Sarasota's Best Coffee Shops
Black Gold Coffee Roasters
2385 E. Venice Ave., Venice, (941) 488-8242, blackgoldroasters.com
Coffee maniac Gary Lauters travels the world selecting beans and then roasts them in his Venice warehouse and shop on a machine from San Francisco, which is on display along with big bags of beans. He also works with local businesses from bakeries to breweries to craft coffee-flavored products. Lauters has concocted a menu that includes coffee, red-eyes (espresso and coffee), lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, blended drinks and cold brew that’s been dubbed “liquid crack.” Nice pastries, breakfast items, sandwiches and salads available, too.
Image: Gigi Ortwein
Breaking Wave Coffee
1310 Main St., Sarasota, breakingwavecoffee.com
This laid-back shop is owned and run by Radu Dehelean and serves a menu of familiar favorites like pour overs, cortados, flat whites, espresso, cold brew and more, plus friendly service and a minimalist design. A perfect place to stop after browsing books at Bookstore1Sarasota just down the way.
Image: Everett Dennison
Buddy Brew Coffee
1289 N. Palm Ave., Sarasota, (941) 374-7186, buddybrew.com
An offshoot of a Tampa operation, Buddy Brew's downtown location—beneath the Palm Avenue parking garage and next door to Kojo—is always buzzing with customers, from condo residents and office workers to employees at nearby arts organizations. They’re sprawled on sidewalk seating and lining up for strong coffee (order it black to savor the fruity acidity), creamy lattes and sweet treats like affogatos and cold-brew floats.
Café Arts
1355 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, cafeartssrq.com
This charming café, on the corner of Boulevard of the Arts and Florida Avenue, serves up lattes, cappuccinos, Americanos, macchiatos and more. If you're hungry, you'll find a selection of pastries, sandwiches and other small bites. There's ample seating outside, but when the weather's nice, post up on the patio outside.
Café Divan
6568 Superior Ave., Sarasota, (941) 702-5512, cafedivanfl.com
We're not sure if Turkey or Morocco knows coffee better, but we do know where to settle the debate. Café Divan serves up the strongest coffee in town, made in both the Turkish style, simple and dark from finely-milled grounds, or the Moroccan style, made just like Turkish coffee but flavored with aromatics like cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. No need to splurge on a plane ticket; just take a quick trip to Gulf Gate instead.
The Clever Cup
6530 Gateway Ave., Sarasota, (941) 447-8383, theclevercup.com
Nestled in a little storefront in Gulf Gate, The Clever Cup exudes a cheery, warm vibe, with a scattering of tables and chairs up front, a vintage couch in the back and interesting art on the walls. The coffee lineup includes Americanos, lattes, café con leche, café au lait and more, and the baristas will whip up whatever you request. Good seasonal flavored milk drinks, too, and they all comes in giant mugs—the Clever Cup doesn’t skimp on the good stuff.
DD Coffee Roasters
1620 Main St., Suite 2, Sarasota, ddroasters.com
Launched by former adult entertainer Dani Daniels and her coffee-obsessed husband Vic Copilla, DD Coffee Roasters leans into sexy wordplay at every turn, from the shop's name, which refers to a certain cup size (and we don't mean venti), to daily pastry specials with sexy puns like "s'more play." But this shop is serious about coffee; Copilla sources each variety and roasts them right here in Northgate.
Image: Hannah Trombly
Harvard Street Coffee
2030 Harvard St., Suite F, Sarasota, (941) 487-8606, harvardstreetcoffee.com
There’s off the beaten path and then there’s off the beaten path—and that’s where you’ll find Harvard Street Coffee, a newish café in a warehouse-y space behind pawn shops and cell phone stores off of U.S. 301. But once you locate the shop, you’re in for a treat. The shop sources its beans from Sarasota’s Buna Roaster, and its basic brew is vivacious and satisfying, whether you ask for it hot, iced, or even as a cold brew. The rest of the coffee menu is filled out with espresso drinks, and the shop earns bonus points for daring to sell you a four-shotter.
Kahwa Coffee Roasters
1487 Second St., Sarasota, (941) 203-8971; 8317 Market St., Lakewood Ranch, (941) 351-1551; kahwacoffee.com
St. Petersburg-based coffee chain Kahwa Coffee Roasters graces us with a myriad of traditional coffee offerings, but most agree its nitro cold brew is the reason to swing by. The supercharged refreshment's nitrogen infusion creates a velvety smooth and almost creamy mouthfeel that is seriously sippable.
