I Tried 12 Coffee Shops in St. Louis. Here’s the Best

I live in St Louis, and here are my favorite coffee shops:

1. Coma Coffee

Coma Coffee is perfect for a business meeting and is a great working environment. The decor is modern and minimalist, and it also happens to have some of the best coffee in STL.

I ordered a drip coffee, and my wife ordered her classic vanilla latte with oak milk. The coffee is brought to you at your table. The first thing that stood out to me was the presentation.

My coffee cup was heated, and the coffee itself had a sweet aroma. I took my first sip, and it was a medium roast, but it had an intense fruity flavor. I also loved that it wasn’t acidic at all, and it had a wonderful aftertaste. It was also the perfect temperature and was brewed to perfection. I could tell right away that Coma takes great pride in its coffee.

My wife’s vanilla latte with oat milk was even better. Check out this incredible latte art:

I didn’t think there was any way it could taste as good as it looks, but I was wrong.

The latte was creamy and had a perfect balance of coffee and milk. It also wasn’t overly sweet. Plus, the temperature was perfect. I couldn’t stop “trying” my wife’s latte because it was incredible.

Truly impressed by the quality of coffee and attention to detail that Coma Coffee has to offer. They get a solid 5 out of 5.

My only critique is that it’s in a random location that can be tough to find, even with a GPS. It’s also not much of an “IG-worthy” location. But if you care about quality coffee instead of silly vanity (like me), then Coma is a must-visit.

2. Sump Coffee

I visited the shop with my wife and sister-in-law. Their main motivation was to get some beautiful bouquets from Rudy’s Flower Truck because it was parked in front.

But they also wanted to try the coffee.

Let’s jump into the experience.

Sump Coffee Review: Is It Worth Visiting?

As you may or may not know, the goal of The Darkest Roast is to find you the best coffee on the planet. That’s why I always start my coffee shop reviews about the COFFEE.

Don’t worry… I’ll also share my thoughts on the location, vibe, crowd, etc.

But let’s talk about the coffee.

Sump Coffee offers eight different blends to choose from for their brewed coffee.

I couldn’t try every blend in one visit, so I had to figure out what their darkest roast was.

I found out that A) they roast their coffee in-house (which is awesome) and B) that the darkest roast they have is an off-the-menu Noir blend (“Noir” is French for “black”). I ordered this blend because I prefer dark roast and who doesn’t want something “off the menu”?!

I will say the other blends looked very interesting, and I can assume they’re delicious.

That said, my coffee was $5, and here’s how it looked:

Sump Drip Coffee Review

The coffee was at the perfect temperature, and I believe the coffee was brewed using a fresh drip.

This is a big deal because most places just have coffee on tap in a thermos. The problem with coffee in a thermos is that it gets overheated and over-brewed. As a result, it kills the flavor and quality.

The coffee had a great aroma, and I started my taste test by drinking it straight black. I initially thought it was a little acidic, which is surprising because dark roast coffee is usually the least acidic.

I wouldn’t classify this roast as a true dark roast. It was more like a medium roast.

I also want to clarify that “acidity” isn’t necessarily bad. I just prefer less acidic coffee.

That said, I thought the flavor was outstanding. I tasted chocolate and some fruity flavor notes.

Overall, the black coffee was a 5/5. It just isn’t my preferred flavor.

I then added some cream and raw sugar, which took the coffee to another level. That brought out the fruitiness flavor.

Overall, great coffee! I’m excited to try their other eight blends in the future.

Sump Latte Review

My wife ordered a caramel latte with oat milk, and my sister-in-law ordered a latte with simple syrup and oat milk.

They were both incredible.

My wife recently ordered some delicious lattes from Coma Coffee and Fiddlehead Fern, so I have high standards. Sump Coffee’s latte exceeded my expectations. Like my drip coffee, the latte was a perfect temperature, wasn’t overly sweet, and had the perfect ratio of espresso, steamed milk, and froth.

I care about flavor when it comes to coffee, but I should mention that the latte art was a little off.

My wife’s latte art lost its shape, but my sister-in-law’s turned out well.

Not a big deal because the flavor is what matters.

Either way, the coffee shop itself is IG-worthy.

It had a dark, edgy decor and was unique. Everything in the shop was “Sump” branded, which was super cool.

There was also a good amount of seating. Plus, the vibe was super relaxed, quiet, and casual.

Sump Coffee St. Louis Verdict

Overall, Sump Coffee in St. Louis deserves a solid 5 out of 5 stars because of the coffee quality and super unique vibe. Carve out some time to visit if you’re a St. Louis native or a traveler. It’s worth it!

3. Blueprint Coffee

My wife and I recently tried Blueprint Coffee at the Delmar loop and were blown away!

If you’ve never been to “The Loop” (as St. Louis natives say), it’s like Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles. It has tightly packed small stores, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Definitely a cool place to check out if you’re visiting St. Louis. That said, we visited The Loop to try Blueprint Coffee.

I ordered their Tekton blend, and my wife ordered a vanilla latte with 2% milk. They had a small menu, but there were several different drip coffee blends to choose from. The barista said most of their blends are light roast (except for Tekton, a light-to-medium).

