The votes are in. Here’s the best coffee shop in Charlotte, according to you
A good cup of coffee in the morning can be the difference between a just-ok day and a great day. And when we asked you to tell us your favorite stops for coffee in and around Charlotte, you delivered — we received almost 800 replies!
So, to kick of 2022, we launched the CharlotteFive Coffee Shop Bracket.
We took your list of Charlotte’s best coffee shops and narrowed it down to the top 30.
- About 70,000 votes were cast in Round One: The Tasty 30.
- More than 66,000 votes were cast in Round Two: The Fresh 15.
- Round Three: The Caffeinated 8 brought in more than 144,000 votes.
- More than 80,000 votes were cast in Round Four: The Fragrant Four.
- And the final round took the prize in more ways than one — more than 199,000 votes were cast in the last 48 hours of our contest.
Now, it’s time to announce the winner:
The best coffee shop in Charlotte
Bitty & Beau’s Coffee
Location: 1930 Camden Rd. Suite 236, Charlotte, NC 28203
Neighborhood: South End
Menu: Bitty & Beau’s sells three coffee blends, named Bitty’s Blend, Beau’s Blend and Sundance, and offers a variety of lattes, frappuccinos and smoothies. Specialty drinks available this month include a peppermint bark latte and a gingerbread latte. Or, if this cold weather makes you miss fall, its pumpkin spice latte can still be found on the menu.
What to know: Bitty & Beau’s first opened in Wilmington and is known nationwide for its inclusion and employment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“This is just an incredible honor. From the moment we opened it’s just been nothing but support,” said Bitty & Beau’s Amy Wright. “Eighty percent of people with disabilities are unemployed in this country and so for a lot of these people, this is their first job.
“The fact that so many people voted for us and supported us since we opened sends a message to our employees that their jobs matter and their lives matter,” Wright said. “It shows the world what you can do when you give people opportunities. Our guest experience is what makes us unique and the coffee is awesome. We hope everyone in Charlotte will give us a try.”
To learn more about Bitty & Beau’s, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
The runner-up
Waterbean Coffee
Location: Multiple locations
Neighborhood: Midtown, Uptown, Park Road, Huntersville, Hickory and more.
What to know: Waterbean was founded in Cornelius and now has over 10 locations, including one in Vietnam. The coffee is hand picked from international sources and roasted in small batches in Huntersville.
“Thank you so much to all of our customers who voted for us It’s an honor to be part of this. Also thank you to Charlotte Observer and CharlotteFive for putting this together,” said Waterbean’s Tony Vo.
The other top 30 of Charlotte’s best coffee shops
Whether you are a latte fan or a strict drip coffee enthusiast, these places have something for everyone. So without further ado, meet all 30 of best coffee shops in the Charlotte area, according to you:
The Artisan’s Palate
Location: 1218 E 36th St A, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: NoDa
What to know: The Artisan’s Palate doubles as a coffee shop and as an art gallery showcasing the work of different local artists on a monthly basis. The space offers immersive experiences combining food, beverage, art, music and more based on each collection. The menu features classic coffee and espresso drinks, malted iced coffee and a variety of teas.
Brakeman’s Coffee & Supply
Location: 225 N. Trade Street, Matthews, North Carolina, NC 28105
Neighborhood: Matthews
What to know: Brakeman’s near the railroad running through Matthews and is dedicated to “keeping Matthews slow” and giving customers a moment of calm. With its Feature Coffee Program, Brakeman’s brings in a new coffee selection each month and rotates bi-annually between roasters. Menu items include the classics as well as signature drinks, including a lavender latte and locomocha.
To learn more about the history of Brakeman’s Coffee & Supply, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Burr & Berry Coffee
Location: 4209 South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28209
Neighborhood: Lower South End
Location: 1221 Transformation Lane, Indian Land, SC 29707
Neighborhood: Indian Land
What to know: Burr & Berry offers a drive-thru or walk-up experience with a goal of being “the kindest and friendliest part of your day.” In addition to classic drinks, the menu features signature drinks, including the Chubby Bunny, cold brew with toasted marshmallow, cream, white chocolate and caramel drizzle, and The Bee’s Knees, a latte with honey and brown sugar cinnamon.
