Cool Beans: The Best Coffee Shops in the U.S.

"Artisinal roasting meets fair trade" is how you might best describe Kickapoo Coffee (not to mention playful, innovative, and highly conscious). Located in Viroqua, Wisconsin, Kickapoo is a "family-scale enterprise situated near the scenic Kickapoo River in the Driftless region of southwest Wisconsin." The shop's stated values are truly admirable: "connection to the land, consideration for our local and global community, and commitment to our families and those of our trading partners." Visit now to try a number of amazing single-origin varietals, blends, espresso beans, and even their "rich and tasty" decaf!

The attention to detail paid at Kansas City's Parisi Café is unparalleled. Now with two locations (the other is in Leawood, Texas), Parisi Café has built a name for itself by brewing only pour-over or press brews and by infusing their espresso "flavorings" on-site. It takes a little longer than your local conveninence store, but that's why you came in, isn't it?

Polite, sophisticated, and knowledgable, Portland's Sterling Coffee Roasters are proud of what they do and how they do it. Now with two locations, there's even more space to do what they do best. The shop is currently brewing "Blendo Stupendo" (which tastes like chocolate and peanut brittle) and Toraja Sulawesi (which tastes like melon and cinnamon).

Ula Café's intro on their website says it all: "Meet at Ula! Fair trade, roasted-with-love coffee and espresso." Add to this Ula's promise that every goodie is baked on-site in a cozy, homey environment, and you have the makings of the go-to neighborhood coffee spot. Their best selling brew, "Ula Blend," is created by New Harvest Roasters, sourced directly from Mesa de los Santos in Colombia and from two coffee growers in Costa Rica, both certified by the Rain Forest Alliance. If you need some sustenance, choose an accompanying pastry, like one of their unbelievable whole wheat, cherry pecan, fig, currant, or cranberry-orange scones — that is, if there are any left!

Third Rail Coffee (now with two locations in the West Village and on Stuyvesant Street) takes pride in its brews, its art, and its baristas. Aside from serving four fantastic blends sourced in Colombia, Ethiopia, Bolivia, and El Salvador, they also take time to promote art as part of its interest in fostering community and supporting other artists, who, like their own baristas, deserve a bit of attention now and again. They've hosted a small show of photographs by photojournalist Ashley Gilbertson, while previously, they celebrated one of their very own artists, barista Mike Jones, who was headed to the U.S. Barista Competition. While this lively crew of coffee enthusiasts comprises a relatively nascent coffee company, they are sure to have an effect on the ever-changing landscape of lower Manhattan. While the commercialization Manhattan continues, independent spots like Third Rail attempt to slow this trend down and show the value of a quality neighborhood coffee spot, one cup at a time.

MadCap Coffee Company in Grand Rapids is on board with personal expression through coffee making. It is an art to them, and as such, they host events to display the beauty and intricacies of coffee brewing. For example, one could come by the shop to see how "two beautiful coffees are working together" in the deconstruction of their Holiday Fusion blend, by tasting all of the coffees that go into the blend, one by one. With the sophistication of any gourmand, they also offer coffee pairings with molasses cookies, roasted nuts, and dried fruit.

Lab, located in downtown Ann Arbor, sources its coffee from the best roasters in the country. Now that you know who they are, you know what to expect from Lab when you go in for a locally baked pastry, or a loose leaf tea, and, wait for it...a rotating yogurt bar! Lab has also turned its interest towards fostering interaction between their customers by building a "center bar," which encourages people to socialize in ways that they might not normally when they're sitting in separate spaces. This means you're sure to meet new and interesting people while at Lab, and if not "interesting," then surely passionate about coffee. Isn't that why you're there, too?

