The start of a day can be a slow slog until you take that first sip of coffee. If you don’t need the caffeine jolt to feel alert and awake, more power to you. But if you do, and you don’t already have a go-to spot near your LoHi apartment, we’ve got some options for you to consider. Here are five LoHi coffee shops staffed by friendly baristas known for serving finely roasted beans that can help you kickstart your day.
1. Black Eye Coffee
Black Eye Coffee Shop can be compared to a brewpub that curates a collection of the finest beers from both near and far. Rather than use beans from a single roasting company, Black Eye rotates coffee beans roasted around the country. One thing all beans used in Black Eye Coffee have in common is that they’ve been created in small-batch roasts. An art-deco inspired interior design adds to Black Eye’s allure, as does it boozy pour-over coffee, and popular handcrafted cocktail menu.
2. Carbon Beverage Cafe
Boldness is at the heart of Carbon Beverage Cafe’s business model. Carbon Beverage is a coffee shop first, but doubles as an impressive cocktail bar and restaurant. Carbon serves all standard espresso drinks, as well as a few inventive creations of its own. A popular one is the E.T., two shots of espresso poured into a cup of iced coffee and stirred with a splash of milk and honey lemon verbena syrup. Carbon Beverage Cafe is one of the closest LoHi coffee shops to AMLI Riverfront Park, just a 10-minute walk down Little Raven or Platte St.
3. Metropolis Coffee
Ample use of distressed wood gives Metropolis Coffee’s interior a homey, peaceful feel. It’s a lovely place to enjoy a high-quality drip coffee or an espresso drink. The local pastries, which include homemade empanadas, are also a hit. Metropolis Coffee now has three Denver metro locations. The LoHi shop, located on Central between 15th and 16th, is just over a 10-minute walk from AMLI Riverfront Park.
4. Teatulia Tea Bar
As you might infer from its name, Teatulia places a strong emphasis on the quality and variety of tea it serves up. The tea emporium also serves kombucha from the tap and coffee beverages made with beans roasted at Ozo Coffee in nearby Boulder. Teatulia’s Zuni St. location is a three-minute drive or 20-minute walk from AMLI Riverfront Park.
5. Urban Mix
One of the newest LoHi coffee shops, Urban Mix has quality products, an experienced staff, and an excellent coffee house atmosphere. The baristas can prepare any standard coffee drink you’re feeling. If you’re hungry while working from or visiting with friends at Urban Mix, try one of their well-reviewed pastries and sandwiches. Urban Mix is less than 10 minutes’ walk from AMLI Riverfront Park.
Want to dive deeper into Denver’s coffee scene? Check out this roundup by Eater.
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View All Posts by Jason Ernst