For more information about Burr & Berry’s history, check out this story from the Charlotte Observer archives.
Cafe Moka
Location: 7416 Waverly Walk Ave. Suite H3, Charlotte, NC 28277
Neighborhood: Waverly in South Charlotte
What to know: Cafe Moka handbrews lightly-roasted, “fruit forward” coffees and encourages visitors to #TryItBlack. According to its website, “coffee is a fruit, so the idea is for you to taste the natural characteristics of the coffee itself, not the roast.” The menu features brewed coffees, craft espresso beverages and indulgent lattes, such as the Toffee Crunch and Cafe Caribbean, with a coconut and rum flavor.
To learn more about Cafe Moka, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Calvine’s Coffee
Location: 2800 Campus Ridge Rd Suite 1113, Matthews, NC 28105 (Central Piedmont Community College Levine Campus)
Location: 1241 Charlottetowne Ave Suite 120, Charlotte, NC 28204 (CPCC Central Campus)
Location: 11903 Verhoeff Dr Suite 245 A, Huntersville, NC 28078 (CPCC Merancas Campus)
What to know: Calvine’s offers coffee from beans roasted in small batches in a San Franciscan Artisan Roaster for an even and gentle roast. Speciality drinks include Calvine’s white chocolate mocha. “Once you taste it, you’re going to try to find that taste everywhere you go,” founder Calvine Frazier said.
Central Coffee Co.
Location: 719 Louise Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204
Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
Location: 1700 Camden Rd #101, Charlotte, NC 28203
Neighborhood: South End
What to know: Central Coffee Co serves coffee roasted by Joe Van Gogh Coffee Roasters based in Hillsborough. The menu features a variety of classics, au laits, Italian macchiatos and matcha lattes.
Community Matters Cafe
Location: 821 W 1st Street Charlotte, NC 28202
Neighborhood: Third Ward
What to know: Community Matters Cafe is an extension program of the Charlotte Rescue Mission, an addiction recovery program. The menu features fresh brewed coffee, handcrafted espresso and signature drinks, including the Honey Bee Latte and Cinnamon Bun Mocha.
For more information on the history of Community Matters Cafe, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Crema Espresso Bar & Cafe
Location: 1235 East Blvd B, Charlotte, North Carolina 28203
Neighborhood: Dilworth
What to know: Crema offers Charlotte-area roasted coffee in a variety of roasts and flavor palates as well as over 30 varieties of loose-leaf herbal tea. House specials include the Lavender Fields, a latte with lavender, honey, and lavender flowers, and the Honeybun Latte, made with honey and cinnamon. The owners also have a spot in Matthews: Royal Cafe and Creperie.
For more about Crema’s history, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
CupLux Coffee Drive-Thru
Location: 3115 Freedom Dr, Charlotte, NC 28208
Neighborhood: Enderly Park
What to know: CupLux offers drive-thru coffee and draft cold brew. The menu features fan favorites such as a caramel latte and vanilla latte, with housemade sauces.
For more about the history of CupLux, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Enderly Coffee Company
Location: 2620 Tuckaseegee Rd, Charlotte, NC 28208
Neighborhood: Enderly Park
What to know: Enderly Coffee Co. is a local roasting company and coffee shop. Its single origin roasts rotate daily, each with a different personality, so customers can experience a new flavor profile with each visit. Seasonal specials include a gingerbread latte, with housemade gingerbread sauce.
For more about Enderly Coffee, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
The Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters
Location: 1217 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
What to know: When you walk into Giddy Goat, customers can witness the roasting process firsthand as the aroma of coffee beans fills the air and spills onto the street. The espresso cafe serves drinks European-style, with items such as cortados and cappuccinos served in perfect ratio.
