Here's something you might not expect a coffee roaster to say: we hope you'll buy coffee from other roasters too.
We love the coffee culture in Jacksonville. This city has been roasting coffee for more than a century, and today it's home to an amazing mix of cafés that roast in-house, family companies that have been at it for generations, small-batch roasters doing creative things all over town, and coffee shops that make every visit feel like home.
Every one of them brings something different to the table, and a strong local coffee scene is good for all of us, including you. So consider this our invitation to branch out, explore, and support the people who make Jacksonville a great coffee city.
Here are some of the local roasters and shops we admire.
Café roasters
These roasters serve their own coffee in their own shops. They're perfect when you want to sit down with a cup, meet the people behind the coffee, and take a bag home.
Bold Bean Coffee Roasters
Probably the best-known specialty roaster in town, and a big part of why Jacksonville's specialty coffee scene took off. Bold Bean was founded in 2007 by Jay Burnett, who started out roasting beans in his backyard, and it has grown into a family company with cafés around Jacksonville, including its original shop in Riverside.
Brass Tacks Coffee Co.
Brass Tacks got its start serving coffee at Spring Park Coffee and has since grown into two cafés of its own, one on Southside Boulevard and one in Fruit Cove in St. Johns County. The coffee is roasted at their roastery just south of Jacksonville in Green Cove Springs. (They're one of our favorite coffee shops too. More on that below.)
Flamingo Coffee
A roaster and café in Murray Hill that roasts its own beans and serves them up with espresso drinks and small plates. Flamingo stays open late, so it's a great pick when you want good coffee in the evening.
Mechanism Coffee Roasters
Specialty roasts and a pour-over bar, with cafés in Baymeadows and eTown. A great stop if you love watching your coffee being made by hand.
Historic family roasters
Long before "specialty coffee" was a phrase, these families were roasting for Jacksonville. You've almost certainly had their coffee at a local restaurant.
Martin Coffee Co.
Founded in 1957, Martin Coffee is one of the oldest independent roasters in the Southeast. From its roastery near Talleyrand Avenue, it supplies many of the region's restaurants and hotels.
Condaxis Coffee & Tea
Founded in 1959 by Peter "Tykie" Condaxis with a $500 investment, Condaxis is a true Jacksonville legacy business in the Rail Yard District. Its coffee is served at local favorites like Metro Diner and Bagel 13.
Micro-roasters
Micro-roasters focus on roasting first. You'll find their beans online, at markets, and at small espresso bars, and they're often where you'll discover the most interesting small lots in town.
Longroad Coffee Company (our favorite)
If you ask us which local micro-roaster to try, we'll point you to Longroad every time. Built on the idea that "each coffee has a long road to end up in your cup," Longroad roasts specialty-grade beans by hand in small batches, tailoring each roast to the coffee's origin and processing.
Start with their flagship A1A Sunrise blend, or sign up for a Roaster's Choice subscription to get a rotating single origin. They ship and offer local pickup, and you can drink their coffee at the Longroad Espresso Bar at the beach (more on that below).
Vagabond Coffee Co.
A Jacksonville roaster built around the motto "Community. People. Coffee." That's a motto we can get behind. Vagabond roasts a rotating lineup of single origins, such as Ethiopia Yirgacheffe and Honduras, plus a sugar cane decaf. You can order their beans and merch online, and they offer wholesale coffee too.
Catbird Coffee Roasters
Started in 2019 by two Jacksonville families, Catbird roasts in Murray Hill and sets out to make specialty coffee approachable, with a good sense of humor. They package their coffee in compostable materials, and you can find them at the Riverside Arts Market.
Coffee shops we love
Great coffee shops are where a city's coffee culture really comes alive. These are the spots we find ourselves going back to again and again.
Steady Coffee Co.
Honestly? Everything. Steady is our jam. Whatever you order, you can't go wrong. Find them on Herschel Street.
Brass Tacks Coffee Co.
We love Brass Tacks. Their drip coffee and lattes are awesome, and they're open until 8 p.m., which makes them a lifesaver when you need a great cup in the evening. Visit them on Southside Boulevard or in Fruit Cove, and use the drive-thru on a busy morning.
Setlan Coffee Co.
A downtown jewel, and one of our favorite places for a latte or a simple cup of drip coffee. Owners Tyler and Klaire Osborne started Setlan in a repurposed shipping container before moving into the ground floor of the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville. Grab a cup and wander the museum.
Hilite Coffee
Our go-to for a beautifully made pour-over or a latte. If you love watching a barista take their time with your cup, Hilite is for you. Find them in San Marco.
It's in the DNA Coffee
Come for the cold brew and the matcha, stay for the cozy, creative vibe (and the crepes). Find them on Park Street.
Southern Grounds & Co.
Our go-to for a later-night coffee stop. We especially love their food and desserts, so it's a great spot to linger over a treat with friends. With locations all around the Jacksonville area, there's usually one nearby.
Longroad Espresso Bar
Our favorite micro-roaster also has an espresso bar inside Southern Swells Brewing at 1312 Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville Beach. It's a small counter with big coffee, open Thursday through Saturday mornings. Grab a drink and a bag of beans to take home.
How to explore Jacksonville coffee
- Do a café crawl. Pick two or three cafés and visit them over a weekend. Order the same drink at each and notice the differences.
- Taste side by side. Buy a bag from a few local roasters and brew them the same way at home. It's the fastest way to learn what you like.
- Visit a market or espresso bar. Stop by the Riverside Arts Market, or head to the beach for Longroad's espresso bar.
- Need coffee after dark? Brass Tacks is open until 8, Flamingo stays open late in Murray Hill, and Southern Grounds is our late-night pick for coffee and dessert.
- Ask questions. Local roasters and baristas love talking coffee. Ask what's new, what they're excited about, and how they'd brew it.
- Spread the word. Leave a review, tag them on social media, and tell a friend. For a small business, that means more than you might think.
Want to make a day of it? The Jax Coffee & Donuts Trail from Visit Jacksonville is a fun way to discover even more local spots.
Why Jacksonville is a coffee city
There's a reason this city has so many roasters. Jacksonville has been roasting coffee since the early 1900s, and its port has been bringing coffee in from growing countries for just as long. Read more in How Maxwell House Helped Make Jacksonville a Coffee City.
Where we fit in
We're Testament Coffee Roasters, a family-owned micro-roastery that started with a popcorn popper and grew into a converted garage roastery. We air roast three single origin coffees and ship them across the USA. We're proud to be one small part of Jacksonville's coffee story.
When you're exploring, we'd love for you to include us in the lineup, and we'd love even more to hear about the local roasters and shops you discover along the way.
Hours, locations, and offerings change, so check with each roaster and shop before you visit.
Featured photo: Bold Bean Coffee Roasters in Jacksonville. Photo by Wade Austin Ellis on Unsplash.