Orlando, Florida is a city often overlooked for its coffee culture due to its synonymous association with Walt Disney World, which is located just outside the city limits. The city itself, however, has become a bastion of Central Florida arts and culture in recent years, especially with regard to food, mixology, recreation, and entertainment.
Accordingly, the entire vibe of Orlando’s Best Coffee Shops is geared toward creating vibrant, air-conditioned community spaces where people can relax, enjoy quality drinks, and hang out.
Reading: Best coffee shops orlando
some of orlando’s best coffee shops, for example, have a hip skate-punk influence, with snake plants and sticker machines, orlando magic bobbleheads, and pictures of icons like gerry garcia and james baldwin, etc. time moves slower down here. there are often cbd products and t-shirts with logos inspired by the art. you get the idea
other spots hint at the kind of sleek, minimalist, greenery-filled spaces you might find in brooklyn or los angeles, with airy industrial interiors, chevron-shaped light-wood tables, and vintage-inspired espresso machines. these tend to be a bit more boisterous. Either way, no matter what vibe you’re looking for, Orlando’s strong coffee shop scene can amply provide it.
Orlando is a large and sprawling city, and luckily there are nice cafes on almost every corner of its boundaries. many of the most popular, of course, are clustered around scenic Lake Eola and Thornton Park in the center.
Still, if you want to know where to go for the best atmosphere and coffee in Orlando, you need to know where to go. luckily, you are in the right place. all of the coffee shops below highlight aspects of local culture and trends that are often unique to the city.
Scroll through our guide to Orlando’s coolest and best coffee shops, including insider tips on what to order and where for the classic experience, below. Bookmark this list later!
Enjoy! ☕️
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stardust and coffee video
stardust video and cafe aren’t really “on” the internet, so it feels like an amazing hidden gem! even the exterior is hidden under a layer of hanging vines, so walking into what feels like a haunted vintage expat bookstore is just wonderful.
The facade is even covered in vines, so you can’t see the sign outside, as if the cafeteria itself is trying to hide from the world. however, once you step inside, it’s immediately clear that this place is something special.
We love the paper lanterns hanging from the ceiling and the vintage memorabilia, plus the well-used photo booth and the bold graffiti-style notes that have been tucked away over the years. They even have a photograph signed by Britney Spears, who, according to this story, “loved [stardust coffee] so much that [she] did it again.”
it’s a legendary quirky artsy cafe, open late! and only a 10 minute drive from Lake Eola. for the quintessential experience, order an iced latte or a cold beer. they can also grind fresh beans for you to take home as souvenirs.
also, fwiw, the food here is delicious and very vegetarian. Take, for example, the vegetarian Luis Guzmán chile, which has been “a crowd pleaser for decades.” they also make a great “neo-philly”: a pressed sandwich made with tempeh, onions, red bell peppers, vegan mozzarella, and barbecue sauce.
Many of the salads and sandwiches are also listed with a “cv” meaning they “might be veganized.” You get the idea: the menu is cheeky. Vegans and vegetarians are openly welcome along with carnivores who enjoy sandwiches like the crispin glover (pesto chicken with Parmesan cheese, tomato, and lettuce) and the grinderman (chicken, pesto, goat cheese, and hot sauce).
Plus, they even have an “American Psycho” hummus sandwich that’s never made quite the same. (unlike their coffee, which is always excellent).
crafts & common
art & common is a quintessential downtown orlando coffee shop that is proudly woman owned and run by a woman.
with its minimalist white plant-filled interior and open-air barista station, it oozes bohemian brooklyn vibes. c&c is a classic stop for coffee lovers, especially those who will appreciate its cool collection of prints, local sundries, can-shaped coffee cups, and vintage-inspired logo T-shirts. (We love the one that says “death before decaf.”)
While its curbside exterior doesn’t offer much in the way of parking, there’s plenty of room to fit a bike, and it’s a 15-minute walk from Lake Eola.