For more about Giddy Goat, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
HEX Coffee Roasters
Location: 1824 Statesville Ave Ste. 101, Charlotte, NC 28206
Neighborhood: Camp North End
What to know: HEX Coffee Roasters operates under the premise of serving coffee in its purest form. Year round, it sells seasonal and “unashamedly bright” blends made with beans from Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia and more. To try a cup, customers can visit the roastery and witness the roasting process.
The Hobbyist
Location: 2100 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Villa Heights
What to know: The Hobbyist is a full-service coffee shop with creative drinks and loose leafs teas. Espresso drinks include a Black Walnut Latte, Maple Clove Latte and Honey Bee Flat White.
For more about the history of The Hobbyist, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Julia’s Cafe & Books
Location: 1133 N. Wendover Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211
Neighborhood: Wendover
What to know: Sales from Julia’s Cafe & Books fund Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region, and it is named after Julia Maulden, a pioneering public servant who worked on the first Habitat Charlotte home. At Julia’s, customers can find fresh-brewed coffee with beans from Magnolia Coffee Co., espresso, nitro cold brew coffee, frappes and more.
Knowledge Perk
Location: 130C West White St, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Neighborhood: Rock Hill
What to know: Knowledge Perk is a small-batch roaster with signature blends and single origin roasts. Current limited releases include YOSEF’s ROAST, a custom blend named for Appalachian State University’s mascot. The menu features light, medium and dark roast coffees, drinks from chemex and French press, as well as espresso drinks such as a Chocolate Cherry Latte and hazelnut latte.
Mac Tabby Cat Cafe
Location: 3204 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: NoDa
Location: 25 Market St SW, Concord, NC 28025
Neighborhood: Concord
What to know: Mac Tabby is a cat cafe combining a love for coffee with a love for felines. Cats roam in a lounge area for customers to cuddle with while sipping a drink from the separate cafe. On the menu are seasonal lattes, including a peppermint mocha and s’mores latte, nitro cold brew, iced coffee spritzers and a variety of smoothies. More popular drinks include its Honey Oat Latte, Cupcake Latte and Maple Pancake Latte.
For more about Mac Tabby, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Main Street Coffee & Coworking
Location: 104 Main St A, Huntersville, NC 28078
Neighborhood: Huntersville
What to know: Main Street doubles as a coffee shop and coworking space. Barista favorites include the Morning Buzz, a spicy, cinnamon-honey latte, the Salty Dog, a salted caramel latte and the Elderberry Latte, packed with antioxidants.
Mugs Coffee
Location: 5126 Park Rd #1D, Charlotte, NC 28209
Neighborhood: South Charlotte
What to know: Mugs serves coffee from Magnolia Coffee. Inside, the work of local artists can be found on display. On the menu, Mugs offers traditional coffees and espresso drinks, including hot or iced lattes, macchiatos and a white mocha. For a cold sweet treat, it also has coffee and espresso shakes.
Night Swim Coffee
Location: 1620 Oakhurst Commons Dr Suite 306, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Oakhurst
Location: 620 S Tryon St Suite 150, Charlotte, NC 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
What to know: Night Swim Coffee is a new brand from Undercurrent Coffee and Not Just Coffee. Two coffee shops are now open, with two more planned. Night Swim is also opening a roastery in Lower South End, and it officially started roasting in December. It will become the official roastery for the two Undercurrent locations, the six Not Just Coffee locations and the Night Swim Coffee locations.
For more information about Not Just Coffee, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Not Just Coffee
Location: Multiple locations
Neighborhood: South End, South Charlotte, Dilworth and more
What to know: Not Just Coffee partners with Homeland Creamery and Counter Culture Coffee for its ingredients. The menu features a variety of coffee drinks and espresso, including lattes with housemade sauces. Owners James Yoder and Miracle Clark-Yoder are part of the ownership team behind Night Swim Coffee.