They used a pour-over method to brew my coffee, which I was excited to see. My coffee came to our table on a small metal tray with a cup and the coffee in a Pyrex. I loved this little touch because it kept the coffee at a proper temperature.

The coffee had a fruity aroma and was pleasant. It had a very strong flavor and tasted very like the aroma. It was fruity, and it actually had some tangy flavor notes. It was pretty acidic, but I’ve come to expect that with lighter roasts. Overall, it was a flavor-rich coffee that was perfect for light roast drinkers.

My wife’s latte was exceptional. Not only was the latte art on point, but the flavor was unbelievable. It was also served at the perfect temperature, and it wasn’t super sweet. I was still able to taste the flavors of the espresso well.

I didn’t think it was possible for any coffee shops to compete with Coma and Sump, but Blueprint Coffee is outstanding.

4. Fiddlehead Fern Cafe

Fiddlehead Fern isn’t a well-known coffee shop in St. Louis, but worth visiting. It has a cool vibe with a younger crowd. It also has rustic decor and live music on Saturdays. The line was long, but we were dedicated to trying their coffee.

I ordered their Colombia blend. They had many different blends to choose from, but most were light to medium roast. That was kind of a bummer, but I understand. Light roast coffee typically has a better flavor profile.

I was pleased to see that they used a pour-over to brew the coffee. I thought the coffee was too acidic for my taste (light roast is usually more acidic, so that’s expected), and I didn’t love the aftertaste. I did taste some quality coca notes, though.

Overall, I didn’t love the black coffee flavor. However, I did enjoy it with cream and sugar. It was good coffee, but it was just not my personal preference.

My wife ordered her classic vanilla latte with oat milk (see above). It was definitely sweeter than Coma Coffee and Sump Coffee, but it was still delicious.

Overall, Fiddlehead Fern’s coffee is worth trying. I should mention that their food was absolutely delicious. We ordered the smashed chickpea-loaded toast and a garden veggie scramble.

I’m not a food critic, but I would easily give both a 5/5. Some other things to consider when visiting Fiddlehead Fern are that A) you need to travel through some dicey areas with lots of abandoned buildings, and B) it’s close to the Botanical Garden, which might be a fun detour.

Fiddlehead Fern is worth trying for both St. Louis natives and travelers.

5. Comet Coffee

Comet Coffee is a hidden gem of a coffee shop in St. Louis. It’s right off the highway and is a little tricky to get to.

That said, this coffee bar is worth a visit!

I first noticed the incredible aroma you’ll experience when you walk in. It also has a chill vibe, which is perfect for focused work or studying.

The menu was deep, with many different coffee blends.

The barista said that most of them are light roast. This seems to be a common trend in the coffee shops we’ve visited in STL.

I ended up ordering Colombia, La Palmera blend. My wife ordered a vanilla latte.

The barista ground fresh coffee beans for my cup and used a pour-over for brewing. This is always a good sign. It shows that they care about the quality and freshness of their coffee.

The coffee was delivered with a simple presentation:

I didn’t get a strong aroma, but the flavor profile was deep. It had cherry undertones and was delicious black (without cream or sugar). I added some cream and raw sugar. It took it up another notch. Overall, it was a delicious cup of coffee, and I would love to try their other blends.

My wife’s vanilla latte was equally as perfect.

It wasn’t overly sweet, had great coffee flavor, and was super smooth. The only issue I had was that it was lukewarm (which can happen with lattes).

Overall, super impressed with Comet Coffee. It’s worth trying if you’re a St. Louis native or looking for a great cup of coffee when visiting the city.

6. The Mud House

If you’re looking for a great coffee-drinking experience, an excellent breakfast sandwich, and a cool vibe, then visit The Mud House. They have a ton of different coffee and breakfast options. I ordered a traditional breakfast and bottomless coffee.

The coffee had an outstanding aroma and an intense fruity flavor. In fact, it was so flavorful that you didn’t even need sugar. It was a medium roast, and it was super smooth. The only small criticism I have is that it was very hot (which often indicates over-brewing). My wife and sister-in-law ordered vanilla lattes.

The vanilla latte was excellent. It had the perfect amount of vanilla, the temperature was on point, and the flavor was excellent. Overall, The Mud House has great coffee, but the downside is that the restaurant has extremely limited seating, and you have to drive through some rough areas to get to it.

7. Winslow’s Home

Winslow’s Home is another coffee shop that is worth visiting if you are local to St. Louis or just visiting. It has a cool layout and design that certainly impresses me. One of the standout features is the community tables. This is great if you want to make new friends and meet people while enjoying a cup of coffee. Be aware that this is a loud location, and it’s full of energy. If you want a quiet space to work, this one won’t be for you. However, you can sit outside too, which is lovely on warm sunny days.

The food here is also excellent, with grits and the quiche being two particular standouts. The quiche is loaded with veg, so you can find a healthy treat here and a fantastic burger. It’s quite a varied menu regardless of when you go.

