Philadelphia Coffee Shops: Craft coffee and neighborhood charm

Coffee gets scientific at Function Coffee Labs, which, unlike most coffee shops in Philadelphia, sources its beans from multiple roasters offering an ever-changing single-origin line-up of excellent coffees.

The cozy white-and-brown corner cafe in South Philly is owned by former mechanical engineer Ross Nickerson who marries coffee and science to produce out-of-this-world options like his signature “Coffee Shot" espresso shots, precisely crafted pour-overs, flights, and traditional espresso drinks. The coffee is accompanied by a menu of delicious light bites like Stroop waffles, flaky pastries, homemade quiche, and warm oatmeal, which can be enjoyed throughout the day. Function Coffee Labs is open for breakfast and lunch daily.

Function Coffee Labs, 1001 S 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, Phone: 267-606-6734

One of Philadelphia’s most renowned coffee roasting companies, La Colombe Coffee Roasters were the first to introduce rich Italian-style espressos, lattes on tap, and excellent macchiatos to the city’s coffee scene. Boasting five coffee shops in the shop’s hometown of Philly, and several more in other cities, La Colombe has been roasting and serving traditional European coffees since 1994 with five flagship blends.

Co-founders Todd Carmichael and Jean-Philippe Iberti pride themselves on creating a coffee brand with a focus on sustainability and socially responsible coffee-growing, enabling support for local farmers and producers. All the locations serve a variety of traditional, hand-poured coffee specialty coffees and espressos along with fresh pastries and other baked goods for breakfast and lunch daily.

La Colombe Coffee Roasters, 1335 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125, Phone: 267-479-1600

The Green Line Cafe is a popular coffee chain with several locations around the city that serves fair-trade coffee and healthy fare, along with live music and a warm and welcoming vibe.

The small, family-owned business has grown from a single coffeehouse based in a historic building once known as West Philly’s Living Room to five vibrant and buzzing cafés around the city. The restaurant serves organic, Fair-Trade coffee from Equal Exchange and a menu of fresh, farm-to-table fare such as gourmet seasonal and signature sandwiches, breakfast dishes of oatmeal, eggs, and omelets, and new bakery goods including pastries, muffins, croissants, donuts. The Green Line Cafe open for breakfast and lunch and dinner in some locations daily.

Green Line Cafe, Main office: 4239 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19104, Phone: 215-222-3431

Menagerie Coffee is an airy-yet-cozy, locally-owned and operated specialty coffee shop in Old City that serves Dogwood Coffee from Minneapolis and handcrafted gourmet sandwiches. Opened by a Bodhi Coffee and Elixr alum in 2014, the causal neighborhood café has comfortable décor, retro-style lighting, and a chilled, laid-back vibe and offers traditional, hand-poured coffee specialty coffees, and espressos from the espresso bar. A menu of fresh, farm-to-table fare and locally sourced small eats such as paninis, sandwiches, freshly baked pastries, and other sweet treats, and the coffee house is open seven days a week.

Menagerie Coffee, 18 S. 3rd Street and the Bourse Food Hall (111 S Independence Mall E), Philadelphia, PA 19106

OCF Coffee House Fairmount is one of several OCF Coffee House locations in the city that serves Square One coffee and a full lunch menu in a chic contemporary atmosphere. Based in a historic warehouse that has been transformed into a spacious all-day-brunch-serving caffeine-ery, the neighborhood café has a spacious interior with simple, industrial décor, long, wooden communal tables, and large garage doors. The restaurant serves classic and specialty coffee made with small-batch beans from Milwaukee, along with a menu packed with sandwiches, salads, and vegetarian-friendly options -don’t miss the cornflake-crusted French toast. OCF Coffee House is open for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner daily.

2100 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19130, Phone: 267-773-8081

One of Philadelphia's oldest coffee houses, Passero's Coffee Roasters, is an inviting café that serves a wide range of organic, Fair-Trade coffees and teas, fresh pastries, and baked goods in a warm and welcoming ambiance. Passero's has several stores around the city with its flagship shop on the ground floor of the Franklin in Washington Square West. All of the locations house-roast their coffee beans and serve a variety of traditional, hand-poured coffee specialty coffees and espressos, along with an array of baked goods including plenty of vegan options. Passero's Coffee Roasters is open for breakfast and lunch daily.

Passero's Coffee Roasters, The Franklin Building, 834 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, Phone: 267-318-7074

Owned by David Arrell, Good Karma Cafe has four eco-friendly Center City locations and serves Organic, and Fair-Trade Certified coffees and focuses on sustainable best-practices. Opened in 2008, Good Karma Café can be found on Broad Street in the Theater District, Fitler Square, Society Hill, and in Schuylkill Banks and all locales serve 100% Organic and Fair-Trade Certified coffee roasted by the Boston-based worker-owned coop Equal Exchange. The coffee houses also serve fresh handmade gourmet sandwiches and bakery-fresh pastries, which can be enjoyed inside the cozy cafés or on their lovely patios or sidewalk seating. Good Karma Café has partnered with the Wilma Theatre at their newest location and serves feature local crafts beers, casual wines, and an ever-expanding menu of food.

Good Karma Cafe, Society Hill: 928 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, Phone: 267-519-8860