For more about Not Just Coffee, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Queen City Grounds
Location: 644 N Church St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Neighborhood: Fourth Ward
Location: 101 W Morehead St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Neighborhood: South End
Location: 1213 W Morehead St, Charlotte, NC 28208
Neighborhood: Wesley Heights
What to know: All coffee are locally roasted, in house by Nightflyer Roastworks. The menu features classic drinks, including lattes with the option to add housemade sauces. Seasonal specials include an eggnog latte, made with eggnog syrup and a cinnamon powder garnish.
For more about Queen City Grounds, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Salud Cerveceria
Location: 3306-C N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: NoDa
What to know: Salud is a brewery, a beer bar, a taproom and a coffee shop. Salud serves drip coffee and espresso from HEX Coffee Roasters. Customers can substitute oat milk for no extra charge. Signature drinks include a Lavender Oat Latte and Chai Latte made with Bhakti Ginger Chai.
For more about the history of Salud’s coffee shop, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Smelly Cat Coffee House & Roastery
Location: 514 E 36th St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: NoDa
What to know: Smelly Cat roasts its own coffee in single origin and blends with a variety of rotating flavor profiles. The menu features a variety of coffee roasts and three kinds of cold brew. Espresso drinks include a dirty chai, a red eye and a Cuban, a double espresso with muscovado sugar.
For more about Smelly Cat, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Stable Hand
Location: 125 Remount Rd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Neighborhood: South End
What to know: Stable Hand shares an ownership group with HEX Coffee Roasters, so you can expect to find its bright flavors served here after being roasted at Camp North End. Bring your dog if you want to enjoy an espresso outside on the patio — the coffee spot shares a patio with Canine Cafe.
For more information (including its yummy brunch menu), check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Summit Coffee Co.
Location: 416 E 36th St, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: NoDa
Location: 16639 Birkdale Commons Parkway, Suite C-300 Huntersville, NC 28078
Neighborhood: Huntersville
Location: 4625 Piedmont Row Dr., Ste 115C, Charlotte, NC 28210
Neighborhood: South Park
What to know: Summit Coffee Co. began in Davidson. Its coffee beans are sources from international partners and roasted in small batches at a Summit facility. The menu features espresso and drip coffee drinks with vanilla, mocha, caramel, lavender sweet pumpkin and spiced orange flavor syrups available to add.
For more about Summit Coffee, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Sunflour Baking Co.
Location: Multiple locations
Neighborhood: Elizabeth, Dilworth, Harrisburg and Ballantyne
What to know: Sunflour sources its coffee from Pure Intentions Coffee, a local roaster. The house blend is a mix of beans from Central and South America, and it offers a monthly rotating light roast as well. The Sunflour espresso and cold brew drinks are exclusive blends. Sauces are house made without preservatives or artificial flavoring.
For more about the history of Sunflour Baking Co., check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Undercurrent Coffee
Location: 2012 Commonwealth Ave, Charlotte NC 28205
Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
Location: 1115 N. Brevard St, Stall #7 Charlotte NC 28206
Neighborhood: Optimist Hall
What to know: This coffee is roasted in the Ozarks by Onyx Coffee Lab. The menu includes drip coffee, espresso, cold brew and specialty drinks such as a Golden Milk Latte. Owners Todd and Erin Huber are part of the ownership team at Night Swim Coffee.
For more about the history of Undercurrent Coffee, check out this story from the CharlotteFive archives.
Unwind Tea & Coffee House
Location: 333 Main St., Pineville, North Carolina 28134
Neighborhood: Pineville
What to know: Unwind offers locally -roasted coffees, including drip coffee, French press and pour over, as well as espresso drinks including, such as lattes and cappuccinos. Unwind offers lavender and peppermint housemade sauces.
CharlotteFive’s Maddie Ellis and Alex Cason contributed to this story.
This story was originally published January 7, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
