The Cities with the Highest-Rated Independent Coffee Shops

Something strange is happening to coffee shops: the chains are getting smaller while the independents are getting bigger and bolder.

Big chain cafés are saving money by opening smaller premises to minimize costs and concentrate on walk-through trade. Meanwhile, independent cafés are capitalizing on their already cozy premises by delivering personality, quality and good company to customers looking to sit down with a brew and a pastry — and maybe even return to the counter for more. The specialty coffee shop market is tipped to grow by $39.17 billion from 2022 to 2027, driven by the indie sector.

This is the dream of many indie café owners: to share not just their passion for coffee but a unique social space with their neighbors. However, with the pressure of rising prices and big-name competition, entrepreneurs must weigh every creative and business decision against the economic reality. To celebrate the ones doing it the best, we identified the areas with the top-rated independent coffee shops around America — and the indie cafés that customers love the most.

What We Did

Following our previous study celebrating the highest-rated independent restaurants in the country, we collected the five-star rating figures for every non-chain coffee shop in America’s biggest major cities. Then, we ranked the cities based on the weighted average five-star rating across their indie cafés. Finally, we identified the highest-rated independent coffee shops nationwide and in every state.

Key Findings

• Knoxville, Tennessee, has America’s highest-rated indie coffee shops, with an average rating of 4.59.
• The highest-rated indie café in the U.S. is The Espresso Bar @ Taos Valley Lodge in Taos, New Mexico, with a customer rating of 4.93.
• New York City’s top-rated indie café is Frisson Espresso in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood (4.76).
• There are 52.18 independent cafés per million people in New Orleans — more than any other major American city.

Knoxville is the Home of Great Indie Coffee Shops

First, we found the average rating for independent coffee shops in America’s most populous major cities. Knoxville, Tennessee, is in the top spot, with an average rating of 4.59. “We have a fantastic community here in South Knoxville,” says former Honeybee Coffee Company barista Mitchell Bustillo. “We can really have a good conversation with whoever comes in.”

Knoxville’s top-rated indie café is Coffee & Chocolate on Union Avenue, with 94 out of 129 customer reviews labeling it as ‘Excellent’. Coffee & Chocolate is “[p]erhaps the smallest coffee shop in all of Knoxville,” according to Knox News, and famed for its macarons, hand-painted chocolates and sweet-smelling environment. “We were in town just for one day and discovered this small gem of a coffee and chocolate shop,” writes one reviewer. “The coffee is so good we went back twice in one morning. The chocolates are beautiful mini works of art–you almost hate to eat them.”

Although Knoxville has the best indie cafés, you’re more likely to stumble upon an independent coffee shop in New Orleans — where there are a stunning 52.18 indie cafés per million inhabitants. This is significantly more than the next densest big city for indie cafés, Orlando (37.41).

“New Orleans has a longer relationship with coffee than pretty much anywhere in North America,” writes Mike Scott for New Orleans Magazine. “Given its proximity to coffee-cultivating locales in the Caribbean and South America, the Port of New Orleans has been the de facto entry point for untold millions of pounds of coffee beans dating to the late 1700s.”

“A worldwide corporate Goliath, [Starbucks] represents exactly what’s loathed by New Orleanians who like to think the city’s culture is special,” says C.W. Cannon. “[C]offee, and the places that serve it, are especially beloved symbols of local identity.”

Taos Espresso Bar is America’s Favorite

Next, we identified the top-rated indie cafes in America. We found that The Espresso Bar @ Taos Valley Lodge in Taos, New Mexico, is America’s favorite indie, with an average rating of 4.93. The Espresso Bar serves breakfast and fresh Peet’s Coffee brews (a San Francisco Bay Area-based specialty coffee roaster) from the handsome premises of the Taos Valley Lodge and regularly offers new specialties.

“The coffee was delicious and so was the danish!” writes a reviewer. “The space is warm and cozy but big enough to have your own conversations without bothering anyone else!”

Texas is the only state to feature two cafés among the top ten: the Iris Bagel and Coffee House in Arlington (4.86) and the Estate Coffee Company in San Antonio (4.80). According to its regulars, the Iris is a veritable embodiment of what makes a local indie café great.

