Best Coffee House/Coffeeshop

Who knew that a shipping container could make for such a delightful coffee shop? Apparently, BRASH COFFEE founder Matt Ludwikowski did. His little coffee shop parked on the lawn in the Westside Provisions District has drawn crowds both to admire the fine design of the space as well as the fine coffees that Ludwikowski and the Brash team have sourced and roasted themselves. The baristas will happily share the stories of the farmers who grew the beans, then pour you a perfect cortado. The menu is as minimal as the space, but in a neighborhood practically overrun with coffee shops, Brash stands out — in a cute little shipping container. less...

A great cup of coffee is increasingly easy to find in Atlanta. But a great cup of coffee and an equally great croissant? Now that's a more difficult feat. Luckily, we have the Grant Park combo of Octane Coffee and the Little Tart Bakeshop. There's something magical about the morning light coming in through the windows, the way it highlights the steam rising from a cup of rich Guatemalan or Ethiopian coffee. Even prettier are the pastries behind the counter. If you can only do one, go with the beautiful chocolate almond croissant. We can't wrap our brains around the amount of butter needed to construct its crunchy, crisp layers of dough, but once you hit the melting chocolate center, who cares? less...

Octane isn't just our favorite coffeehouse in town, it's one of our favorite places in town. The staff is friendly (and hot). The music is awesome. It serves craft beer. The atmosphere is conducive to working or dating or meeting or creating. And most importantly, the baristas still make the best damn coffee and coffee drinks in town. Never change, Octane. Never change. 1009-B Marietta St. 404-815-9886. octanecoffee.com. less...

Try as we might, we just can’t find a better coffeehouse than the Westside’s OCTANE. They’ve got it all. Free Wi-Fi? Check. Cool, comfortable digs? Check. Great food? Check (love that house salad; adore that house-made granola). Friendly, community-conscious staff and owners? Check. And most importantly: Great, expertly made, quality coffee? Absolutely. Octane makes all of its brewed coffee from Counter Culture beans fresh in press pots, and the baristas are the best in town. Watch this year for a spreading of the love – Octane has taken over Method near Emory, and there are more locations in the works. 1009-B Marietta St. 404-815-9886. www.octanecoffee.com. less...

As commonplace as it is, a tremendous amount of work and skill goes into making a perfect cup of coffee. Slight fluctuations in water temperature, brew time or the grinding process can ruin your cup. And of course, there's the bean. Even the highest-quality beans will leave you with a cup of bitter, caffeinated mud if they're not roasted just right. That's why we love BATDORF & BRONSON coffee, served at places such as Aurora, as well as B&B's own Dancing Goats Coffee Bar in Decatur. Batdrof & Bronson's deft roasts deliver more of a bean's natural flavor than any local roaster. Sip and sniff the Kenya AA or the Dancing Goats blend and you'll pick up a whiff of berries. That's not artificial flavoring. B&B roasts coffee so skillfully, it reminds you that, oh yeah, coffee beans actually are fruit. less...

There’s a new coffee company in town: COUNTER CULTURE COFFEE. The owners are so devoted to java that they’ve opened a training center in the King Plow Arts Center and hold a weekly “cupping” (think wine tasting but with coffee) on Friday evenings that is open to the public. The company specializes in forging personal connections with coffee growers, and some of the best places in town, including Octane, are now devotees of Counter Culture’s beans. less...

If you’re one of those coffee snobs who proclaims loudly that since your visit to Italy you simply can’t abide American cappuccino, then head over to the Westside’s OCTANE, where you’ll find a version pretty dang close to the real thing. It’s also a great place to work, eat or grab a beer after work. The staff has good taste in music, the art on the walls is local and vibrant, and they take their coffee seriously. Every neighborhood should be so lucky. less...