Coffee Corner: How to Find a Great Coffee Shop When Traveling! {Sarajane} |

Some call it a gift that I was born with. A sixth sense for feeling out where a great coffee shop might be. Legends of old have been written and studied on how I find the best coffee shops in any town that we travel to. Call it a god-given gift or simply call it Google. But, either way, I’m here to share my top tips on finding the best coffee shops in both your hometown and while traveling.

It’s actually not as cool as I’d like you to think. I simply google for coffee shops everytime I travel/move somewhere. However, I have a few simple steps that I like to use in order to tell the terrible coffee shops from the great ones!

Step One: Google “Best Coffee Shop in…”

Simple enough. I always start with this because I’m pulling up reviews from other people that have been there. Unfortunately, some people really do think that starbucks is the best coffee shop in their city. So, you have to be able to filter out the actual good ones from the bad. {typing in “best coffee shop” narrows your search down a good bit, especially if you are in a large city.}

Step Two: Check websites!

I don’t trust a cheesy website. Unfortunately, that can sometimes allow for you to miss out on a diamond in the rough. But, 99% of the time, it’s saving you a trip somewhere you’d rather not be.

Step Three: Look for key phrases on the site.

Look for phrases like, “brewing coffee is an art/craft/process.” This says that they know the complicated process of creating a good cup of coffee. If they make it sound like a slow, artful process then you’re on the right track.

If the website offers any sort of education about the process and why they are sourcing their coffee/roasting/brewing their coffee in any specific way. That’s a good sign.

Basically, anything to tell you that they know what they are talking about!

Step Four: Google Images

Search the name of the coffee shop you are considering. Go to Google Images and check out what you see. First. does the environment look comfortable to you?

But mostly, see if there are photos of the coffee itself. If customers are posting pictures of their latte’s and they have latte art in them, you are in a good situation!

For example…

I googled my favorite coffee shop in town and here are a few of the images that popped up and what they told me.

I see Counter Culture beans in this one! That says they use quality coffee.
{I realize that this may not mean as much to you.}

This one tells me that it’s clean and comfortable looking!
{I prefer a clean and very simple environment. Not much for the hippy shops with thrift store couches.}

This tells me that they baristas know what they are doing!
{Anytime you see latte art like this, you are good to go!}

Step Five: Look for nerdy review terms!

If you’ve gotten to this point and you still aren’t sure. I suggest revisiting the reviews from earlier. Look for reviews that use nerd-like terms about coffee.

Key words to look for: beans {i.e. they use counter culture beans.}, single-origin, arabica, complex flavors, aeration, silky foam, hand brewed, crema, and more.

Here is an example for you.

A review for Octane Coffee Co. in Atlanta {one of the best in the country}

“Octane cares about the coffee they make. It’s a science and more importantly an art. Espresso drinks or french press, either way the coffee is always the delicious. If I am in the mood for sweet, I particularly like their vanilla latte. They make their own syrup in house, so it doesn’t have the artificial flavor that often comes with flavored coffees. The espresso drinks are particularly fun because they are always beautifully presented. They also serve wine and beer, but to be honest I never think about Octane for anything other than coffee!”

Now, a positive review for a coffee shop that I won’t name. But, it’s a bad one…

“I’ve been a **** fan for years and now that I don’t live in the area anymore I make it a point to stop in at least once a day when I visit. Their mocha shakes are superlative, and I’ve not found a place before or since that does them quite the same. Their regular coffee, pastries, and sandwiches (select locations) are also solid choices. It’s a nice detail that all locations use their walls as gallery space for local artists.”

Hopefully, this will help you out when you are traveling!

If you want to save some time, I’ve typed up a list of my favorite coffee shops around the country! These are just the ones that I’ve been to personally. I’m in no way saying they are the only good ones in those cities. But, they are just the ones that I’ve tried! Feel free to print it off and reference it whenever you’re traveling or just want to try a new place in your hometown!