Crimson Cup Coffee House | Facebook | T: @CrimsonCup | IG: crimsoncupcoffee
4541 N. High St. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43214
(614) 262-6212
Open Mon-Sat, 6a-9p; Sun, 7a-9p
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/Y/Y
Kid-friendly? Y
I’ve gotten to partner with Crimson Cup for the past couple years and have really enjoyed the relationship. I’ve visited their Innovation Lab, we brew up their coffee at home, and their Clintonville shop is one of my favorite hangouts. While the Upper Arlington shop is a little newer, the Clintonville store was showing its age, and it got a much-needed refresh earlier this year. So I figured it was time to write an updated post!
The updates rearranged the seating, moved the retail shelves, and reworked the counter. Like myself, many regulars have accidentally walked to the old ordering spot along the side of the counter, and not the new one facing the door. Old habits die hard!
My preference is for Crimson Cup’s pour overs and espresso drinks, over their regular brewed coffee blends.
During the summer months – and heck, even during the winter – they whip up some solid cold brew. I also love their Maya mocha in both iced and hot forms with Ohiyo Chocolate.
I keep an eye on their seasonal brew bar menu, too. I’m currently loving the cinnamon sugar flat white, made with their Wayfarer espresso.
My first love, though, is the cortado. It’s simply a shot of espresso with a little steamed milk. “Cortado” derives from the Spanish for “to cut,” so a cortado is essentially espresso cut with a little warm milk. They’re my jam.
Another favorite is their nitro cold brew. They usually have 1-2 flavors on tap. It’s lightly sweet, creamy, and highly caffeinated.
Crimson Cup also participates in the Columbus Coffee Trail through Experience Columbus. You can pick up a passport, collect stamps at local coffee shops, earn T-shirts and stuff.
The shop sells plenty of coffee beans, tea, and brewing equipment. They also have a full range of snacks and little breakfast sandwiches. Around the weekends you’ll find Tupelo Doughnuts on the shelves.
They’ve also gotten into more packaged coffees, including canned cold brew and now cartons of mixed drinks like a latte, mocha, and New Orleans coffee. I’ve enjoyed all of these so far.
Crimson Cup walks the line between a modern third wave coffee roaster and a more typical second coffee coffee shop (read: Peet’s, Starbucks). The Clintonville shop features a drive-through, and you can order big, foamy cappuccinos and dolled up lattes, but my preference will always been for their traditional espresso drinks, pour overs, and cold brew made with their single origin roasts.