It does have a great design with rustic decor and industrial vibes. The only real issue is that this place might be a little too popular! You’ll regularly find a line going right out the door.

The coffee is great, and there’s quite a good selection. The flavors are rich. The only real issue was the long wait time.

8. Living Room Coffee Shop

We visited Living Room right after C. Oliver because they’re across the street from each other.

I was happy to see that Living Room offered both a traditional drip coffee (in a thermos) and a pour-over option. I ordered a Honduras blend pour-over. It was cool to see that they roast their own coffee in-house.

I asked the barista, and she said that their blends are all light roast. Overall, the coffee had a nice sweet flavor profile and wasn’t super acidic. It was also at the perfect temperature, which is the product of a proper pour-over.

My wife ordered a vanilla latte.

It wasn’t my favorite, but it was decent. It was a little too sweet, but overall, it was good (not amazing).

9. The Wolf

The Wolf Cafe is perfect for grabbing breakfast or heading inside for a coffee. There are both self-serving options and coffees that are specially brewed for you.

You’ll find everything here, from wine to fresh local food and craft beer. There’s definitely a lot of variety, but this one isn’t for work. Instead, it’s ideal for relaxing, meeting new people, and enjoying some great live music.

The Wolf has an open stage, which means that anyone can get up and play some tunes. This ensures a wide showing of talent here, and it’s one of the main reasons this shop is popular with tourists and locals alike.

The specialty drinks are also great. While some of the coffees, like the Vanilla latte, weren’t to my taste, others, like the Ethiopian Blend, really hit the mark. I think this is a particularly cool choice for a breakfast treat. Basically, if you’re looking for a fun place to hang out in a space that certainly attracts the crowds, this is definitely one to try.

10. Foundation Grounds

While it does fall nearer the bottom of this list, I have to say I did like the Foundation Grounds. It’s just nothing special; as you can see, there’s quite a lot of competition here. An example of this would be the work environment. While Foundation Grounds is suitable as a working space, Coma Coffee does this much better.

It surpasses this shop in terms of style and facilities. You can’t have a proper working area in a coffee shop without great Wi-Fi, and the availability here is just too temperamental.

This definitely isn’t an Instagram-worthy location, which is one reason why, if you’re not in the area, I can’t recommend going out of your way to visit it.

One thing I will see is that the food is absolutely heavenly. I definitely recommend the hot potato burrito. This might be a simple option from the menu, but I promise you it will go down as an absolute treat.

Overall, the coffee is excellent. Some lovely choices include the regular coffee available in a thermos. One of the things that people love is the cocoa flavor that’s present in the coffee, and it does add something for sure. It’s just not quite enough to recommend traveling out of your way to experience it.

11. Park Avenue Coffee

Park Avenue Coffee has a few different locations throughout St. Louis. We had an opportunity to try their coffee at the Cortex location. Unfortunately, it was very underwhelming. My wife, sister-in-law, and I agreed that it felt like a chain. It didn’t feel like a unique coffee shop like some of the other amazing ones on the list.

That said, I ordered their “Park Blend” which is a dark roast. The first red flag was that the coffee was in a thermos. This tends to overbrew the coffee and makes it scalding hot. That’s why the top St. Louis coffee shops use manual pour-overs for brewing. This process brings out the flavor profile more. That said, the coffee wasn’t bad. It had a spicy aroma but didn’t have a great flavor profile. It felt like I was drinking Starbucks (except with a weaker flavor profile).

My wife ordered a Park Avenue mocha, and it was super sweet. The flavor was like a marshmallow. Unfortunately, my wife couldn’t get through it because of the overwhelming sweetness.

My sister-in-law ordered a vanilla latte. It was solid.

Overall, Park Avenue Coffee is fine if you want a quick coffee. But if you’re looking for a complete coffee experience, a cool vibe, and amazing coffee, go to the top shops on this list.

12. The Clover and the Bee

The Clover and the Bee is an Instagram-worthy breakfast spot, but its coffee is lacking. I ordered bottomless coffee, and there were a few issues. First, it was extremely hot and over-brewed. This is the product of coffee sitting in a thermos for hours. The coffee was very acidic and sour.

I did get some sweet cherry flavor notes, though. It seems like drip coffee isn’t a priority at this restaurant.

My wife ordered a caramel latte, and my sister-in-law ordered a vanilla latte. The caramel latte was extremely acidic, like my drip coffee. I can only assume this is because of the blend of coffee their using. Some people love acidity, but I’m not one of those. The other issue with the caramel latte was the presentation. I care more about flavor, but it’s lacking when comparing it to the other coffee shops in STL (see below).

My sister-in-law’s vanilla latte was much better, but it didn’t have much vanilla flavor. This is a cool place to grab breakfast or get IG pics.

However, I would prioritize Sump, Coma, and Fiddlehead if you’re looking for great coffee in St. Louis.

Now to You

We will visit every coffee shop in St. Louis because I aim to find you the best coffee. I’ll keep updating this list as we try new ones.

Have you tried any of these STL coffee shops?

Leave your thoughts below.