Updated 12/13/23
Columbus is a coffee-loving city, and our roasters and baristas compete – literally and figuratively – with the coffee pros on the world stage. While not every expert coffee purveyor has a brick and mortar location, you can find great Columbus coffees at farmer’s markets, grocery stores, online, and served hot and cold at coffee shops, restaurants, and bakeries. Here are 16 Columbus coffee roasters and brewers without permanent locations, all worth tracking down!
Note: Jennings Java graduated off this list with the opening of their storefront in the Brewery District!
1. Thunderkiss Coffee
Jason Valentine of Thunderkiss roasts coffee in small batches. He supplies beans and kegged cold brew to a wide range of restaurants and bakeries. He cycles through different roasts, but often features coffees like a dry process Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, a Papua New Guinea Peaberry, or a Costa Rican Yellow Honey.
Where to find them: kegged coffee at Seventh Son Brewing, Press Pub on Fifth, South of Lane, Katalina’s, Cravings Cafe, Dough Mama, Bexley Coffee Shop, Global Gallery. Beans at almost all of the above + Weiland’s Market, North Market Spices. Available for local delivery, too!
2. Anchor Bend Coffee Roasters
Anchor Bend roasts out of Clintonville. They roast small batches to order.
Where to find them: Weiland’s Market, Hills Market Downtown, anchorbendcoffee.com
3. Luck Bros Coffee
Luck Bros recently closed their Grandview shop and transitioned to roasting and wholesaling. You can order through their website or at a collection of local stores.
Where to find them: Beechwold Farm Market, Grandview Grind, luckbroscoffee.com
4. Fruits & Roots
Fruits & Roots is a newer small batch roaster that also sells teas. Find them through their site and at a variety of events – including the Grandview Hop – throughout the warmer months.
Where to find them: Bake Me Happy, seasonal markets, fruitsandroots.com
5. Ramble Coffee
Ramble Coffee roasts in Worthington, focusing on single origin and fair trade, certified-organic beans. Not only do they roast, but they serve coffee from their wooden-paneled, tear drop camper at farmers markets and events around the city.
Where to find them: the Worthington Farmer’s Market, Watershed Bar & Kitchen, Global Gallery, Celebrate Local, Bake Me Happy, and more
6. Backroom Coffee Roasters
Like Thunderkiss, Backroom is one of the more prolific roasters-without-a-storefront in Columbus. The name comes from their origins in the back room of a bicycle shop (which also explains the cycling theme). They offer a range of single origin roasts and blends, all of which are available through their site or at most local and/or natural foods markets.
Where to find them: Lucky’s, Weiland’s, Whole Foods, Hills Market, Global Gallery, and many more
7. Silver Bridge Coffee
Although Silver Bridge is based in Gallipolis, Ohio, they have a strong presence at Columbus stores and markets. Their name comes from the Silver Bridge over the Ohio River at Gallipolis. They wholesale their single origin and blended coffees and sell them retail in nearly every grocery store around the region; you’ll see Silver Bridge regularly at farmers markets, too.
Where to find them: Celebrate Local, Weiland’s, Lucky’s, Hills Market, Giant Eagle, Kroger, farmers markets across the city
8. Black Kahawa Coffee
Black Kahawa roasts East African coffees every week. Place orders on Monday by 6 p.m. and coffee is delivered to your porch Wednesday. They’ve also begun pop-ups serving nitro cold brew around town.
Where to find them: popping up at events with their trailer, Hills Market, Littleton’s Market, blackkahawa.com
9. Arch City Roasters
Arch City offers a handful of coffees that are roasted to order and shipped fresh to you. I’ve also spotted them on the shelf at Weiland’s.
Where to find them: on the shelf at Weiland’s, archcityroasters.com
10. Spring-Heel’d Jack Coffee & Cold Brew
The team behind Spring-Heel’d Jack embraces a horror movie theme. They roast a variety of beans that you can order online through Amazon. They also can and keg cold brew that’s available locally in Columbus.
Where to find them: on the shelf at Third Way Cafe, springheeldjack.coffee
11. Ope! Cold Brew
The Midwestern-themed Ope! made its debut in the fall of 2021. They bottle and sell a wonderfully smooth cold brew and expertly branded containers. Place your orders by 7 p.m. on Wednesdays each week and they’ll get delivered Friday.
Where to find them: opecoldbrew.com
12. Glacial Roasting
Glacial Roasting joined the Columbus coffee scene by offering a handful of roasts, available online or at Bexley Natural Market. They’ve been making regular appearances at the St. Mary’s Farmers Market in German Village, selling beans, hot coffee, and nitro cold brew.
Where to find them: on the shelf at St. Mary’s Farmers Market, Bexley Natural Market, glacialroasting.com
13. Royal Flamingo Coffee
Royal Flamingo is a newer microroaster offering a variety of roasts that are delivered directly to your home. Keep up with his availability and place orders online.
Where to find them: brewed at Bake Me Happy, royalflamingocoffee.com
14. Wildroot Coffee
Wildroot is a small, experimental roaster in Columbus. Contact them to buy beans through Instagram!
Where to find them: @wildrootcoffee on Instagram
15. Ardor Coffee
Ardor is a project from Adam Lehman from The Wonder Jam. He roasts occasionally in super small batches, so his coffees sell out quickly. Sign up through his site to be notified by e-mail when coffee is available, or follow him on Instagram.
Where to find them: ardorcoffee.com
16. Off the Beaten Path Coffee
Off the Beaten Path produces cold brew coffees infused with nitrogen to give them a smooth, creamy texture. Currently, if you buy three or more six-packs online, you get free delivery in the 270 loop.
Where to find them: offthebeatenpathcoffee.com
Roasters who have taken a break!
Some roasters are either taking a break or have gone dormant. I’m saving them here in case they kick back into gear!
17. Liturgia Coffee
Liturgia is based in the Hilltop neighborhood. They’ve changed up their roasting operation a bit, but they committed to roasting and selling their signature Hilltop Diner Blend at Third Way Cafe
Where to find them: Third Way Cafe
18. Bacca Coffee
Bacca roasts their own beans and creates bagged cold brew. Yes, bagged. Much like boxed wine, the bagged cold brew stays sealed and fresh for weeks, so you can leave a bag in the fridge and easily fill your mug in the morning.
Where to find them: bacca.coffee (for beans) or @baccacoffee on IG (cold brew)
19. Cold Brewers Coffee
Cold Brewers roasts beans blended for the ideal cold brew. They sell beans and home cold brewing equipment, and will soon be selling bottled cold brew as well.
Where to find them: coldbrewerscoffee.com