O & A Coffee and Supply
1316 Main St., Sarasota, (941) 552-8659; 1570 Lakefront Drive, Sarasota, (941) 217-4821; oandacoffee.com
Justin Banister built a substantial local following with his mobile coffee cart Out and About Coffee, which sets up on street corners and at farmers' markets and private events. He expanded on that success by opening O & A Coffee and Supply, a stylish Main Street joint that serves all kinds of espresso drinks, cold brews, pour-overs and teas. A basic pour-over here is one of the area's best. The shop typically offers a choice of either its basic bean blend or a more adventurous option. We suggest the latter. On one visit, we were told our coffee would taste like a green apple Jolly Rancher, and that turned out to be spot on. Unusual, and unusually delicious.
Image: Hannah Trombly
Palma Coffee
7362 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, (941) 923-9923, palmacoffee.com
At Palma Coffee in south Sarasota, wooden counters and little flourishes make the space feel warm and approachable, with retro details—like the shop’s curvy, cream-colored La Marzocco espresso machine—that give it a lived-in feel. Inventive seasonal specials like the “smoked cold fashioned,” which is made with a smooth-as-silk Kyoto cold brew, barrel-aged maple syrup and bitters, and served in a smoked glass, will keep you coming back.
Pastry Art Bakery, Espresso, Sandwich Shop
1512 Main St., Sarasota, (941) 955-7545, pastryartbakerycafe.com
Pastry Art buzzes from open until close, thanks to its strong coffee, central location and ample outdoor seating that’s perfect for people watching—especially during the Saturday farmers’ market. On its menu are iced and hot coffees; hot, iced and frozen espresso drinks; specialty sippers like a dirty chai (chai tea with a shot of espresso); and the popular iced Americanos. Don't miss the gargantuan chocolate chip-studded espresso muffin—it packs a punch and is the perfect partner for that iced coffee.
Perq Coffee Bar
1821 Hillview St., Sarasota, (941) 955-8101, perqcoffeebar.us
Keith and Erin Zolner brought coffee concoctions such as flat whites and Gibraltars to Sarasota when they opened their Southside Village shop in 2013. From the beginning, they made it their mission to educate locals about the art and science of coffee. They’re sticklers for detail: beans are fair trade and single-origin; the bright-green Slayer espresso machine is Instagrammable; and drinks are made and measured to exacting specifications. Hungry? You'll also find breakfast sandwiches, egg bakes, yogurt parfaits and more.
Postal 98 Café
1240 Yoder Ave., Sarasota, (941) 260-8862, postal98cafe.com
When Postal 98 Café's owner Ann Michelle Stoltzfus heard the Pinecraft post office was closing, she jumped at the chance to open a café in the building that she recalls visiting during every trip to Florida. There, she'd mail postcards to her friend and family in Pennsylvania, regaling them with stories of her Pinecraft vacations. Now Stoltzfus serves her Sarasota neighbors coffee from Latitude 23.5° Coffee & Tea roasters, using a special Guatemalan blend that honors her adopted children, who were born in Guatemala.
Project Coffee is an all-vegan shop located in Burns Court.
Image: Courtesy Photo
Project Coffee
538 S. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota; 1419 Fifth St., Sarasota, (941) 313-2283; projectcoffee.us
Owned by Sarasota’s Ian Steger and Emily Arthur, the all-vegan Project Coffee offers good coffee and scratch-made treats like biscuit sandwiches, giant cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, avocado toast and more. Everything is vegan—and we swear you will not notice the difference. The cozy Burns Court location, the company's flagship, opened in 2019; the Rosemary District location on Fifth Street, houses a full kitchen, bakery and Project Coffee's roastery.
Image: Simo Ahmadi
Raining Berries
1935 S Osprey Ave., Sarasota, (941) 365-6948, rainingberries.com
The Southside Village dining district can best be described as “neighborly,” with its easy walkability, block parties throughout the year, and nearby residents waving and stopping on the sidewalk to chat about the family. Raining Berries, leans into the neighborhood spirit with a welcoming pink exterior and colorful décor that encourages guests to exhale and slow down over an hot latte that can compete with the best in town.