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Best Places to Grab a Coffee Around Charleston

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Whether you need an afternoon pick-me-up after a busy day of sightseeing or you simply want to relax with a morning latte in the heart of downtown Charleston, there are plenty of great choices. The Charleston area has some delicious local coffee shops that make a mean mocha and serve up locally made pastries, muffins and breakfast sandwiches. Here are a few of our favorite picks:

Charleston

Kudu Coffee & Craft Beer, 4 Vanderhorst St., roasts its own specialty coffee plus espresso beverages. Order up pastries and sandwiches Charleston coffee shopsmade by local bakeries Wild Flour Pastry, Normandy Farm Artisan Bakery and Saffron Bakery. There’s no Wi-Fi at this coffee shop but there’s a great outdoor patio where you can enjoy coffee with friends or get caffeinated before heading out for a day of touring Charleston.

Saint Alban All Day, 710 King St. – This all-day café serves up lattes, mochas and drip coffee plus breakfast, lunch and cocktails. Bonus: free parking behind the coffee shop.

Second State Coffee, 70 ½ Beaufain St. — This cozy coffeehouse is in Charleston’s historic Harleston Village and outfitted with custom-built tables made from heart pine wood used in the construction of some of Charleston’s oldest buildings and a stand-up bar with wrought iron stools. Enjoy a selection of coffees from around the world.

Babas on Cannon, 11 Cannon St. — Babas bills itself as “an old-world cafe serving espresso and apero,” and it’s grabbing some major well-deserved attention. Tucked into the Cannonborough neighborhood, Babas serves up a wide range of coffee beverages and small bites. It’s perfect if you’re on the go and need something quick and delicious.

Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, 159 Church St. — This coffee shop is a feel good stop! The shop is run by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who provide a truly unique customer service experience.

Kudu Coffee
photo/Kudu Coffee

Other coffee shops around town:

Mount Pleasant

Collective Coffee, 766 S. Shelmore Lane — A favorite among locals, baristas here use the single-pour method, so each cup is prepared singularly using seasonal Intelligentsia coffees and teas.

Metto Coffee & Tea, 354 W. Coleman Blvd. — A great stop for a cup of morning joe while doing a little work or meeting with friends or colleagues. Enjoy specialty coffee and made-from-scratch pastries and paninis.

Vintage Coffee Café, 219 Simmons St. — Vintage transformed an old quaint Mount Pleasant house into the coffee shop of your dreams. They put extra time and care into each menu item and every cup of coffee is high quality. Plus, don’t miss the gourmet toast bar. There’s a large outdoor area for kids to play while you enjoy some morning quiet time.

Tidal Grounds Coffee, 1039 Highway 41 — This cozy neighborhood coffee shop is perfect for an afternoon coffee stop to recharge and refuel. Tidal Grounds brews coffee roasted locally by Springbok Roasters and serves up pastries and desserts made locally.

James Island

Muddy Waters Coffee Bar, 1739 Maybank Highway — Muddy Waters brews Counter Culture Coffee from Durham, N.C., plus a selection of teas. The walls are filled with exquisite art and the corners are coffee shop cozy with chairs and tables for relaxing or catching up on some work.

West Ashley

Classic Coffee Roasters, 27 Magnolia Road —

Located in the Avondale neighborhood, this spacious spot has plenty of indoor seating and an outdoor courtyard. Stop by for a tasty vanilla latte, shot of espresso or a pastry from WildFlour Pastry or Normandy Farm Artisan Bakery.

North Charleston

Orange Spot Coffeehouse, 1011 E. Montague Ave. — This coffee shop is located in the heart of North Charleston’s popular Park Circle with plenty of restaurants and shopping. Stop by for an afternoon Cha Yen (Thai iced tea) or start your day with freshly roasted coffee from Thirty-Thirty Coffee Co. or one of the house-made seasonal creations.

Summerville

Coastal Coffee Roasters
photo/Coastal Coffee Roasters

Coastal Coffee Roasters, 108 E. 3rd North St. — Located in downtown Summerville, Coastal Coffee Roasters has been micro-roasting specialty coffees since 2010. Stop by for a specialty coffee or to grab breakfast or lunch. Check the event calendar for yoga classes and live music.

 

 

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Charleston FAQ's

Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Top Tours & Attractions | Things to do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

Getting Around Charleston, SC

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

Additional Places to Explore

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