Exploring Tacoma’s Coffee Scene: Cozy Cafes & Local Favorites

1. Bluebeard Coffee Roasters

Bluebeard Coffee Roasters is a hip independent coffee shop opened in April of 2011, known for its world-class coffees selected from the best growers around the world. The company showcases a wide variety of house-roasted bean options, roasted to emphasize sweetness, depth, and subtleties of flavor profile notes.

Unique coffees come from top growing regions, including East Africa, Indonesia, and Latin America. All coffees are roasted on the cafe's 12-kilo Probat, extracted precisely according to the best roasting methods. Diners can select from a wide variety of coffee preparations, ranging from traditional drip coffees to trendy varieties like Aeropress and Chemex pours.

2201 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98403, Phone: 253-272-5600

2. Gravity Coffee

Gravity Coffee opened its first cafe location in 2015 in Tacoma. Today, the roasters oversee 18 locations across the United States, including three locations within the greater Tacoma region.

The company strives to revolutionize the drive-through cafe experience, prioritizing customer satisfaction and unique offerings of full-flavored, diverse beverages. Signature coffee blends feature beans sourced from Central America, Brazil, and the Pacific Islands, available in medium-light roasts that capture chocolate and hazelnut flavor profile notes.

Excellent cafe beverages are available on the coffee shop's menu, ranging from traditional favorites like lattes and Americanos to signature drinks like salted caramel macchiatos.

4918 Center St #2360, Tacoma, WA 98409, Phone: 253-447-8740

3. Steele Street BigFoot Java

Steele Street BigFoot Java is a favorite regional Tacoma drive-through coffee chain opened in 2000, offering locations located conveniently near the campuses of Pacific Lutheran University and Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

The cafe specializes in signature drinks like its Legendary Latte and Mythical Mocha, striving to create fun, sophisticated specialty drinks for diners on the go. High-quality Arabica coffee beans served at the company are handpicked for flavor and complexity, sourced from top growing regions like Kenya and Ethiopia.

All coffees are prepared in small batches on the company's RoastMaster brewing system, meant to maximize bean density, flavor, and moisture content.

Fruit smoothies are also served up throughout the day, along with a variety of grab-and-go pastries.

10506 Sales Rd S, Tacoma, WA 98444, Phone: 253-582-2248

4. Cafe Elite

Cafe Elite is a delightful Pacific Northwest coffee chain offering locations in Tacoma, Lakewood, Yelm, and Spanaway. The chain, which was founded in 1991, serves up a wide variety of delicious hot and iced cafe beverages, including favorites like macchiatos, frappes, mochas, lattes, and Americanos.

Chai tea beverages, hot chocolates, and steamers are also served up, along with craft lemonades and flavored Italian sodas.

Real fruit smoothies come in flavors like orange cream, strawberry, mango, and pina colada. Other unique offerings include the company's Rockstar Energy mimosas, which pair the popular energy drink brand with fruit juices over ice.

4401 S 19th St, Tacoma, WA 98405, Phone: 253-752-6607

5. Cutters Point Coffee

Cutters Point Coffee is a relaxed local Tacoma coffee chain originally founded as Austin Chase Coffee, rebranded to its current name and branding in 1995. The company is named in honor of Pacific Northwest explorers Joseph Whidbey and Peter Puget, who charted the waterways of the Puget Sound in 1792 in cutter boats.

Artisan-roasted coffees are served up throughout the day, crafted at the company's own roasting facility. 12 locations are offered throughout the Tacoma area, including a flagship Gig Harbor location.

Delicious coffee beverages include the company's signature double-tall white chocolate mochas, which can be paired with fresh-baked pastries from local Alki Bakery.

5104 6th Ave #100, Tacoma, WA 98406, Phone: 253-761-3113

6. Endicott Coffee Roasters

Endicott Coffee Roasters are one of the Pacific Northwest's most elite coffee roasters, known for their European-style coffee classics crafted with master roasting techniques perfected for generations.

The cafe was originally founded in Seattle in 1997 and offers several locations throughout the Washington region today, including a location in Tacoma. All coffees are made to exacting standards, producing unique, gratifying coffee beverages for all customers.

Single-origin and blend coffees are served up throughout the week, available in preparations like French press, siphon, and Aeropress. Since 2011, the cafe has been operated by local chain owner Terry Myers, who has continued the chain's commitment to quality coffee production and excellent customer service.

3829 S M St, Tacoma, WA 98418, Phone: 253-589-1060