Insides, expect a mix of hip young professionals and artsy types chatting at light-wood tables, on window-facing stools, or inside the two cozy bcuket chairs below the palm wallpaper mural that reads ” all was a dream”. the baristas wear canvas aprons and the whole space is very hygienic, with white walls and snake plants, ferns and celosias hanging on the walls of live plants and modernist lamps.
When it comes to drinks, opt for any of their signature coffee drinks for the ultimate experience. Take, for example, the Wild Child, a blend of espresso, your choice of milk, rose syrup, and vanilla cardamom that plays nice hot or iced. (we like ice cream).
They also serve up delicious (if a bit sweet) eclectic specialty drinks like banana iced chai made with espresso and two-tone strawberry milk matcha. Of course, alternative milks such as almond milk and oat milk are always available. And around the holidays, you can expect seasonal drink variations like dr. jekyll and mr. thai, a thai tea made with nitro with condensed milk and oatmeal foam with black licorice. (<—not as scary as those flavors sound, we promise.)
For those who want to stick with their latte, espresso, or cortado, the café serves a delicious almond croissant and a beautiful strawberry-vanilla cake, which is very popular with the locals. enjoy them at one of their live-edge tables or take them to go.
c&c also sells local co botanical incense (in flavors like “harvest moon” and “ladybird”, and “teahupo’o” – supporting ocean sustainability in French Polynesia!); as well as an impressive array of cleverly illustrated greeting cards. come for the coffee, stay for how it’s cured.
basically: isa vibe!
bynx (for live music, coffee and premium vinyl records)
Part record store, part family coffee shop, Bynx is located on the corner of a trendy little shopping area in downtown Orlando. Known for its unique mix of music and coffee, this hip and artsy cafe sells used records, collectible books, and other “one-of-a-kind ephemera” that have made it Orlando’s de facto coffee shop for music lovers.
See also: Top 17 of the Best Coffee Shops in Portland
the cafe has regular live music, and they sell a wonderful collection of popular and extremely rare vinyl records, such as nina simone’s fodder on my wings; Japan-pressed and Japanese-printed rare door albums; and beatles boxes recorded live. there’s even a recording studio on site!
At the time of writing, there is beautiful Jimi Hendrix-inspired artwork on the wall next to the coffee pickup counter, and they sell quirky, very “Orlando” treats like cbd kombucha, sparkling water with cbd and flowers with cbd.
the coffee here tends to mirror the trends of larger cafes: well-poured lattes and vegan/gluten-free cookies are readily available. but bynx also offers whimsical seasonal drinks like orange cream lattes and buttermilk lattes with biscoffee cookies, a favorite around the holidays.
recently, they even started selling a tonic espresso made with, yes, literally, espresso and tonic water.
In addition to coffee, they sell other delicious bottled drinks, birthday cake cookies, and more. come for the coffee, stay for the music and other ephemera.
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expert advice
after hanging out at bynx, walk over to cool hand robyn to shop for stunning potted plants, or visit the greenery dairy for boutique ice cream. (<— They also sell cute bags of coffee beans from the eola coffee company, which make great souvenirs.) this quaint little strip of church street has lots of great shops!
deeply brown & bottle shop
deeply brown & the bottle shop is a city center hangout with a gorgeous minimalist breakfast menu and a decidedly Scandinavian vibe. I love the sunken gray/concrete exterior, which feels like the kind of brutalist facade you might see in a Berlin store.
and with its concrete floors and exposed industrial ceiling, that vibe continues inside. here, they sell stockholm based drop coffee and f. bu. haha by nomad coffee, a boutique roaster in poblenou, the coolest neighborhood in barcelona.
they have a trifecta of kees van der westen spirits, one of the most expensive espresso machines in the world, and the baristas are all tattooed.
laptops are welcome and Wi-Fi is free.
deeply, plus it’s a great coffee shop for aesthetes. it’s filled with geometrically pleasing sight lines, light-wood chevron tables, ample seating, and people with dogs. (yes, pet friendly too!)
at night, it turns into a lounge-like wine bar (hence the name “bottle shop” and the artful selection of wines that line the adjacent wall of the register); this gives it real appeal as a social gathering space in the heart of the city.
love their bright green iced matcha latte, seafoam green cups, gourmet pop tarts, and scrumptious breakfast menu, which includes a gorgeous egg-topped avocado toast and vegan crisp wrap supreme. the lattes in deep are excellent, even by coffee snob standards, and pair perfectly with the house oat milk.
