As an avid coffee-lover and someone who works for a local newspaper immersed in the community, I often find myself stumbling not-so-accidentally through the doors of new coffee spots in Orlando.
The city, which is a hotspot for local businesses and restaurant owners, has countless cafes sprinkled throughout, in downtown, the main street districts, the UCF region, and other surrounding areas. It’s difficult to narrow down the list of my recommendations, which I’m often asked for by coworkers and friends.
However, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite spots in Orlando. I hope that next time you’re craving a caffeine fix, you’ll reconsider pulling into a default corporate chain. There are so many small-business owners curating a craft cup right around the corner and would love to have your service and support.
- Craft & Common
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This woman-owned, artisan coffee shop specializes in both craft and classic coffee drinks, along with teas, brunch cocktails, pastries, sandwiches, toasts, and more. Its mission of “crafting for the common good,” as well as its eclectic space and friendly baristas, results in the café always being packed by frequent customers.
Originally operating a single, snug location on Robinson Street in downtown Orlando, the coffee shop expanded to a second location just 10 minutes from campus a few months ago. The newer location in Oviedo on Alexandria Boulevard shares the same signature and seasonal menu as the initial location.
My go-to drink at Craft & Common is the Wild Child latte, accented with rose, vanilla, and cardamom. The specialty drinks are also fun and vary depending on the time of year.
- Cups and Pups Coffee
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This locally owned, couple-operated coffee shop in College Park is a staple in the community, serving its beloved signature drinks and pastries. Cups and Pups Coffee has a dog-friendly patio that features accommodations for those who want to enjoy a morning with their furry friends, including an outdoor online ordering system.
Serving Lineage Coffee, a local roasting brand, this coffee shop started as a pop-up tent on the side of the road of Orange Blossom Trail before upgrading to a coffee trailer. Now, Cups and Pups has its own brick-and-mortar location nestled on Edgewater Drive, continuing to serve its signature drinks and treats — for both its customers and their furry friends. My go-to order is the Brown Sugar Pop Tart Latte.
- D’amico & Sons Italian Market Cafe
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This family-owned Italian market is one of my favorite places to go in Orlando. Aside from house-made authentic Italian pastries, signature espresso, wood-oven pizzas, and subs, D’amico & Sons Italian Market also offers a variety of imported groceries and goods to “bring the taste of Italy” to the Orlando area.
The market, attached to the Oviedo Mall, is a definite must-visit in the area. My favorite drink from the cafe is the Biscoff latte, with authentic cookie butter syrup made in-house.
- Deeply Cafe and Bottle Shop
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Nestled in the heart of downtown Orlando on Magnolia Avenue, Deeply Cafe and Bottle Shop is a minimalist, wooden-style cafe featuring “bright, seasonal coffees” and a curated selection of natural wines.
@DeeplyCoffee via Instagram The shop focuses on providing sustainable, clean ingredients to offer a better representation of the “maker, region, and vintage” of its goods.
Deeply recently opened a second location in Winter Garden. The cafe also offers locally made pastries, as well as matcha, teas, and chai.
- Vespr Coffee Bar
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Vespr Craft Coffee is a contemporary coffee bar that prides itself on offering single-origin coffee and organic, fair-trade-certified tea. The third space is complete with wooden furniture and plenty of plants, making for a great study spot with friends or a morning brunch date.
Located by Waterford Lakes in the UCF area, the coffee shop also serves light cafe bites, like paninis, pastries, toasts, and more.
- Stemma Craft Coffee
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Stemma Craft Coffee is another of downtown Orlando’s hidden gems. Specializing in the “legacy of love with the aroma of coffee,” this female-owned cafe boasts a modern twist on classic coffee-drinking and a welcoming cafe environment.
Stemma focuses on ethically sourced coffee from “seed to cup,” with its coffee beans sourced from family-owned coffee fields in Jinotega, Nicaragua. Supporting the local coffee shop also means supporting the family-owned farm, Finca La Misericordia, which helps communities in South America. The coffee is roasted in small batches and carefully selected to provide the best quality coffee to the Orlando community.
“We seek to encourage and foster community at Stemma by engaging and serving the community in which we work, right here in Orlando.”
from Stemma Craft Coffee. - Lineage Coffee Roasting
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Lineage Coffee Roasting is a popular local company founded in Orlando in 2012, which has since expanded to several cafe locations in East End Market, Mills 50, and near the university. Lineage serves an assortment of drinks made from just-roasted coffee and freshly baked pastries. The Cozy Cloud Latte is my reliable go-to.
Lineage Academy also has a series of classes and books showcasing “the craft complexity of coffee, along with the story behind the process of sustainably sourced farming and roasting.”
- Framework Coffee
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Framework Craft Coffee House is a unique, retro coffee shop in the Mills 50 district. Framework’s coffee is “locally sourced and community-driven,” and has previously been named “Best in Orlando” by Orlando Weekly.
Framework is fondly known for not upcharging customers for nondairy milk alternatives and a pay-what-you-can option for those in need. Its “No One Turned Away” program is a well-loved initiative in Orlando, helping to bring affordably priced coffee to those in the community.
- Luminescent
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Luminescent is a new coffee bar and cocktail lounge, drawing from Indian influences, that recently opened on East Colonial Drive by UCF’s campus. The first in the university area, this dual location transforms from a modern coffee bar into a chic third-space destination serving cocktails and specialty wine after 6 p.m.
Not only does Luminescent have a stunning design and unique business structure that is perfect for college students, but its coffee drinks are also a hit, especially its specially curated latte with pistachio cold foam and soan papdi.
@ArleneMarie via Instagram - Thirsty Husky
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Thirsty Husky is one of Orlando’s favorite coffee pop-ups. Operating out of their signature coffee truck, the owners of Thirsty Husky coffee serve their rich, flavorful coffee at different locations in the Orlando area. My favorite is the butterscotch latte, which has the perfect balance of coffee taste and smooth sweetness.
The pop-up cafe is featured at the Winter Park farmer’s market every Saturday, and at the downtown Orlando farmer’s market at Lake Eola on Sundays. The coffee brand’s social media keeps the community up-to-date on all of Thirsty Husky’s pop-up events and food truck locations.
- Fable Craft Coffee & Pastries
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This medieval, fantasy-themed cafe is a relatively new addition to the UCF area, well-loved by its patrons. Fable Coffee focuses on hyperlocal craft coffee, while also serving pastries, matcha, specialty chai, and more.
Fable also features a rotating calendar of community events, a variety of board games, and a curated library for customers to enjoy during their stay at the mystical cafe.
It would be impossible to encapsulate the Orlando coffee scene in just one article. This article still leaves out many well-loved coffee shops; these are just a few of my favorites.
I hope this list of recommendations shows that there are so many more options than the most popular corporate chains, which often serve bulk coffee from unknown origins and a drink that is carelessly brewed.
Buying coffee locally not only means that you’re getting a better-quality cup, but it also means you’re supporting a small business and people whose passion is making coffee for the community. It often means you’re getting cleaner ingredients and ethically sourced coffee made with sustainable practices and curated with love.