“This is an amazing gem in my neighborhood,” writes one reviewer: “My out of town guests require me to bring them here. The coffee is cheaper and better than Starbucks. I know some Starbucks employees come here for their latte. (Shhhh). I love the lox special & they know I like it without sprouts so I don’t have to ask anymore. The owner knows many people by name & he is interested in the lives of people who walk in.”

California’s Best Indie Café is Right On the Beach

Finally, we identified the top-rated independent coffee shop in every state. New York’s is Frisson Espresso in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, with an average rating of 4.76. Tulian Sanchez and Robert Melo established Frisson in 2014, united “by their passion for coffee and a desire to create the perfect “first sip experience.” […] Tulian’s expertise as an espresso machine technician and Robert’s entrepreneurial spirit set the stage for Frisson Espresso’s journey.”

“Real coffee made by people that care about what they are doing,” says one reviewer. “We found this place because of its reviews and we were not disappointed. If these are not the nicest baristas in New York then they must be close to it.”

In California, San Diego’s Pacific Bean Coffee (4.81) is the top-rated indie café. And it’s right on the coast, meaning those who dare take a late coffee can enjoy the sunset at the same time.

“We traveled all the way from Rancho Bernardo to see the sunset and get a coffee at this place,” says a reviewer. “When we got there, it looked closed and the girl said she was closed. When we told her why we came, she let us in and made us all coffee. This totally made our day and made it special for us. Why settle for big business coffee when there are places like this with good people who run them???”

The Keys to a Highly Successful Independent Coffee Shop

“In my experience, people start coffee shops to build meaning in their lives and community,” says Miranda Caldwell from The Coffee MBA. “Founders of coffee businesses often have strong values and a beautiful vision for how to support the value chain and the community they operate within. They see coffee as a vehicle for change, connection, and craft. Unfortunately, this beautiful vision isn’t always balanced with solid business principles and foundations.”

Here are three top tips on how to help your coffee shop be a success.

1. Location, location, location

Real estate can be expensive, but choosing a cheap spot can be a false economy. Ideally, a place doing take-out coffee will be close to commuter links or the high street and may occupy a small footprint, as long as it is noticeable from the street. If planning a larger community café or a hub for remote workers, you may find cheaper, less prominent premises — but it’s essential to make sure your own prices and branding are appropriate to the neighborhood.

2. Make your coffee shop a place people want to come back to

It sounds obvious, but it should be an absolute priority for indie coffee shop owners: nurture your repeat customers. Regular customers not only buffer your bottom line but also build a feeling of community among each other. Learn their names and preferences, but don’t invade their space. Establish a loyalty scheme that reflects your shop’s unique qualities. “Once people have that habit when they’re coming in for coffee, they may get something to eat,” says Wharton marketing professor Raghuram Iyengar. “It’s this cross-transfer that businesses are hoping for that’s probably what will make it profitable.”

3. Hire the right people and treat them well

Research has shown that hiring appropriate staff and “training them to mimic the owner’s passion [is] an essential part of the loyal customer strategy.” Staff should understand what makes your shop unique and be prepared to go the extra mile to deliver excellent service and turn challenging moments into opportunities. Your staff is also part of the community you’re building and are on the front line of developing customers’ relationships with your shop.

Indie cafés are in a special position to put more attention into each cup and customer. They may also partner with local suppliers and businesses, answering the consumer’s increasing awareness of ethical and environmental issues. Vox even credits cafés as a vital remedy to America’s “epidemic of loneliness.”

The café has an important part to play as a “third space” where customers can connect or simply be among a diversity of regulars. These connections may be more easily fostered in an environment cultivated by an independent local entrepreneur than in a corporate outpost of a big chain café. However, balancing personal ideas with solid business sense is a challenge that the independent café proprietor is uniquely positioned to achieve.

Methodology

We built a list of the most populous major cities in every state and sourced the publicly available Tripadvisor pages for all coffee shops in each city. We isolated all five-star ratings for each coffee shop and removed chain coffee shops from the dataset. Lastly, we ranked cities based on the weighted average five-star rating across all independent coffee shops in that city. In addition, we identified the highest-rated independent coffee shops nationwide and in every state. This analysis was completed in October 2024.