There are also plenty of window seats, and the store’s sunken exterior makes it well lit, but it’s never *too* sunny. Ultimately, this is definitely a Europhile coffee shop, but it still has the perfect balance of warm weather and Floridian charm.
qcreate coffee studio
qreate coffee + studio truly embodies the cultural renaissance of art spaces + coffee culture coming together. this cafeteria inside a photo studio is an ideal space for creatives to bask in the glory of their trade…over coffee.
Newbies should try the Purple Pearl Taro Coffee with Espresso and Coconut Milk, as these iconic two-tone beverages are a qreate studio masterpiece. Orlando’s Asian-American food culture shows its influence here, as Pan-Asian flavors like cherry blossom, matcha, taro, and coconut feature prominently in these specialty drinks. (Many of these are borrowed from the flavor combinations normally seen in boba tea, which is also very popular in Orlando.)
or, for a unique experience, try one of the seasonal specials like the recent hazy daisy, a sweetened cortado with smoky foam, or the good vibes, a cold lime beer with graham cracker crumble and coconut foam ( not for the faint of heart!). these sometimes sell out quickly so go earlier in the day if you can.
qreate also sells select baked goods like guava pillows and super famous quesitos, in fact the best quesitos in orlando. (Quesitos are a popular Puerto Rican pastry with a flaky crust and sweet cheese, sort of like the Latino cousin of a cheese danish (except much better, IMHO). Orlando is a great place to try them if you’re not already familiar! !)
ultimately, between the backdrop of paper photography and the chic vibe of the warehouse, and people with names like archer and nico hanging out, qreate is a hipster haven in the up and coming mills 50 district. actually It’s not close to anything, but it’s walkable from the Salt Room (which we discussed at length in our Orlando insider’s guide) and it’s a 13-minute walk from Lake Eola.
the monroe
chic designer cafe by day, trendy restaurant by night. the monroe is a design lover’s paradise that is ideal for those with an eye for vintage, visuals and vibrant colors.
this diverse social gathering space on the ground floor of the julian apartments in downtown orlando features a bar, lounge/study, open concept rear patio and dining area, plus daytime cafe.
as you can see in the image above, the styling here is really perfect! But they also have one of the craziest drinks I’ve seen in Orlando – a classic root latte, which is exactly what it sounds like.
This root beer flavored latte has surprisingly lovely ice cream and is sweet, but not too sweet. try it for a novel experience, or go with a classic cappuccino. or enjoy a specialty tea drink like undivided care, made with english breakfast iced tea, luxardo vanilla, orange bitters, heavy cream, and cinnamon. (<—there’s a lot going on there, but the baristas know what they’re doing.)
the coffee is great, really, but really the design here is amazing and worth seeking out. They’ve even painted the concrete support beams to match the vintage ruched bohemian fabrics that adorn the seating area.
Overall, it’s the kind of space that makes you feel cool and hip by association. but first coffee.
foxtail coffee
foxtail coffee co is dedicated to responsibly sourcing its coffee from ethical farms that pay workers a living wage. They have several industrial-style outposts around Orlando, from a pop-up counter at the dairy (a great place to try Kelly’s homemade ice cream and/or chichetti kitchen!) to the heart of downtown, right next door. from dovecote restaurant (a great place to go for brunch, with an amazing raw bar).
in addition to their “world famous” cold brew, they make a delicious latte. Plus, their drinks are served in what might be the most photogenic coffee cups in all of Orlando! Here’s an example of her recent adorable dog mug:
Meanwhile, the flavor shots here are truly excellent and could be made less sweet for the purists. I specifically recommend a hot latte with a little cinnamon (if you fancy it).
