly unique coffee establishment.
Despite this interestingly scientific mission, the actual coffee menu is relatively normal (featuring no scientific concoctions unfortunately!), featuring espressos, drip coffees and lattes.
Address: 814 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23220 (click for map)
15. Riverbend Roastery
Riverbend is a coffee house that has an extensive history as Richmond itself has, with the shop first being a bakery back in the early 1900s.
The message has always been clear, though: appreciating the Richmond community whilst creating delicious coffee.
Riverbend is dedicated to fair trade and organic coffee, and they also offer multicultural monthly coffee choices.
Address: 2623 E Broad St Richmond, VA 23223 (click for map)
Final Thoughts
So there you have fifteen of the best coffee shops in Richmond, Virginia.
Whether you are in Richmond to soak in the history, enjoy the nightlife or for any other reason, we have hopefully offered enough variety for you to find the best coffee Richmond VA has to offer.
Remember, the next time you get your phone out to search for the best coffee near me in Richmond just come back to this page instead and try out another of our recommendations.
Check out the best coffee shops in Virginia in the other places we cover in the state.
What to do in Richmond
My name is Dana Dupree and I am an avid coffee lover. Since I began college and realized what a heavy load writing majors took on, I have been a fan of the bean juice.
My job has taken me all over the US on book tours and press conferences, and my favorite part about the trip is exploring the best places to grab my cup of Joe.
