Coffee, Cocktails, Poké, Pork and Tiki
May 08, 2023
Take a stroll through downtown Salt Lake City and you will find the coffee movement is alive and well. Salt Lake City offers a wide variety of destinations to enjoy a cuppa joe.
Eva’s Bakery Boulangerie (155 South Main Street)
Just a few steps south of City Creek Center, past the shiny new Eccles Theater you will encounter a bright blue storefront and a wonderful French bakery experience. Featuring an amazing staff, Eva’s coffee is as hot as it fresh. Brewed and served with a smile and lots of love, plus an assortment of delectable French pastries for the choosing.
Three Pines Coffee (165 South Main Street)
Keep heading south on Main and you will find yourself in midst of Three Pines… Coffee that is. Owner’s Meg Frampton and Nick Price started their Salt Lake City coffee venture from a cart and have grown into a fine establishment. Speaking to Meg’s sister Jade, who helps with day-to-day operations, “Three Pines focus is on quality and simplicity. We want our patrons to enjoy the experience and not be distracted by a complicated menu.” Coffee is sourced from Heart, a small branch coffee supplier out of Portland. Try the ‘Beehive Baller,’ a daily brew, hot or cold with chocolate, vanilla and delicious house-made almond milk.
Nostalgia (248 East 100 South)
Venture up 100 South and you’ll find a quaint neighborhood-feel coffee house with a fitting name: Nostalgia. The space is a regular spot for work-from-anywhere locals and students due to their super fast Wi-Fi. Barista Shayli Hone made sure she pointed out the unique local art on the walls, and let me know the coffee is sourced locally from the Meridian Coffee Co. She also suggested I try the ‘Van Halen,’ a delicious vanilla hazelnut latte. Like the hit 80’s song, it made me want to “jump!”
Coffee Garden on Main (254 South Main Street)
Located in the Eborn book store on Main St., Coffee Garden on Main sources its coffee from local Caffe Ibis out of Logan, UT. According to barista Saorise Johnston-Dick, they serve a lot of lattes to a loyal customer base of office workers and artists alike. When asked about her constant smile, Saorise said, “This is a great local business, and they do a great job supporting other local vendors as well as their employees.”
Caffe d’ bolla (249 East 400 South)
Caffe d’ bolla literally put Salt Lake City on the national map when it comes to coffee. With their multiple awards and Zagat’s rating, everything John Piquet and his wife Yiching do is around the excellence of the coffee. One cup at a time. A truly artisan coffee house featuring seasonal and small batch coffees roasted in-house. Be sure to visit and embrace the experience of one of Cafe d’ bolla’s siphoned brewed coffees. Just don’t ask for it “to go”—this coffee is intended to be sipped on site and at a prescribed pace.
Maverik (185 South State Street)
Located at the corner of 200 South and State St., who knew you would find a barista and porcelain cups at a convenience store? Maverik Coffee is the real deal. Full selection of coffee from origins around the world, nitro brew and they even do pour overs!
Beans N Brews (268 South State Street)
Located near the Gallivan Center a few steps from the corner of Broadway and State, Beans and Brews is known as the home of ‘High Altitude Roasting’. Although according to manager Terry Bryant, this store’s loyal clientele seem to like the sweeter side of coffee. “We seem to sell a lot of Mr. B’s.” Mr. B is a frozen latte mixed with just the right amount of Ghirardelli white chocolate cocoa and Irish Cream.
The People’s Coffee (221 East 300 South)
Along one of downtown’s most unique row of shops and storefronts is an ‘intimate coffee’ house: The People’s Coffee. You won’t find anything blended here, but you will get your coffee the way you want it, according to barista Justin Runyan. The People’s Coffee pride themselves on their mochas, in-house cold brew and their commitment to locally-sourced coffee, pastries and bagels. Plus, the portraits of—you guessed it—people adorn the walls.
The Rose Establishment (235 South 400 West)
Craving amazing food and baked goods along with brewed to order coffee? Look no further than The Rose Establishment. Owner Erica O’Brien has created something special in this unique location off of 400 West. Try one of their rotating drinks of the week with house-made cashew milk. The coffee is sourced from Four Barrel Coffee, San Francisco, and is one of the most spacious areas to sip your daily brew.
Salt Lake Roasting Co. at the Library (210 East 400 South)
The pioneer of coffee roasting in Salt Lake City, but did you know they have a location in the City Library? Wonder at the amazing architecture of the library, check out a book and enjoy an iced London Fog or a simple black, single-origin roast served up by barista and manager Barbbenly Bergara all in one stop!
Toasters (30 East 300 South, 215 South State Street & 151 West 200 South)
Touting three convenient downtown locations, Toasters is more food-focused with a delicious selection of crafted sandwiches, but it is a popular place for downtown workers to pop in and grab their morning joe. Featuring the world famous Illy brand of Italian coffee.
Dunkin Donuts (217 East 400 South)
Coffee aficionados may cringe to see Dunkin Donuts on this list, but their coffee just always tastes amazing with a handful of Munchkins donut holes! Millions of passionate New Englanders can’t be wrong, and lines formed down the block when Dunkin opened a few years back. A convenient location near the library TRAX stop on 400 South, Dunkin Donuts is also one of the few downtown coffee places with a drive-through.
Nordstrom EBar (55 South West Temple)
If you find yourself strolling through City Creek Center, shopping bags in tow, you can stop off at Nordstrom EBar located on the center’s west side. EBar manager and barista, Brittany Reed, said, “We try and do everything the best quality we can. We’re innovative, constantly updating recipes and always trying to improve product.” Did you know Nordstrom has their own branded coffee? Grab a cold brew, and shop till you drop.
Starbucks (80 South Main Street)
Looking for something familiar? Starbucks also has a location steps away from City Creek Center located on the corner of 100 East and Main St. A unique open space, full of rich architectural details with that familiar menu we’ve all come to know so well. Grande Frappuccino if you like it cold and sweet.