Foxtail doubles as a dip, though it sometimes takes longer to prepare. all drinks ultimately look stylish in any of their bright and colorful glasses for sale. (ask if they can make your drink in one for you to take away!)
drunken monkey cafeteria
Although it looks like an abandoned fast food restaurant on the outside, Drunken Monkey Cafe is popular with locals. The extremely cozy interior is reminiscent of the more nostalgic coffee shops of yesteryear (think: TV shows Like Friends and something you might still find in present-day Portland or Seattle, where coffee is practically a religion).
This laid-back, slacker-style coffee shop has a special place in our hearts. the food is super vegetarian friendly and there is free wifi, for those who ask. It’s a part hipster, part college coffee shop. (his website even runs on wordpress, which in itself makes it feel like a throwback to a different era. 🙂)
plus they have unique baked goods like the anzac cookie (thanks Aussies reading this!), as well as vegan and gluten free blueberry vanilla cupcakes, chocolate chip pound cake, etc. They also serve some of the best soups around. in town, with a selection that rotates seasonally and frequently.
menu-wise, we’re impressed with the huge grilled burritos and the litany of cbd-infused baked goods, from cookies and brownies to muffins and guava cakes, each with just the right mg of cbd in each one. (icymi: read more about cbd and how it can be carefully used to treat anxiety and stress here.)
Overall, it’s a coffee lover’s cafe masquerading as a community hangout. if you like unpretentious coffee go here and stay.
lineage coffee roasting
The lineage coffee roaster is a cool place with locations in popular hubs like the East End Market, as well as independent outposts around the city. its matte white is excellent, and its aesthetic is pleasantly modern, filled with vintage wood and steel countertops.
As one of Orlando’s premier coffee roasters, the emphasis here is on sourcing and the nuanced intricacies they extract from each bean during the roasting process. If you’re a true pristine coffee snob, this is the Orlando cafe for you. Their motto says it all: “Roast the best coffees in the world and serve them in Orlando.”
Visit their east end market location for a quick cuppa, or stick around their cafes mills/50 or ucf for a more people-watching atmosphere.
plus they sell tasting spoons and dad hats. so basically: they are okay with the coffee culture. They know how to play the hits.
~ honorable mention ~
community coffee bar duo58 & coffee
duo58 is actually on the outskirts of the southwest side of the city, so it’s more of a hangout on the way to the airport than an orlando coffee shop. But, every purchase here helps feed and educate children in Haiti, making it a worthy space to spend your tourism dollars.
This airy cafe is also a bustling co-working space, with ample outlets for charging devices; two conference rooms for rent; and kid-friendly features like a play corner, high chairs, a koala care station in the bathroom, as well as a special kids’ menu. Of course, there is also free Wi-Fi.
as for coffee, they offer a subtly wonderful cup of peanut butter latte, which is a perfect example of the kind of adventurous and whimsical flavors that apparently dominate the orlando coffee scene at the time of this writing . (They also have a blueberry latte and one called “el lorax”, a lavender and orange cut).
plus, the vegan and gluten-free banana bread is excellent! search it. and when they ask if they should heat it up, tell them yes.
In keeping with its fair trade principles, duo58 also sells pretty handbags, as well as a small selection of locally made jewellery, soaps, tea towels, candles and the like. On top of that, they are also the only coffee shop in Orlando that offers a small selection of locally grown succulents and cacti for sale. If you’re “prickly” before your morning coffee, you’re in good company here! 😉
lobos coffee roasters
Lobos Coffee Roasters in Audobon Park has nice outdoor patio seating and a decidedly laid-back atmosphere. The founder’s grandmother owned a coffee farm, so sourcing here is a true labor of love and family warmth. therefore, it is a quiet place to stop for an iced coffee when it is very hot outside.
In the summer, they even offer quirky seasonal specials, like cold lemonade made with, you guessed it, house-made lemonade layered with house-made cold brew coffee. Yeah, it’s not that weird. The people of Honolulu have been doing this for years!
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Related: The 11 Best Restaurants in Orlando.
drink coffee, will you travel? Read more personalized coffee shop guides to cities like Asheville, Savannah, Honolulu and beyond in our critically acclaimed travel well section.
See also: How to Make the Perfect Cup of Coffee (8 Expert Tips)
