Grand Rapids city is located in Michigan and country seat of Kent Country. The city is second in terms of population in the state after Detroit. Being one of the most populous cities you can easily find a coffee place within walking distance.
Not only a beverage but also a mode of life for some, coffee is within the category of culture in the city. With so many options, it is understandable if you feel lost when wanting to explore coffee shops in Grand Rapids. So, below are the 15 best coffee shops in Grand Rapids to save your day.
1. Outside Coffee Shop
Topmost in the list of best coffee shops in Grand Rapids, this place lives up to its name i.e. outside. The place is in a public garden and is off Woosah Outdoor & a lifestyle shop. Aside from the unique name, the coffee here is served from a vintage camper.
The place is open throughout the year and there are themes to enjoy with coffee in different seasons like hammocks and picnic tables in the summers and igloo-type structures during the winters.
They serve a wide range of caffeine drinks from beans of Ferris Coffee and Nut and also tea, hot chocolate, and more. Visitors here often recommend Brother Bear Hot Cocoa with Mokaya Chocolate.
Besides drinks, there are also handmade snacks to enjoy. Visitors recommend toasts that are gluten-free along with pastries and ice creams.
Certain advantages of this outside coffee place, which is technically a food truck in a garden, is that the place is good for catching up with friends, holding a workplace meeting, and even bringing your kids as there’s space for them to play. Besides the name, another uniqueness of the place is that you can even bring your dogs here.
Website- https://outsidecoffeeco.com/
1.1 Outside Coffee Shop- Douglas
The famous place is also open at another location which is Douglas and the theme is also similar as the motto is that coffee tastes better outside.
Outside Coffee at Douglas has an engaging seating arrangement with Adirondack chairs and swinging picnic tables. The place also offers the Woosah Location which has themes of igloos in winter and is also a truck with an open seating place.
The only difference is that, unlike the Woosah location, Outside Coffee at Douglas closes at 4 pm on weekdays and 5 pm on weekends. The place is as usual dog-friendly, kid-friendly, and ideal for social, individual, or work-related meetings. There is also parking space available at the front or street parking on the sides.
Website- https://outsidecoffeeco.com/
2. Rowster Coffee Shop
Rowster Coffee is an established brand of coffee in Grand Rapids with three locations. The oldest one is on Wealthy Street and the store roasts beans (also in the Steven Street location). The source of the beans is globally distributed in countries like Guatemala and Burundi.
The location of the store is happening making it perfect for a meet-up or to relax. The place has minimal theme seats, beautiful plants, and a large window in front of the store- a perfect view of the street.
The décor inside is also chic and has a subdued color palette. Although an old brand, Rowster coffee has all the varieties, like espresso, kombucha, and draught cold brew and besides the drinks, there are fresh pastries for your sugar tooth as well. The visitors also heavily recommend a blend named “Milky Way.”
Website: https://rowstercoffee.com
3. Lantern Coffee Bar and Lounge
One of the best coffee shops in Grand Rapids, Lantern Coffee Bar, and Lounge is located on Commerce Avenue in the Old Central Engineering Building. It’s a mix of a café and a lounge and the first floor has a bar. The brew here is based on the Bay City special- Populace Coffee. Lantern Coffee Bar has brick walls and wooden beams making it a cozy coffee shop.
This place is best if you’re an environment enthusiast as it’s waste-free given that coffee is served here in compostable cups or you can bring your mugs as well. There are also no packaged sugar or creams.
In the bar only, there’s a coffee machine in La Marzocco Strada. Lantern Coffee Bar and Lounge serves coffee and tea beverages and also has a variety of eating options including vegan recipes, pastries, and baked food.
Lantern is also popular because it’s quiet and has comfortable seating (both couch and chairs) making it perfect for meetings or having a ‘me-time’ with your book or any other hobby.
For more information visit here.
4. MadCap Coffee Shop
MadCap Coffee is one of the favorites for locals amongst Grand Rapids coffee shops and is called “Crown Jewel.” The business has its name for awards, national and international due to the quality of its coffee as well as its service. Their roasts are of high quality and the beans have an ethical source.
The place has perfect seasonal concoctions and a comprehensive option of drinks like espresso, cappuccino, and more. The different thing is that MadCap has light roasts so if it’s not your thing, you can try any of their special drink.
