Our caffeine fixation comes in many flavors, temperatures and blends. You will find them all at these Pittsburgh coffee shops, each of which offers unique experiences with plenty of personality. They are well worth exploring to find your new hangout.
The outdoorsy vibe at Standing Wave Coffee Roaster on the South Side comes from nature-inspired decor. A canoe hangs overhead; paddles line the walls, and natural-edged plank tables welcome customers. The back room holds comfy leather couches in front of a fireplace topped by a trophy fish. On warm days, the garage door opens to the sidewalk. A lineup of Adirondack chairs wraps around the side and back of the property for more fresh air sipping.
Brothers Colin and Evan Frye named their business after the way water flows over a rocky riverbed, making a “standing wave” that allows kayakers to make a continuous whitewater run. Standing Wave began in the Laurel Highlands as a coffee truck before opening its brick-and-mortar home on Sarah Street.
Coffee beans are roasted in-house and brewed into delicious blends. Signature drinks include the Monongahela (cold brew, espresso, cream and flavors); the Allegheny (sparkling coffee, cream and citrus); the Ohio (espresso, milk and cane sugar); and the Confluence (cold brew and chai). Seasonal specialty drinks test your sweet tooth with flavors like Dubai Chocolate, S’Mores and Chocolate-Covered Cherry.
Local bakeries provide curated pastries and baked goods. Or order a hot South Side Sammie. Options include eggs, cheese, bacon and sausage between slices of fresh bread.
Roasted coffee is available for in-store purchase and available to be shipped.
Afters Cafe in Squirrel Hill. Photo by Sally Quinn.
While most coffee shops cater to the early morning crowd, Afters Café in Squirrel Hill remains open until 10 p.m. – after work, after class, after the movies. Settle into a high-backed booth or lounge on the sofa to people-watch through the front window.
The cafe offers a variety of espresso fusions concocted with house-made made syrups. Try the Afters Latte (made with brown sugar cardamom syrup) or the Spiced Orange Mocha (a blend of orange syrup infused with cinnamon, star anise and clove mixed with dark chocolate sauce). Specialties include Sahlab, a thick pudding drink with choice of toppings, Turkish Coffee and Chai Karak, a Middle Eastern spiced tea. Lavender Lattes, Wild Blueberry Lemonade and Tahini-Date Affogato are part of the spring specials on offer.
Bites here take on a more homey touch with unusual items like build-your-own rice pudding. Choose two to four toppings from choices like coconut, crushed Oreos, cashews or maple syrup. Munch into a flaky layered baklava or sample traditional Turkish delight.
A plain toasted bagel is brought to life with house-made cream cheese of the week blended with ingredients like pistachios or cherries. Overnight oats are jazzed with wild blueberries, maple syrup, cinnamon and chia seeds or a mix of Nutella, cocoa and Greek yogurt.
Sandwiches make the transition from breakfast fare through lunch, dinner and late snacking. Cheddar Crunch presses melted cheddar and kettle chip filling between two Belgian waffles. Panini varieties include Vegetable Pesto and Turkey Feta. Or nosh on stuffed Grape Leaves with pomegranate drizzle.
The Roaming Bean in the Strip District. Photo by Sally Quinn.
The Roaming Bean found success, well, roaming about as a mobile coffee truck before settling into a Strip District storefront. The space is airy and fresh. Oversized coffee bean silhouettes hang overhead among leafy branches. Cute touches include flower stickers on the coffee tops and wooden flower-topped toothpicks in the sandwiches. Small flower arrangements dot tabletops. Throw pillows on the chairs and wall benches offer comfortable and cozy seating.
Spring specialty beverages get creative with items like the iced Blueberry Waffle Cone Latte (topped with blueberry foam, waffle pieces and blueberry cobbler crumbles); Cherry Almond Torte Latte (topped with whipped cream, a cherry and almond slices); and the Birthday Cake Chai (almond-and-Madeleine-flavored chai with vanilla cold foam and rainbow sprinkles).
The Roaming Bean delivers breakfast all day with English muffin egg sandwiches and avocado toast. The Sunrise Sammie is built from sun-dried tomatoes, baby spinach, egg, pesto and feta. The Brooklyn Panini layers Italian cold cuts with mozzarella cheese and house dressing. Or choose the Chicken Pesto, which combines grilled chicken with mozzarella, basil pesto and spinach on focaccia.
Pre Amp Coffee Studio in Squirrel Hill. Photo by Sally Quinn.
The atmosphere at Pre Amp Coffee Studio is more club than coffee house. The dimly lit space offers a long counter with stools and a back space of booths. Vinyl record covered wallpaper lines the walls along with images of speakers and stereo control panels. It all feeds into the musical theme that involves records spinning throughout the day. A menu of mocktails – the Phony Negroni, Apple Pie Collins and Note Espresso Martini, for example – contribute to the vibe.
