Whether it’s your necessary start button in the morning, a vehicle to connect with friends, or you simply love the taste, Scoop has combed the Charlotte area for the best local coffee shops in each neighborhood. Be sure to try out our picks for the best local shops offering coffees, teas, and more below.

UPTOWN

Coco and the Director
100 W Trade St.

The Scoop: The eye candy here is as good as the coffee. With unique stadium seating in addition to traditional tables and chairs, you can spread out with a good book for a lazy afternoon or grab a quick lunch before heading back to the office or on to your errands.

What we’re having: One of their famous cronut’s (a delicious croissant/doughnut hybrid), with a dirty chai tea latte.

Queen City Grounds
Uptown, Wesley Heights, South End

The Scoop: One of Charlotte’s favorite coffee shops now has three locations throughout Charlotte, the newest one in Wesley Heights. Come in for coffee and cronuts on a rainy day for the cozy atmosphere, or meet a friend for a glass of wine (Uptown and South End locations only).

What we’re having: One of their seasonal drinks, a maple cinnamon cappuccino (espresso, steamed milk, and maple cinnamon syrup).

Not Just Coffee
Uptown, Dilworth, South End, Park Road, Jay Street

The Scoop: Opened in 2011 by a husband and wife team, Not Just Coffee has expanded throughout Charlotte – and we love it. Delicious coffee and a food menu at Atherton, Jay St., and Dilworth locations. One of our favorite weekend destinations to hang out with the girls and enjoy good eats and drinks.

What we’re having: Iced latte with oat milk.

Crane Coffee Company
550 S Caldwell St.

The Scoop: At Crane Coffee Company, it’s all about loving coffee and loving the planet. Their mission is to serve the most delicious handcrafted coffee and signature drinks while leaving the smallest environmental impact. They do this by having compostable cups and lids and using local roasters and ethically sourced beans. You’ll be proud to call Crane coffee your favorite cup.

What we’re having: Their famous Muddled Mint Iced Coffee (Muddled minor, buzz city cold brew, brown sugar and cream, served shaken and poured over ice). Yum.

Waterbean Coffee
Uptown, Metropolitan, Park Road, Whitehall Park, Huntersville, Cornelius

The Scoop: With many locations in the QC and Lake Norman, Waterbean is a go-to for any Charlottean. Great quality drinks and delicious pastries with a welcoming environment makes it a place to meet up with a friend, work remote, or relax on a Saturday afternoon.

What we’re having: Nitro Thai Tea

SOUTH END

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee
1930 Camden Rd. Ste 236

The Scoop: Not just a coffee shop, but a Human Rights movement. Bitty and Beau’s Coffee employs individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to create a path for people with these disabilities to become more valued, accepted, and included in every community. Recently opened in Southend, expect a warm, energizing experience that will have you feeling good beyond your cup of coffee.

What we’re having: A classic latte served with many smiles.

Stable Hand
125 Remount Rd suite b.

The Scoop: Virabrant coffee, natural wine, craft beer, and thoughtfully produced food make up Stable Hand, a place to hang with friends or enjoy alone in the heart of Southend.

What we’re having: Kabocha Squash Latte (Kabocha (not to be confused with kombucha) squash syrup blended with all the warm and warm spices, espresso, and your choice of milk).

Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee & Social LoSo
4015 Craft St.

The Scoop: New to NOVEL in LoSo Station, gather with friends, family, or coworkers from morning to night to enjoy specialty coffee or pints of local beer fresh from the tap in the evening. They also offer coworking and lounge space, outdoor seating, a game area, and live music.

What we’re having: Bombo Chill (chocolate, caramel, and espresso. Add whipped topping for extra sweetness).

ROOTS cafe
2135 Southend Dr. #109

The Scoop: A warm, relaxed spot to have your morning cup while enjoying food made from locally sourced ingredients, and handcrafted with love.

What we’re having: Their October flavor of the month, Pumpkin Pie latte.

The Suffolk Punch
2911 Griffith St.

The Scoop: A brewery, culinary café & taphouse, and coffee bar all come together to make Suffolk Punch. Come for breakfast and visit their coffee bar that features seasonal blends and single-origin coffees from Hex Coffee Roasters. Or if you’re there for dinner, try a coffee cocktail — on the menu right now is their Boozy Cream Soda (Cold brew ice cube, vodka, half and half, vanilla, bubbles, garnished with orange).

What we’re having: The Pretty in Pink which is a cinnamon rose latte, dragonfruit, and rose petals. Can be served hot or iced.

Pepperbox Doughnuts – South End & NoDa
101 W Worthington Ave. Suite 150

The Scoop: The smell of handmade doughnuts might be what draws you into Pepperbox Doughnuts, but we promise you’re going to want to try their coffee and signature drinks while you’re there. After all, what’s better than coffee and doughnuts on a weekend morning?

