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Want to know where you can find the best coffee shops in downtown Cleveland? Good news – you’ve come to the right place! As someone who works full time in downtown Cleveland, I am all too familiar with that mid afternoon slump where I find myself venturing out of the office in search of some caffeine.
Thankfully, there are plenty of great coffee shops in Cleveland to fulfill this need. While it’s easy to stay in the familiar and convenient Starbucks routine, why not try something local?
Cleveland actually has an excellent coffee shop scene. There is an abundance of shops all around the city, and new places are popping up all the time. These places are not only numerous, but also sophisticated, stylish, and good at their craft. They take coffee very seriously, and they aim to create a special experience for each customer that walks into their respective shops.
Best Coffee Shops in Downtown Cleveland: A Complete Guide
Pour Cleveland
In 2013, Pour Cleveland took downtown Cleveland’s coffee shop scene up a few notches with its arrival on Euclid Avenue. They introduced many new concepts to unsuspecting Clevelanders: the pour-over, longer drink preparation times, and better tasting coffee.
I remember my first visit to Pour about 4 or so years ago. Being a Starbucks devotee at the time, I was not aware of this new artisanal style. The price of my coffee was about a third more than I’d usually pay. It also took about 5 minutes to prepare, and when it arrived I barely recognized it as coffee.
Pour’s coffee had a beautifully rich consistency and taste that I was totally unfamiliar with, and to be honest, that my palette was not quite ready for at that time. Over the years, however, my taste buds have evolved, and I’ve come to enjoy sipping on higher quality coffee.
Stylish Space
The small interior of Pour Cleveland is a modern minimalistic space with clean white walls throughout. Modern artwork and beautiful rustic light fixtures work to brighten up this coffee shop. There are also some additional modern rustic touches, such as wood-topped tables and an exposed wooden beam running through the center of the place.
Pour Cleveland aims to be a stylish yet functional space, offering free wifi and laptop friendly tables with built-in outlets. There are also a couple large tables that would be perfect for collaborating during a working lunch or a class project. Those familiar with seventies singer songwriter Kenny Loggins will get a chuckle from their goofy wifi password.
Delicious Brews
Pour’s espresso drinks are very high quality, and prices are typical for this type of coffee shop. You can expect to pay around $3.75 for items such as a macchiato or cappuccino, which is a bit higher than other places charge. However, they truly are beautifully crafted and delicious, and you absolutely get what you pay for.
This coffee shop is in a great location in Cleveland, being stationed right on Euclid and close to the popular East 4th street. Watch out for their new roastery opening in Tremont – some of these brews may show up in their downtown Cleveland location.
Phoenix Coffee – Downtown Cleveland
Phoenix has quickly become one of my favorite coffee shops in downtown Cleveland, although, this hasn’t always been the case. I first visited about 5 or so years ago, when my mom gave me a gift card to Phoenix as a present for passing the CPA exam. To be honest, at that time I was turned off by their lack of “variety”, as I was accustomed to Starbucks’ availability of sugar-free syrups.
Times have changed a bit since then, and I am no longer on the suger-free kick that I once was. Actually, I recently revisited Phoenix after my favorite Starbucks got overtaken by a new set of regulars. It’s very difficult to enjoy a coffee when there’s a gropey couple of forty-somethings that may or may not be having an affair. But I digress…
Newly Renovated Cafés
In a way, I’m thankful for those gropey forty-somethings because they forced me to change up my routine. When I stepped into Phoenix after about 4 years it was much nicer than I’d remembered it. It turns out they had recently undergone a rebranding, as the shop was newly remodeled.
The newly renovated Phoenix Coffee Co. has a much improved white and aqua color scheme, creating a calm and creative energy. The space is decorated with antique furniture, and potted plants hang on one of the front walls. I personally love the large window in the front of the shop, which is decorated with a charming canopy of coffee mugs.
Locally Roasted Beans
Phoenix Coffee Co. has actually been around for over 28 years. Not only do they have five locations throughout the city, but they also have their own local roastery on St. Claire Avenue.
