Coffee Chains Worth Your Attention
Starbucks may sit at the center of American coffee culture, but it is far from the whole story. Across the country, chains with loyal followings are pouring originality into every cup. They reflect local traditions and experiment with bold ideas, proving there’s more to coffee than the biggest name. Want to see which contenders deserve a brighter spotlight? Let's dive in!
1. Dutch Bros Coffee
Every year, Dutch Bros Coffee honors co-founder Dane Boersma's battle with ALS through a day of dedicated proceeds. That tradition reflects the spirit that helped two brothers grow a simple pushcart and espresso machine in Grants Pass, Oregon, into a thousand-store phenomenon across nineteen states.
Dutch Bros Coffee on Wikimedia
2. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Since opening its first Southern California location in 1963, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has raised coffee standards through meticulous bean selection from premier regions like Kenya, Sumatra, and Peru. This expertise culminated in their groundbreaking 1987 creation: the original Ice Blended drink.
3. Peet's Coffee
What started as a humble Berkeley coffee shop in 1966 turned into quite the bean scene when Alfred Peet introduced his intense European-style dark roasts. The little Vine Street store, still brewing today, didn't just serve coffee—it sparked America's specialty revolution and even helped inspire Starbucks and guide its early approach to coffee.
4. Caribou Coffee
As the first major U.S. coffeehouse to achieve 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee status, Caribou Coffee symbolizes its pioneering spirit. This commitment stems from a humble 1992 start in Edina, Minnesota, growing to 496 locations while staying true to its Alaska-inspired leaping caribou logo and dedication to sustainable practices.
Gabriel Vanslette on Wikimedia
5. Intelligentsia Coffee
Who knew a little Chicago coffee shop in 1995 would spark such a caffeinated revolution? From its cozy Lakeview flagship, Intelligentsia Coffee blossomed into a direct trade trailblazer. It even schooled baristas and coffee enthusiasts through education programs that transformed bean-to-cup culture nationwide.
www.Pixel.la Free Stock Photos on Wikimedia
6. Stumptown Coffee Roasters
Today's cold brew coffee craze traces back to an innovative Portland roaster that borrowed its city's lumber-era nickname, "Stumptown." Founded by Duane Sorenson in 1999, Stumptown Coffee Roasters revolutionized American coffee culture through lighter roasting techniques and direct trade relationships with farmers.
7. La Colombe Coffee Roasters
Some coffee companies aim for good, but La Colombe aimed for revolutionary. Since launching in Philadelphia in 1994, this aptly named roaster (French for "the dove") has soared toward its mission of raising the stakes of American coffee. Their creamy canned draft lattes prove they’ve nailed it.
8. Counter Culture Coffee
Talk about walking the walk—Counter Culture Coffee matches its high-minded ideals with down-to-earth action. Since 1995, this Durham-born roaster has turned sustainability pledges into direct trade partnerships, backed transparency claims with detailed annual reports, and transformed coffee education through public training centers.
9. Blue Bottle Coffee
When Vienna's first coffee house, The Blue Bottle, pioneered European coffee culture, it sparked a legacy that would inspire Oakland's Blue Bottle Coffee centuries later. Founded in 2002, the company honors traditional coffee-making through its 48-hour freshness standard, continuing its journey under Nestlé's ownership since 2017.
10. Black Rock Coffee Bar
Black Rock Coffee Bar emerged from Portland in 2008 with a fresh blueprint: genuine community connections paired with swift drive-thru service. Now spanning over 100 western U.S. locations, they’re proving convenience and warmth can coexist—especially with drinks like the Caramel Blondie.
11. Dunkin'
The 2019 removal of "Donuts" from Dunkin's name marked a symbolic milestone in its remarkable journey from a 1950 Quincy, Massachusetts donut shop to a global coffee empire. Now they serve an astounding 60 cups per second across more than 12,000 locations worldwide.
12. Wawa
For East Coast coffee lovers seeking quick, customized service, Wawa's innovative self-serve coffee bars and made-to-order hoagies have redefined convenience. What began as a Pennsylvania store in 1964, named after the Ojibwe word for Canada goose, has expanded to over 1,000 locations.
13. Sheetz
Need a midnight snack or early morning coffee? Sheetz has you covered around the clock. With over 800 locations across seven states, they serve made-to-order food through their innovative MTO system. This Pennsylvania-born family business has been keeping customers satisfied since opening in Altoona in 1952.
14. The Human Bean
Do you know the secret sauce behind The Human Bean's evolution from a single Ashland perch in 1998 to today's 180+ drive-thru empire? It’s smart Oregon roots, zippy drive-thru convenience, a sleek steam-swirled cup logo, and heart-warming "Coffee for a Cure" fundraisers that blend caffeine with community impact.
15. Philz Coffee
When Phil Jaber opened his Mission District doors on New Year's Day 2003, he brought a philosophy as carefully crafted as his coffee: every cup deserves personal attention. That devotion still flows through each pour-over blend, from signature Tesora to the cult-favorite Mint Mojito iced coffee.
16. Coffee Beanery
Born in America's heartland, Coffee Beanery transformed its 1976 Dearborn beginnings into a cross-cultural coffee empire, bridging East and West through forty distinctive flavors. Today, it serves in more than seventy Michigan locations and twenty international outposts spanning Guam, China, Korea, and the Middle East.
Coffee Beanery TV Slideshow by Coffee Beanery
17. Biggby Coffee
The bold orange "B" lighting up Biggby Coffee storefronts tells quite a story—one that started in East Lansing back in 1995, evolved through a thoughtful 2007 rebrand from "Beaner's Coffee," and now represents over 390 locations across the U.S.
18. Dunn Brothers Coffee
The Dunn family's coffee legacy began when brothers Ed and Dan crafted their roasting philosophy in 1987 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Their hands-on approach to roasting beans in small batches at each location remains the cornerstone of Dunn Brothers Coffee, now flourishing across nearly 50 Midwest establishments.
Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, United States on Wikimedia
19. Caffe Vita
Anchored by its bustling Capitol Hill flagship café, Caffe Vita stands as a Seattle coffee landmark that's been percolating since 1995. This homegrown roaster reaches far beyond its local roots through farm-direct sourcing, while stirring up the creative scene with artist and musician coffee collaborations.
20. Victrola Coffee Roasters
Mastering small-batch roasting and single-origin selections has been Victrola Coffee Roasters' unwavering mission since opening its Seattle doors in 2000. The vintage-player-named café turned quality pursuit into community connection, hosting regular cuppings and educational events that share their coffee craftsmanship.
KEEP ON READING
The Most Popular Chocolate Bars in the USA
The Most Popular Candies in the USA