To java geeks, Intelligentsia Coffee is considered the grandfather of the quality coffee roasting, sourcing, cupping, and brewing aesthetic movement. The founders of Intelligentsia left San Francisco in 1995 to open an in-store coffee roaster-retailer in Chicago. As with many of these roasters, their intentions were to open a reliable, quality, community-oriented spot to serve high quality coffee. Fast forward a few years, and Intellegentsia finds itself in Los Angeles and New York, as well. Next stop: Idaho? We hope so!

Intelligentsia's buying team stands out for spending 365 days each year at the source, and for "developing" the coffees alongside the growers, not just buying them. At present, Intelligentsia boasts 30 coffees, from the fruity Colombian "Tres Santos" to the cocoa, almond, and tamarind notes of "La Tortuga," sourced in Honduras. In keeping with the tradition of drinking side-by-side with other coffee appreciators, their Silver Lake location is filled with oversized planks that seat ten, a beautiful gesture that has you all drinking, quite frankly, from the same cup.

Phil Jaber, the founder of Philz Coffee located in the greater Bay Area of California, can be found serving coffee to happy customers on any given day, never forgetting the signature mint sprig on top. The original Philz Coffee is located in San Francisco's Mission district and still kickin', thanks to Phil's dedication to customer service and his tendency to mix strong brews. Philz' most popular brew is the "Tesora," a blend of several medium roast beans. Want something stronger still? Try the "Ether" blend. Other blends include the lighter "Canopy of Heaven" and "Sooo Good," which apparently lives up to its name. Inside, the ambiance is convivial, kind, and energetic. Could it be the coffee? You'll have to visit the Bay Area to find out, or order one of Phil's famous blends online, at philzcoffee.com

At The Coffee Studio in Andersonville, Chicago, the design space is just as sleek as the espresso machines and the "pulled" coffee. This makes sense: The owners, Miguel and Lee Corrina Cano, both come from design backgrounds. In this warm, stylish space, their baristas are at the top of their coffee game, taking pride in each cup of locally roasted Intelligentsia coffee they dole out to loyal customers. Working in the "coffee arts," as they say, goes hand in hand with ensuring the finest taste, smell, look, and feel for each cup of coffee.

In a city filled with over-worked students, it's no surprise that a coffee spot would do well, especially if it sells high-quality coffees. Add to that a meaningful mission statement, and you've got yourself a passionate, popular coffee shop! Blue State Coffee values a "commitment to philanthropy, sustainability, and community involvement." This pride drips into the feel of Blue State and into their business practices. Patrons of Blue State favor "Espresso #9," the signature house espresso, alongside light, organic snacks (plus vegan options).

Artisanal values, perfection, pride, and a singular vision all come into play when talking about Blue Bottle's beginnings. Spurning "grande eggnog lattes" and "double skim pumpkin-pie macchiatos," for example, Blue Bottle's founder sought to open a coffee business that catered to people who wanted to taste, actually taste, the freshly roasted coffee they were buying. Born in Oakland, California, Blue Bottle Coffee now has kiosks and storefronts spanning the country all the way to Brooklyn, NY. The Blue Bottle aesthetic is satisfyingly tidy: to give a great cup of coffee to whomever is asking for one. Their spaces vary from coast to coast, but the Baristas' execution does not. Believing patience is a virtue, it takes several minutes to make a cup of Blue Bottle coffee — and the coffee you are about to wholeheartedly enjoy is an experience, indeed.

By now, the legacy of Stumptown Coffee exceeds far beyond its flagship location in Portland, Oregon, which was opened in 1999 by Duane Sorenson, a man who was just trying to make a quality cup of coffee. Stumptown Coffee helped spur a "coffee revolution," so to speak, by emphasizing the importance of having close, fair, and professional relationships with global coffee growers, many of which have formed into long-lasting partnerships. Sorenson was also not afraid to pay a high price for the right coffee. By doing so, he helped introduce the idea that a good cup of coffee does have its price, and it's not $.99. Stumptown now has locations in New York City, and various coffee shops around the country prepare any number of Stumptown's beloved bags o' beans.