Columbus Coffee Trail: 9 More Places to Complete Your Caffeine Quest
Did you know that Columbus is home to its very own coffee trail, a unique collection of 17 local coffee shops and roasteries spread across the city? You can earn a free Columbus coffee experience T-shirt for getting passport stamps at just 4 locations, and a travel mug for visiting all 17. In case you missed it, you can check out our first guides article to the Columbus Coffee Trail here. Hankering for more? Here’s the remaining 9 spots to grab a cup of joe along the Columbus Coffee Trail.
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Mmelo Boutique Confections
Tucked away on Vine Street in the Short North area, Mmelo is a female-owned confectionery café that specializes in “truly delicious, thoroughly modern handmade treats.” Their creations are designed for stellar flavor combinations using only simple, natural ingredients such as arrow root, organic cane sugar, and agave. They have a full-service coffee menu featuring an espresso blend from Java Central Coffee Roasters in Westerville as well as specialty drinks like the white chocolate raspberry mocha. Drop by for their weekday happy hour from 11 to 2, or place an online order through UberEats, GrubHub, or Postmates for delivery typically within the hour.
MMelo Boutique Confections website »
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Bexley Coffee Shop
This quaint café and bakery is located on North Cassady Avenue in Bexley. The shop offers beans from Columbus-based roaster Thunderkiss Coffee, and the bakery has everything from the famous “coffee bomb” muffins to scones and quiche. The charming interior is complemented by the rotating selection of artwork decorating its walls, which changes to feature a different local artist every month. If you get tired of trying their multitude of coffee preparations, don’t forget about their smoothie choices like the “crazy buckeye” or “hail to kale!”
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One Line Coffee
The father and son team behind One Line Coffee has been operating cafes successfully since 2003, but it wasn’t until 2009 that they opened their own roastery. In keeping with their core value of community, they make every effort to visit the farms that provide the beans, supporting the farming process and bringing the story behind each coffee back to the consumer. In store – downtown or in the Short North – you will find whole beans, Kyoto-style cold brew, hand-crafted coffees, single-origin espresso, and local, independent bakery products.
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Kittie’s Cakes Café
Kittie’s Cakes was established in 2013 by two former professional golfers who sought to perfect their baking recipes while traveling the world for competitions. The location on East Main Street in Bexley is meant to be an “intimate café” – a gathering place that supports conversation and community, free from outside distractions like Wi-Fi. In addition to their fresh cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, and other baked delicacies, they also have a range of cold brew and espresso drink options from Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Kittie’s Cakes is conveniently connected to Gramercy Books, an independent bookstore, and the café donates any leftover food items to local charities.
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Cup O Joe
A partner of Stauf’s Coffee, Cup O Joe established their first shop at the Lennox Town Center in 1997. While that location is no longer open, it has become a trending chain across Columbus with one site on North High Street in Clintonville participating in the coffee trail. They’re best known for some of their sweeter drinks like the buckeye, almond joy, and white mocha, but they have all the classic espresso options and several loose-leaf tea options as well. For an extra burst of caffeine, don’t miss out on the chocolate-covered espresso beans!
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Roaming Goat Coffee
In a prominent position on High Street, in the heart of the Short North, Roaming Goat seeks to create the perfect cup, working with only the highest quality Arabica coffees from around the world. The roastery in Worthington processes each batch to accentuate the subtle, diverse flavors of each variety. The company’s name is derived from the legend of an Ethiopian goat herder who discovered the miracle of coffee after observing the energetic state of his herd when they consumed berries from a coffee bush. Stop in to try their seasonal lattes throughout the year, or grab a pour over to explore tastes from different regions and roasting methods.
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Pistacia Vera
This versatile pastry kitchen and café was founded in 2004 by siblings Spencer Budros and Anne Fletcher, who wanted to establish a creative dessert destination in their hometown of Columbus. While they are best known for their Parisian macarons – including a seasonal coffee-flavored macaron – the kitchen has a wide variety of other baked goods and brunch options. This summer, you can discover a rotating selection of cold brew coffees and specialty tea beverages like the citrus blush – a combination of citrus green tea, lime, and Luxardo cherry. There are two thriving locations conveniently located in German Village and at North Market in the Short North.
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Bottoms Up Coffee
Bottoms Up can be found in the Franklinton district on West Broad Street. First and foremost, their mission is “to achieve positive social change through great coffee and active community engagement.” The neighborhood has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country, and in the past two and a half years, Bottoms Up has donated over 15,500 diapers and contributed to other charitable causes to help parents in need. The café serves healthy (mostly vegan) options like overnight oats and empanadas, and their drink menu has everything from cortados to affogatos to kombucha.
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Coffee Connections
The founders and co-owners of Coffee Connections relocated their families to Columbus, leaving promising careers to invest in the vision to provide quality coffee and help people create meaningful relationships. What began in 2014 as a catering company with a mobile coffee cart grew in 2016 with the opening of their first coffee shop in Hilliard. The site participating in the trail is at the Gateway Center on High Street, and a third location is coming soon in Plain City. The shop uses beans freshly roasted by The Coffee Mess, and the baristas hand-craft each beverage, including a unique Vietnamese coffee brewed over sweetened condensed milk, which takes over 10 minutes to prepare. All tip money they receive is donated to non-profits, with the Hilliard location donating over $32,000 in its first two years.