For many of us, one of life’s great pleasures is sitting in a cozy coffee shop, chatting with a friend and watching a parade of colorful characters waiting patiently for their daily cup of joe.
We are lucky to have many independent coffee shops in South Florida. These cafes are not part of a chain and are able to assert their individuality by designing their own menus, serving creative coffee combos, and decorating their spaces with innovation and edginess.
On this list, you’ll find an assortment of coffees, menus, prices and atmospheres. We didn’t have room for all the independent cafes in Broward and Palm Beach counties, but if your favorite is missing, email AskLois@sunsentinel.com and make sure to tell us why you love it. We may do a follow-up list with readers’ recommendations.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
Bond Street Ale and Coffee, 1626 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach; 561-877-2462; Instagram.com/bondstreetaleandcoffee
This coffee shop and bakery also serves dinner, with a menu that includes tacos, salads, sandwiches and the Big Roast, featuring Italian salami, roast beef, vegetables and mayo ($16.95). For pastry lovers, there’s the Everything Croissant, made with Everything Bagel seasoning, and the Crooki, a croissant-cookie combo. Coffee is $4, cappuccino, $5.
Coffee District, 325 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach; 561-455-0541; Facebook.com/coffeedistrict
A cup of coffee or an espresso goes for $2.50 at this coffee shop/bar in the city’s Pineapple Grove Arts District. You can also get tea, muffins, cookies, brownies, frappes and smoothies. The shop takes its beer as seriously as its coffee: There are always 18 craft beers on tap and hundreds more in bottles. As its Facebook page says, “Enjoy a beer … or 200.”
Cote France Cafe, 100 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton; 561-955-6021; cotefrance-bocaraton.com
Open since 1997, this corner cafe next to Royal Palm Place serves an assortment of breakfast bagels, eggs and English muffins, but go for the authentic French fare: Croque Madames, quiches, crepes, profiteroles and fruit tarts. Try the coffee eclair ($8.50); it’s a just-sweet-enough pastry with a luscious coffee kick. A small cappuccino is $5.30; a double iced espresso, $5.80.
G.O.A.T. Café, 1880 Dr. Andres Way, Delray Beach; 561-306-8720; goat-cafe.com
G.O.A.T. opened about a year ago in an industrial area of Congress Avenue. A cup of brewed coffee goes for $4.50; a mocha is $6. There’s also avocado toast, grilled cheese, flatbreads and bagels. A foodie posting in “Let’s Eat, South Florida,” the Sun Sentinel’s Facebook group, described the little shop this way: “Tucked away, hard to find and totally worth it!!”
Mane Coffee, 500 NE Spanish River Blvd., Boca Raton; 561- 245-8982; Instagram.com/manecoffee
This minimalist coffeehouse is a popular spot for local workers conducting meetings as well as remote workers looking to get out of the house. A latte costs $6.05, or try the Strawberry Fields, a mixture of fresh strawberries and coffee ($7.70). The toasts are similarly creative: There’s a Labneh Toast, sprinkled with zaatar spice, and a Beet Hummus toast (each $8.80).
The Pumphouse Pouratorium, 1016 Clare Ave., West Palm Beach; 561-557-3118; pumphousecoffee.com
Pumphouse began as a Jupiter wholesaler roasting beans for coffee shop and brewery clients and is now its own 8,000-square-foot cafe, roastery and “coffee lab,” having opened to the public in 2023 in West Palm Beach’s hip Warehouse District. Inspired by their father’s coffee farms in Jamaica, brothers Christian and Alex Le Clainche first opened Pumphouse in 2016. They had a stint at Grandview Public Market during the pandemic and later migrated into a warehouse two blocks north, where they serve drip coffees beginning at $3 and cappuccino for $4.50. Specialty teas, smoothies and craft beers are also on the menu, as well as salmon and avocado toasts, tacos and burritos.
Third Place Coffee Lounge, 325 NE Spanish River Blvd., Boca Raton; 561-334-2171; thirdplacecoffeelounge.com
The name does not refer to the quality of the coffee. According to owner Elijah Gourgue, home and work are in first and second place, and third place goes to community gathering spaces such as his cozy shop, which also serves as a small event venue. Gourgue is a Florida Atlantic University grad who opened the cafe in 2022. A cup of drip coffee is $3.50. The menu also includes smoothies, pastries, wine and beer.
BROWARD COUNTY
The Alchemist Cafe, 2430 NE 13th Ave., Wilton Manors; 954-997-1297; thealchemist.cafe
Even on the hottest summer days, sitting on The Alchemist’s patio and drinking their famous Iced Coffee, made with condensed milk and brown sugar ($7.95), is relaxing and satisfying. The cafe also serves matcha lattes, cappuccinos, Americanos and Italian macchiatos. Enjoy them while you can: A developer is expected to demolish the property at some point for a residential project, although the date has been “pushed back,” a store employee said last week. “We’ll be open for a while,” she said. Loyalists, don’t worry: They are expected to reopen in the new building on the same property.
