Switchback Coffee Roasters

330 N Institute St, Colorado Springs, CO

★★★★★4.6(717 Google reviews)

Crema's Take

This Colorado Springs roastery excels at both the craft and the comfort, with bright, well-prepared espresso that showcases single-origin beans like their standout Ethiopian alongside thoughtfully executed pour-overs. Beyond the coffee, they've built something special with their neighborhood hospitality, curated tea selection, and genuinely crave-worthy food—from their legendary avocado toast to sourdough breakfast sandwiches that keep people coming back years later. The whole experience feels intentional, from the welcoming staff to the plant-filled space, making it exactly the kind of place where you can linger over a slow coffee or grab something quick knowing it'll be done right.

What to expect

Full breakfastMatcha & teaPastriesSlow sitSpecialty drinksMeetingsLight foodEspresso focusedTraditional drinksPour over

Google Reviews

Denise G.Harper
★★★★★5 months ago

I haven't been here in years and what a pleasant surprise! They made the OG breakfast sandwich on sourdough bread and it was literally the best breakfast sandwich I've had as of late. So much flavor, you can tell they really care about cooking for you. The lavender honey latte was great as well! It's a great place to chill, do homework, or read. I will definitely be going back.

J Ramirez
★★★★7 months ago

Switchbacks delivers a solid coffee experience. The Ethiopian espresso had bright, fruity notes upfront, finishing slightly pasty but still enjoyable and well-prepared. On the food side, I tried their OG bagel sandwich:very fresh, nicely seasoned. The avocado toast, which was delicious and thoughtfully made. My only critique would be adding another sunny-side egg to balance the toast. That said, the food feels overpriced, especially at $11.50 for a bacon, egg, and cheese, which is hard to justify if you’re used to NYC standards. What I really love is their pay-it-forward drip coffee board a genuine community touch. Plenty of seating, not overly crowded, and while the space could use more decor to feel warmer, it’s still a comfortable café to enjoy good coffee.

Justin McClelland
★★★★★9 months ago

Fantastic local coffee shop with vegan brunch and lunch items! I’m a complete coffee snob and proud of it. I have my go-to spots and am usually a little nervous to try new spots because they often disappoint. The food and coffee at Switchback was perfect. I got the avocado toast with no egg. It was creamy, flavorful, and the bread was delicious. The coffee made my heart happy. Lovely texture, great balance of flavor, and not too acidic. I often find coffee shops go with really fruity and what my palate translates as acidic coffee. I prefer a darker roast with notes of chocolate and toffee. I left a happy camper! The setting wasn’t relaxing but nonetheless enjoyable. The patio and entire coffee shop was packed the day I went, which I think is a norm for this place. Lots of pups on the patio, too! Service here was good. Everyone was friendly, food and coffee came out quickly, and it all tasted top notch. I’d absolutely go back when I’m in Colorado Springs and would definitely recommend to others!

Brian DeLong
★★★★★12 months ago

Fantastic local neighborhood coffee shop with the ambiance and hospitality you crave. Curated selection of loose leaf teas as well as great coffee and matcha etc. Pastries, avocado toast and breakfast sandwiches make it a great brunch spot. I was lucky enough to go on Saturday for their french toast weekend special! Superb patio as well as light and airy in door tables for groups small to large make this a great neighborhood or in the area place to grab a drink and a quick bite.

Sam Jacobs
★★★★★5 years ago

What a gorgeous place! Such a nice atmosphere! The espresso is fantastic, the employees are the absolute sweetest. We come drive 8 hours just for the Avocado toast which is to die for! The plants are such a VIBE!!

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