What we’re having: We’re pairing our Cinnamon Maple Bourbon Doughnut with a cold brew for the perfect fall morning treat.

Central Coffee Co. – South End & NoDa
1700 Camden Rd. #101

The Scoop:  a Charlotte mainstay since 2009, they have you covered from the North in NoDa to the South in South End. Great quality for a surprising low price. Central Coffee Co. also offers some killer quiches and pastries to pair with your drink of choice.

What we’re having: Central Shorty (6oz with a dash of vanilla and whole milk).

Lincoln’s Haberdashery
1300 South Blvd suite s

The Scoop: From the minds behind Futo Buta, Lincoln’s is a quirky blend of gift shop, coffee shop, bakery, and beer and wine shop. Not to mention, they have mimosa kits for your brunching pleasure. Their signature beverage options change often, so be on the lookout for specialty drinks.

What we’re having: A Flat White alongside their Haymarket Hector (house american ciabatta, acme smoked salmon, red onion, dill, tomato, egg).

HEX Coffee
1824 Statesville Ave Ste. 101

The Scoop: Inside of Good Bottle Co. (a beer shop where you should pick something up for later during your trip to Hex) and easily accessible via the Rail Trail, Hex is serving quality beans in creative presentations.

What we’re having: Iced draft vanilla latte. Not your average latte, they serve it on tap!

Mugshots Coffee & Tea
255 Clanton Rd.

The Scoop: Quality coffee is what Mugshots is all about. House-made syrups and brewing techniques that bring out exceptional tasting notes of each coffee bean make them stand out from the rest, not to mention their attention to detail on every aspect that make your cup of joe.

Also, wondering about the unique name? Owner Reuben Silberman is an ex-policeman, and decided to hang up his badge to serve his community in another way (with different types of Mugshots).

What we’re having: A Maple Cinnamon Latte (Pure Vermont maple syrup, dash of ground cinnamon).

NODA

Smelly Cat Coffee House & Roastery
514 E 36th St.

The Scoop: The home of NoDa Coffee Roasters, Smelly Cat is keeping NoDa funky with a wide selection of pour-overs, house-made syrups, specialty espresso drinks, and cold brew inside their local art-covered walls.

What we’re having: Ethiopian Cold Brew (Single Origin with notes of chocolate and dark berries).

Crown Station Coffeehouse & Pub
3629 N Davidson St.

The Scoop: Located in historic NoDa and just minutes from the light rail, Crown Station is not only a coffee shop but also a full bar with a wide variety of well-brewed craft beers and premium cocktails.

What we’re having: One of their seasonal drinks, a pumpkin spiced latte, oatmeal porter, or a dunkin pumpkin beer.

The Hobbyist
2100 N Davidson St.

The Scoop: All of our favorite things in one place — hand-crafted coffee, tea, beer, and wine. The Hobbyist not only offers delicious coffee to start us in the morning but also a full bottle shop with canned and bottled beer and wine to go or to enjoy there. If you’re hungry while visiting, check out their showcase for local pastries, baked goods, desserts, and other food items made from NC artisans.

What we’re having: A Lavendar Vanilla Latte, but we’re taking home one of their 64 oz. jugs of cold brew for later.

Amelie’s
NoDa, Park Road Shopping Center, Carmel Commons & Rock Hill

The Scoop: As funky as she is French, Amelie’s original NoDa location has given us three additional locations: Rock Hill, Carmel Commons, and Park Road Shopping Center. Each offers an extensive coffee and tea selection as well as pastries, breakfast, and lunch/dinner items.

What we’re having: A seasonal item on their menu, pumpkin chai

ELIZABETH

Undercurrent Coffee
2012 Commonwealth Ave. & In Optimist Hall

The Scoop: Undercurrent has two cozy locations in Charlotte to enjoy coffee. Grab one of their homemade pastries or order breakfast and settle into one of their couches to enjoy a weekend morning catching up with friends.

What we’re having: Their coffee always hits the spot but if you are feeling like something different, try one of their Matcha green tea-based drinks or house-made sodas.

Sunflour Baking Company
Elizabeth, Dilworth, Harrisburg, Ballantyne

The Scoop: You’re one-stop-shop for coffee, breakfast, lunch, and dessert. Sunflour Baking Company is known for its delicious cupcakes and bakery items, but it’s hard to miss their coffee bar that serves up drinks made to complement their pastries. With housemade sauces such as chocolate and vanilla bean, along with seasonal syrups, every latte is created to be the best. Don’t forget to try their made-to-order sandwiches, served on their own hearth-baked bread. Open daily until 4 p.m.

What we’re having: A Dirty Mocha (Mocha latte with two espresso shots, steamed milk, and flavors of dark chocolate, white chocolate and vanilla).