Calusa Coffee Roasters, 161 E. Commercial Blvd., Oakland Park; 954-449-4377; calusacr.com
Calusa started as a wholesaler in 2013 and turned into a cafe four years later. Luis Arteaga, a Marine Corps veteran, owns the shop with his wife, Maria Jurado. They focus on their wholesale business, which sells coffee to restaurants and other venues, and keep a simple menu at the cafe, where a regular cold brew goes for $4.50 and a latte is $4.25.
The Coffee Culture, 3045 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954-306-3652; thecoffeeculture.com
This new cafe is owned by Oscar Salas, a native of Colombia (“We grew up around good coffee,” he said). The shop serves single-origin coffees from Colombia, El Salvador and Nicaragua, and hosts community-welcoming events like art shows and yoga nights. An espresso goes for $3.75; a latte is $4.50. Empanadas, croissants, muffins and gluten-free items are also on the menu.
Expresso Coffee, 1900 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-527-1222; Faacebook.com/ExpressoCoffeeCompany
This little coffee shack posts its daily selections on Facebook. Recent iced coffee options included Bourbon Truffle Mohka Java, Rainforest Crunch and Chocolate Macadamia. Specials include a large hot coffee and bagel for $5. This shack, which has drive-through and walk-up service, may offer one of the cheapest cups in Fort Lauderdale at $1.87 for 8 ounces.
Kay Rico Coffee, 2728 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 954-743-2949; kayricocoffee.com
Kay Rico is in a cozy storefront in Hollywood’s bustling downtown area. The shop, started 10 years ago as a stall at the Yellow Green Farmers Market, also in Hollywood, serves “air-roasted coffee,” through a process that circulates air around the beans and is said to remove bitterness. A cafe con leche is $5.05; an iced cappuccino, $5.75. There are also sandwiches, pizza, bowls and beer.
The Little Coffee Shoppe
1172 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach; 754-444-7672
10732 Wiles Road, Coral Springs; 754-444-6443
littlecoffeeshoppe.com
An amateur reviewer on “Let’s Eat, South Florida” raved about the Coral Springs location: “If you haven’t been to the Little Coffee Shoppe of Coral Springs, then you are missing one of the most charming coffee, breakfast and lunch shops in southern Florida. The warm and rustic decor is so inviting and is complimented by the friendly staff. Every detail of this place whispers serenity as you enjoy the most delicious and truly crafted coffee and tea drinks I have ever had.” A cold brew coffee or cafe con leche goes for $4.89.
The Modern Rose
911 NE 20th Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-900-4486
331 SE 15th Terrace, Deerfield Beach; 954-405-8448
4300 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; 954-967-0444
themodernrose.com
Mismatched china, frilly napkins, vintage tablecloths: The vibe at these popular cafes is a “hodgepodge of thrift-store finds to reflect the diverse mix of clientele,” according to Sun Sentinel restaurant reporter Phillip Valys. Co-owner Emilio Dominguez describes the menu as “eclectic international brunch … with comfort foods fusion.” That includes several assortments of avocado toast and egg sandwiches. A cappuccino is $4, an iced cold brew, $4.25.
Sip Java Co., 638 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954-990-5597; sipjavaco.com
This classic gathering place in Fort Lauderdale’s Victoria Park neighborhood has extensive breakfast and lunch menus, with eight variations on avocado toast as well as smoothies, eggs, muffins, bagels and sandwiches. A cup of hot coffee is only $2.10, one of the lowest prices in South Florida. It is highly recommended by the Sun Sentinel’s Valys, who said: “I’m partial to the Black Eye, which is coffee plus two espresso shots. The vibe is cozy, composed and efficient; you’ll see mostly college-aged drinkers working remotely on laptops and thirtysomethings grabbing a quick perk before dashing off to work downtown.”
Undergrounds Coffeehaus, 3020 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale; 954-630-1900; Facebook.com/undergrounds.coffeehaus
Unlike many morning-oriented coffee shops, this cafe opens at 6 p.m. four evenings a week and in the afternoons on Fridays through Sundays. It feels like a living room with its cushiony couches and red walls. Undergrounds hosts AA meetings, open mic nights and comedy shows. An enthusiast posted in “Let’s Eat, South Florida“: “Closest I’ve found to a true coffeehouse is Undergrounds on Federal Highway. It’s awesome.” A large coffee is $3.25; an iced cappuccino is $5.25.
Wells Coffee Co.
599 SW Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-533-2287
737 NE Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-982-2886
wellscoffees.com
This is another go-to for Valys: “My favorite everyday roast blend at Wells is Pedestrian, which has a rich, syrupy-smooth kick.They have single-origin flavors for any mood, and if you’re hungry, they even make a mean zucchini walnut bread.” Their cappuccino goes for $4.25; a latte is $4.75.