MadCap also has multiple locations in Grand Rapids and is also spread throughout the country. The Fulton St location has a modern setup and has a mural as well and is kid friendly but you can still get your work done here or have a meeting.
At the Downtown location i.e. Monroe Center NW, the menu is old-fashioned and has seasonal drinks as well. The location makes the neighborhood busy and always bustling so there’s an option for takeaway but you can also take a table to meet up with someone here due to the social atmosphere.
You can get beans here and they also have tours that include coffee bags, roasting demos tasting experiences, and much more. You can find more about the café locations and their tours from the website provided below.
Website: https://www.madcapcoffee.com/
5. Lyon Street Cafe
Lyon café gets its unique name from the street where it is on and is located on a historic hill. The neighborhood of the place is a known spot for college students. The indoors of Lyon Cafe are modern and stylish and give a French vibe because of the white brick walls. You can also call the place a mixture of both airy hipster and cozy atmosphere. There is comfortable seating as well as high tables giving a view of the outside and also better to get work done.
Lyon Coffee shop offers blends from other best coffee shops i.e. MadCap Coffee. You can expect coffee and espresso drinks and pour-overs as well as treats for your sweet tooth from Nantucket Bakery. Visitors recommend trying their vanilla lattes. Aside from coffee they also have beer and wine on their menu.
Being the spot for the neighborhood, the place is often packed and noisy making it not so perfect for having meetings. But the private seating and comfy seating are good for getting work done doing any activity alone or meeting your friends.
WEBSITE: https://lyonstreetcafe.com/
6. Roots Brew Shop
Roots Brew shop is also locally owned, adding to the list of authentic and best coffee shops in Grand Rapids. The place has mismatched items of furniture making it eye-catching and the large windows let the sun in. The vibes here are that of laid-back with an old-school atmosphere.
The menu of Roots Brew shop includes both tea and coffee and also fresh pastries, bagels, soup, sandwiches, and much more.
The owners of the place had a vision keeping the community in mind so the place is often engaging as people enjoy their brews with someone they love, including self-love and there are also events and functions to get people together. Some events are for instance art competitions.
website: https://rootsbrewshop.com/
7. Squibb Coffee and Wine Bar
Squibb café is also an established name for the locals. It has an inviting vibe and the ambiance is bright. Located in the East Hills neighborhood, Squibb serves only high-quality standard coffee drinks, and their coffee beans are sourced from Populace Coffee- another Michigan-based name.
There are also specialty drinks and fresh gluten-free baked goods. You can try their famous tea collections including Rishi tea.
As the name states, it is also a wine bar as the place got its liquor license recently. The bar area has a chic vibe and industrial interior. You can expect casual wines and other options such as toast, cheese platters, and other vegan foods.
Not only does Squibb coffee offer many options like tea, coffee, and wine but so does the food here, the place is considered good for getting your work done meeting a friend, or having a date but not for meetings since it’s usually cheery in there.
The place is kid-friendly so you don’t have to worry about them and simultaneously get your work done. It has metered street parking and is usually open late.
WEBSITE: https://www.squibbgr.com/
8. Rise + Squibb Coffee
Another favorite of many, Rise + Squibb Coffee is one of the most famous coffee shops in Grand Rapids. This café is a collaboration of the pre-pandemic era i.e. 2019 and is located in the West.
Rise is an authentic gluten-free and vegan bakery store name and Squibb, as evident above, is an established café. This place has a never-ending menu of coffee drinks an extensive tea selection and baked goods. Some options you can expect here are pop-tarts, Americano, Tea Latte, cookies, cakes, doughnuts, and much more.
As if the menu wasn’t enough, this place is cozy with both indoor seating and a patio as well as a mural for that perfect Instagram story of yours. Rise + Squibb is a good place to get your work completed and is kid-friendly but due to being popular and always packed, it is noisy and not ideal for a meeting but perfect for other sociable or alone activities.
9. That Early Bird
Located near Lake Drive, That Early Bird is a combination of coffee and breakfast so you can expect a lot of eating options.
The coffee scene here can be supplemented with fresh baked goods, cookies, cakes, homemade soup options, salads, healthy bowls, omelets, egg scrambles, gourmet sandwiches, and more. In coffee, you can expect their specialty drinks, and other standard options like cappuccino, espresso drinks, macchiato, pour-overs, and cold brews.
