Best Coffee House/Coffeeshop

Whether you’re looking for the perfect latte, a great office away from the office with free Wi-Fi, a tasty lunch sandwich or a super-chill place to grab a beer after work, OCTANE will outdo your coffeehouse expectations. It’s rare for a place to be so hip and so comfortable. We love the industrial vibe, the cool but not too cool staff, the locally produced art on the walls, the pastries and cookies from Alon’s and, of course, well-crafted coffee drinks and high-quality teas.

1009-B Marietta St. 404-815-9886. www.octanecoffee.com.

Atlanta was nothing but perked dishwater until AURORA COFFEE opened here in 1992. Its two shops, which are now owned by the same folks who operate Criminal Records, were never designed as cozy hangouts, but the baristas still receive the best training in town and the quality of the coffee drinks shows it. Order a single shot. Note its sparkling golden crema, its smooth and slightly piquant taste, its slightly oily texture. It’s a reason to go on living another day.

992 N. Highland Ave., 404-607-1300; 468 Moreland Ave., 404-523-6856. <a href="http://www.auroracoffee.com>www.auroracoffee.com</a></i></p> <p>.</p> </em>

It’s a rare coffeehouse in Atlanta that serves an A-plus cup of java and features ambiance that wasn’t ordered from a corporate headquarters. But JOE’S EAST ATLANTA COFFEE SHOP succeeds at both. A truly diverse crowd displays itself in the retro, comfy furnishings. The baristas are well trained. The Wi-Fi is free and you don’t have to engage in genteel battle for an electrical outlet: There are plenty. You can hear live music now and then. You can buy a book for a buck. And, hey, it’s in funkadelic East Atlanta.
510 Flat Shoals Ave. 404-521-1122.