Coffee is the main draw with the usual lineup of cortados, nitros and macchiatos. Go big and sample from specials like the Smokey Robinson (local honey latte with smoked salt, peppercorn and cinnamon) and The Reverb (a delightful mix of spiced pineapple syrup with nitro coffee).
The kitchen satisfies the lunch crowd with burgers, hotdogs, chicken fingers and falafel pita.
Origin Story Coffee, Downtown. Photo by Sally Quinn.
With a superhero theme, this Downtown coffee shop invites customers to find their own origin story. Origin Story Coffee murals celebrate local favorites like Fred Rogers, Rosie the Riveter and larger-than-life steelworker Joe Magarac. Tabletops present photo collages of other superheroes. Choose to sit with Star Wars characters, Marvel comics stars or a mix of Godzilla, Power Rangers and King Kong.
Coffee selections bring on the legends as well with Epic, Legendary and Mythic menu items. Gilgamesh, for example, was the first oral history character to make the transition into written word. He’s presented here as a Caramel Vanilla Latte. Wonder Twins combine caramel and chocolate for a wonder-ful experience. Odin’s Bargain suggests you’d trade an eye for this Salted Caramel Cookie Butter Latte.
Feeling worn out? Snag a refresher like the Shirley Temple of Doom (Cherry Twist Alani and grenadine with vanilla cold foam), Project Mayhem Mango (mango with a punch of chili-lime tajin) or the Blue Bolt (Redbull with lemonade and blue raspberry cream.)
The food menu is inspired with melts like the Gotham Gobbler (turkey and cheese on a bagel) and the Golden Hammer (ham and cheese between croissant loaf slices).
The Soft Spot in Garfield. Photo by Sally Quinn.
Billed as Pittsburgh’s only sapphic café, The Soft Spot focuses on being a place for lesbians and non-cis male-identifying people who are attracted to women. Of course, families and allies of the community are welcome, too.
The hospitable space has a cluttered feel that is comfortable and warm. Cozy corners with stacks of queer books for all ages and a free library are a helpful resource. Try your hand at crafting materials or chat up customers at the bar.
This sober space brews and blends La Prima coffee and stocks alcohol-free drinks from The Open Road, conveniently located next door. Spring specials list the Lady Marmalade (orange mocha latte), Every Gay Hates Mondays (peach and brown sugar latte) and Violet Femmes (violet and honey matcha).
The vegan food menu sells baked goods from Pigeon Bagels, ramen, chips and gluten-free snacks. Soft Spot allows outside food to be brought in, too.
Community building is a big part of the mission here. Customers gather for trivia nights, board games and a queer book club. Other programming includes entertainment like Sapphic Partner Dancing, Gal Pal’s Burlesque Show and The Slash Queer Horror Club. Check the packed calendar for times and days.
Soft Spot supports the arts community, as well, with two-month residencies in which local artists display and sell their work.
Gordo’s Cafe & Cantina. Photo by Sally Quinn.
The large open space of Gordo’s Café & Cantina in O’Hara holds two very different sections. First steps in the door reveal a well-lighted bakery space filled with donuts, cookies and delectable specialty items. Salted Caramel Brownies, Raspberry White Chocolate Scones and Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls are hard to resist. More savory baked goods include the Gordo Bombs, a hybrid of English muffin and biscuit dough stuffed with choices like Pork, Sage and Potatoes; Brisket and Potatoes; or Buffalo Chicken. All bakery goods are made fresh on the premises.
That’s also where the coffee bar brews its magic. Specialties include the Mexican Mocha, Marzipan Latte and House Horchata.
The other half of Gordo’s is a more dimly lit Mexican cantina and pizzeria where tortas, tacos, wings and salads take the stage. There’s a full menu of Casa Cocktails and rotating drafts with half-off happy hour from 4-6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Spot of Coffee. Photo by Sally Quinn.
Tucked into a small street a block or so from the new Giant Eagle Market District on Penn Avenue, Spot of Coffee is a snug neighborhood stop in East Liberty. A world map graces one wall, while the opposite displays ink drawings of familiar Pittsburgh architecture.
The Chocolate Banana Bread Latte, one of Spot of Coffee’s specialty drinks, brings a blend of banana sauce, coconut sugar, Ceylon cinnamon, stone-ground cacao, milk and espresso. Salted Caramel Date Latte mixes up date syrup, maple syrup, a pinch of sea salt with milk and espresso. The spring collection features Strawberry Cheesecake Matcha and Cinnamon Bun Latte.
Baked goods like croissants and Danishes are available daily. Spot of Coffee also sells Maeve Seattle Chocolate, Redstart Coffee Beans, Flowerhead Tea and Hannah’s Honey from Fox Chapel. A surprising bestseller here are colorful tins of Fishwife albacore tuna, anchovies and sardines from Spain.