There are also brewed teas available here and although breakfast is famous here, there are also lunch options and accordingly, you can have brunch.
Early Bird also has a patio giving you both indoor and outdoor seating options. Since you have a public view, the place is perfect for working alone meeting a friend, or having a date. It is also kid-friendly and there’s so much on the menu that children can try as well.
The place has natural interiors and a welcoming vibe to it. You can visit the place for a laid-back and relaxing time in the morning or afternoon.
10. Ferris Coffee and Nut Co.
Ferris Coffee is an established brand in Grand Rapids as it has been around since 1924 and is still a regular for many. The place not only roasts its coffee beans as well as nuts. Because it has been around since the 20th century, the place has more than one location and you can get the quality same as the flagship café.
Here you can purchase any of their roasts and it makes its cashew-almond nut milk making your drink natural and healthy. One of the things that makes Ferris Coffee unique apart from its origin is its coffee lab which allows you to have different coffee-related experiences like barista training, brewing, and so on.
It also supplies its products to businesses and retailers so it’s better to enjoy the original which is why the café is also a travelers’ spot apart from the regular locals.
The Holland café has a comfortable vibe and laid-back atmosphere to enjoy your brew. It is their third café and the headquarters are at Seward Ave NW in Grand Rapids. The Holland café specifically is kid-friendly and has a good atmosphere to enjoy your coffee whilst working having a meeting or reading your book.
website: https://ferriscoffee.com/
11. Jam n Bean Coffee Company
You cannot be in Grand Rapids and not pay homage to this coffee chain. The café has two locations, one in Cascade and another in Ada. This local brand also is a roastery and takes customer service very seriously as it has subscriptions available for home deliveries so you hassle-free take care of your daily dose of caffeine. The beans are of the best quality and from all around the globe.
When here, try any of their four signature drinks. They also have hot chocolate bars on the menu. There are also eating options like popcorn. Their baristas are trained and friendly too.
website: https://jamnbean.com/
12. The Bitter End Coffee House
This café is located in a building that is a century old and in the university district. Unique as its name and place, the interiors here are also neo-classical and updated with 20th-century features. Their floors are of porcelain tile, woodwork, glass windows that are led, and tin ceilings.
The coffee house is big and quiet so it’s a good place to enjoy quality coffee whilst doing your work o having a meeting.
Their beans have an organic source i.e. Caribbean and South and Central America making their roasts and drink unique. Their menu includes obvious coffee and espresso drinks but they also have specialty drinks such as slow-steep cold brew, North Beach Italian Soda, smoothies-the healthy ones, and unresistible bubble tea. The wide range of drinks is supplemented by freshly baked goods and bagels.
If all the above wasn’t enough, another uniqueness of the place that makes this coffee house a must for every person visiting Grand Rapids or staying there is that the place is open 24/7 so you don’t have any excuses to not try their products.
If you’re nearby during the Art Prize Festival, visiting Bitter End might be better since the place has been an art location for the festival forever now.
website: http://thebitterendcoffeehouse.com/
13. Switchback Gear Exchange on Plainfield
Switchback Gear might be at the end of the best Grand Rapids coffee shops but it’s certainly not less than any other coffee shop. The name might’ve got you confused so you’re trying to know the connection between the name and coffee and BOOM the place has got your attention!
This place is a collab between a bike shop and a beer and a café and this leads to the weird name and its popularity making it one of the most unique coffee shops in Grand Rapids.
It has a friendly atmosphere and full of comfy vibes. There is sometimes live music played to keep the customers entertained. It also offers indoor as well as outdoor seating options.
Switchback Gear is connected with Aldea Coffee to trade coffee directly from farmers of Honduran. The cafe has local ingredients for drinks like caramel, chocolates, honey, and flavored syrups. As the name states there’s a wide selection of beer and also chai.
As you enjoy your drink, try any of their fresh baked goods which are also like every other thing i.e. locally made.
The place is good for getting your work completed or having a meeting and is children so there shouldn’t be practically anything stopping you from tasting their brew and promoting such business ideas.
website: https://www.goswitchback.com/
Last Updated on by Namrata123
This post is indeed a life savior for all the coffee lovers out there. The way every place is detailed is really easy to understand and anyone new to the place can go through the description and try the one that best suits their interest.