DILWORTH

Crema Espresso Bar and Cafe
1235 East Blvd. B

The Scoop: If you’re wanting a cozy European café experience, Crema is your spot to be. Enjoy locally roasted coffees and loose-leaf herbal teas paired with our European-inspired, made-from-scratch café food. While you’re there, try a crepe made from their sister café, Royal Café and Creperie in Matthews.

What we’re having: We’re having dessert for breakfast with their I Dream of Nutella crepe (fresh bananas and strawberries covered in Nutella and topped off with real whipped cream) paired with a Honey Bun Latte (honey and cinnamon).

SOUTHPARK

Fine & Fettle
4905 Barclay Downs Dr.

The Scoop: Head over to Fine & Fettle in SouthPark for breakfast and coffee with a modern and rustic surrounding.

What we’re having: A Fine & Fettle specialty, the Pineapple Upside Down latte (Pineapple, cinnamon, cherry, milk, espresso).

Dilworth Coffee
Belk SouthPark

The Scoop: Charlotte’s original specialty coffee shop. Their location is inside of Belk at SouthPark Mall to get you through Christmas shopping. Look for them between watches and purses… seriously.

What we’re having: A big bag of coffee.

WESLEY HEIGHTS & PLAZA MIDWOOD

CupLux
3115 Freedom Dr.

The Scoop: As our readers know, we’re all about lux here at Scoop Charlotte. But sometimes lux takes time, time we don’t have. Not to worry, your coffee cup can still be lux no matter how packed your schedule with one of our favorite drive-through coffee spots: CupLux.

What we’re having: Vanilla cold brew slushee

Enderly Coffee Co.
2620 Tuckaseegee Rd.

The Scoop: A tasting room, coffee shop, and an established coffee roaster. At Enderly, you can skip the work of grinding your own beans and still enjoy one of Charlotte’s favorite coffees.

What we’re having: We’ll let the ingredients shine here with a pour-over. Nothing fancy, just darn good coffee.

Okra
1912 Commonwealth Ave.

The Scoop: A one stop shop for your perfect day: yoga, tea/coffee, and massage all under one roof. The tea and coffee lounge at Okra serves up Pure Intentions roasts to rev you up again after your time relaxing in yoga class or getting a massage.

What we’re having: Classic pour over.

COTSWOLD & OAKHURST

Julia’s Cafe & Books
1133 N Wendover Rd.

The Scoop: Give back when buying your cup of coffee at Julia’s Cafe & Books as they help fund Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region. With a mission of building homes, communities, and hope in the area, your support when buying a used book, coffee, or food item helps the affordable housing crisis in Charlotte and surrounding communities.

What we’re having: Salty but Sweet Mocha⁠⁠ (Mocha with Salted Caramel Syrup, with a caramel drizzle and cocoa powder sprinkled on top).

WAVERLY

Cafe Moka
7416 Waverly Walk Ave. h3

The Scoop: A huge menu awaits with all the espresso, lattes, and smoothies you could dream of at this new shop in Waverly Walk.

What we’re having: Gotta go with any establishment’s namesake, here it’s the Cafe Moka (espresso, dark chocolate, and steamed milk).

& BEYOND

Cynthia’s Coffee Cup
5011 Weddington Rd #60, Concord

The Scoop: Coffee, crepes, and ice cream, need we say more? Head to Concord to experience all of the deliciousness that Cynthia’s Coffee Cup (C3) has to offer.

What we’re having: Cynthia’s signature crepe, Carolina Love (strawberries, cookie butter, maple syrup, biscoff cookie crumbs, whipped cream) paired with a hazelnut mocha latte.

Brakeman’s Coffee & Supply
225 N Trade St, Matthews

The Scoop: The cutest little coffee shop you ever did see, Brakeman’s serves up pastries, coffee, tea, smoothies, and more from a charming old bungalow in downtown Matthews.

What we’re having: Lavender latte or on a warm day, a refreshing iced cold brew.

Main Street Coffee & Coworking
104 Main St, Huntersville

The Scoop: WFH people, this one is for you. Main Street Coffee is not only a cozy coffee shop but also a trendy coworking space to get your work done without distractions from home. In one of the 100+-year-old buildings in Huntersville, the space has large windows and exposed brick, a nice change in scenery from your usually desk. Visit here to book your coworking space. While you’re there, don’t forget to treat yourself to craft coffee and pastries to make the day go by much smoother.

What we’re having: Morning Buzz latte (honey & cinnamon) and a sticky cinnamon bun.

NOW OPEN & OPENING SOON

A new cafe just opened in Oakhurst ~ Night Swim Coffee, a roastery and cafe from Not Just Coffee & Undercurrent Coffee.

Be on the lookout for Madison Perk, a cozy coffee shop coming Fall 2021 to Madison Park. Check their Instagram page for more updates.