The Best Coffee Shops in Buffalo

Third wave coffee has arrived in Buffalo! Discover our picks for the best Buffalo coffee shops serving flat whites, cappuccinos and pour overs.

Our Favorite Buffalo Cafes for Specialty Coffee

1. Public Espresso

Located in the historic yet trendy Hotel Lafayette in downtown Buffalo, Public Espresso has a cool vibe and serves equally cool coffee. Baristas craft drinks to order using globally sourced, locally sourced beans.

While their downtown cafe has been open since 2015, James Rayburg and Sam Scarcello started roasting beans two years earlier. The duo has since opened a second Public Espresso cafe in South Buffalo.

Public Espresso’s coffee drinks range from typical cappuccinos to more exotic options like the Bali espresso tonic that we couldn’t resist trying. Tall and cold, this unique drink inspired by cafes in Bali gave us the caffeine jolt we needed. Plus, it tasted really good.

2. Remedy House

Expect sun to stream through the those windows regardless of the temperature when you visit this Five Points cafe. We can only imagine the summer sunshine since we visited during the winter.

Also expect to drink coffee made with locally roasted beans. While this cafe originally sourced beans from Toronto, it now roasts its own beans and sells them by the bagful.

Pro Tip
Not in the mood for coffee? Order a mimosa or G+T instead. Remedy House has a fully loaded cocktail bar.

Remedy House is located at 429 Rhode Island Street, Buffalo, NY 14213, USA.

3. Tipico Coffee

Originally located in Buffalo’s lower west side, Tipico Coffee is now a great spot to linger over crafted coffee drinks in Buffalo’s Elmwood Village. Despite moving to a different neighborhood, Tipico’s popularity has not waned. Instead, it continues to percolate and grow.

Jesse Crouse was a seasoned coffee veteran when he opened Tipico Coffee in 2015. Just two years later, Pete Herman joined the team and the two started roasting their own beans. Not surprisingly, Tipico’s Elmwood Park cafe is located near its roastery.

Popular food items include avocado toast and grilled cheese sandwiches. However, coffee is the main event and the primary reason why we visited Tipico. And, for those who match our obsession with brewing quality coffee at home, the cafe sells freshly roasted beans both online and at the cafe.

4. Undergrounds Coffee House and Roastery

Undergrounds Coffee House and Roastery is unique compared to all coffee shops we’ve visited around the world – but not because of its third wave coffee program. Its uniqueness is due to the First Ward coffee shop’s building which previously operated as a funeral home. Yes, this Buffalo coffee shop had a former life that focused on death.

Also, unlike other third wave coffee shops in Buffalo, Undergrounds is female owned and operated. Erin Morris, Sara Heidinger and Bridget Morris opened Undergrounds Coffee and Roastery in 2016. Six years later, they opened a second cafe in Buffalo’s Seneca One Tower.

Despite (or perhaps due to) its unusual past and progressive ownership, the original Undergrounds Coffee has become a vibrant spot spot for Buffalo locals to relax over coffee and food. While the building’s quirky layout and morbid history add a unique twist, its freshly roasted coffee speaks for itself.

Additional Buffalo Coffee Shops

Original Publication Date: May 21, 2022