In fact, this may explain why their coffee is almost the same price as their espresso drinks. Cappuccinos do happen to be my go-to drink here, and why not when you’re only paying 50 cents more than you would for a cup of coffee ($3/cappuccino vs. $2.50/coffee)? Either way, the quality of both drinks is spot on, although I am a sucker for the adorable “latte art” that the Phoenix baristas carefully pour onto the cappuccinos.
Of the 5 Phoenix locations, the one I frequent is on East 9th downtown. This location is a bit more discreet, which means it tends to be nice and quiet. Although some days there are more people than others, it’s quite spacious compared to other coffee shops and never feels crowded. I love coming here to study French during my lunch hour. If I were still a student or studying for the CPA exam, I’d camp out here with my laptop and books all the time.
Rising Star – Downtown Cleveland
Rising Star is another Cleveland coffee shop that has grown rapidly since opening it’s first café in 2012. Like Phoenix, Rising Star also has its own roastery in Ohio City and has five locations throughout the Cleveland area.
Cozy Atmosphere
Rising Star’s downtown Cleveland location is a cozy little coffee shop located in the iconic Old Arcade. It’s a small space with limited seating, but serves brews that are right up there with the best of Cleveland’s coffee scene. In line with the urban chic feel offered by the other downtown Cleveland coffee shops, the décor consists of features like an exposed brick wall and colorful artwork.
High Quality Espresso
Like usual, I ordered a cappuccino when I visited Rising Star. It met my expectations of being great quality and very tasty. However, it was also a tad more on the expensive side – about $3.50 for their smallest size.
That being said, Rising Star is a top notch coffee shop in Cleveland that has helped make the coffee scene as sophisticated as it is today. The downtown Cleveland location is especially worth checking out, even if just to see the lovely Old Arcade. Even better, on the other side of the building, the doors open up to Euclid and East 4th Street across the way, which is one of Cleveland’s trendiest neighborhoods for restaurants and nightlife.
Erie Island – Downtown Cleveland
Erie Island has been a Cleveland staple for a decade, ever since opening their downtown Cleveland coffee shop on East 4th in 2009. This was back when even the newly overhauled East 4th street was just beginning to become popular.
Cheerful Space
Erie Island has a style of its own, with a more warm, approachable vibe and cheerful brightly colored art on the walls. They also trend towards a more nautical theme, which is in line with their history. They actually first began operations as a tiny coffee shop in Kelly’s Island on Lake Erie.
Locally Distributed Beans
Erie Island is locally owned and operated, and their beans can be found at grocery stores like Heinen’s. My husband and I have actually purchased their beans before, and can vouch for the high quality of their craft.
Erie Island has two other locations: one large coffee shop in Rocky River and a newly opened shop in Elyria on Cleveland’s west side. In addition to coffee, you can also find food from other local companies here, such as The Cleveland Bagel Co.
The Copper Moon
I first went to The Cooper Moon thinking it would just be another trendy and Instagram-ready coffee shop to check off the list. After all, it is located in Playhouse Square, which is where a lot of millennials live in newly refurbished luxury apartments. Thankfully, my initial judgement was incorrect.
Tiny Space
It turns out that The Copper Moon is actually a bit of a hole in the wall. Even though I was using Google Maps, I could barely even find this coffee shop upon arrival. I actually walked right passed it once coming, and then passed it again when I turned around. When I finally did find The Copper Moon, marked only by a piece of computer paper on the door, I was surprised to see how small it is. There is literally only enough space for a counter and a couple high stools squeezed in by the front window.
Drinks Made With Enthusiasm
So what is there to like? Well, first of all, the prices are on point. I paid only $3.60 for a 16oz. cappuccino – in other words, a steal! Second of all, the man working behind the counter seemed to truly enjoy making the espresso drinks. He even freshly grated cinnamon on top of my cappuccino when he was done.
Was my cappuccino as artisanal as some of the others I’d tried downtown? Maybe not. However, it was still very good, prepared with enthusiasm, and a great value. If it wasn’t such a long walk to Copper Moon from my office, I would probably stop in here for a quick coffee break all the time.
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So, there you have it – the 5 best coffee shops in downtown Cleveland. The next time you visit The Land you’ll know exactly where to go, whether for a caffeine fix or to meet up with friends over a carefully crafted cup of joe.
Which of these coffee shops will you be checking out on your next visit to downtown Cleveland?
