Philadelphia Coffee: La Colombe's Hometown and What Grew Around It

The original. La Colombe invented the draft latte (cold-pressed espresso on nitro) and changed what canned coffee could be. The Fishtown location is where it started and still feels like the right place to understand why. The espresso program is impeccable. The space is beautiful. Go here before you go anywhere else in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia's most serious specialty roaster after La Colombe, and the one with the most intentional sourcing program. The Lombard Street location in South Philly is the original and still the best. The single-origins rotate with the seasons. The espresso is well-dialed. The room on a quiet weekday morning is exactly what you want.

Part independent bookshop, part serious coffee bar, entirely Germantown. Named after a beloved uncle and community figure, it operates on the principle that coffee and books belong in the same room. 4.7 stars from 1,400 reviews on a stretch of Germantown Ave that most visitors never reach. The reward for making the trip is one of the best rooms in the city.

Best described as a sandwich shop that takes its coffee as seriously as its sandwiches, which is very seriously. The espresso program is legitimate and the breakfast sandwiches are the reason people wait in line. 4.7 stars from over 1,100 reviews. Order the hoagie and the cortado and sit down.