Whether craving a post-hike cold brew or looking for a sunny patio to chill with your dog, Boulder’s top coffee shops deliver on summer vibes with refreshing drinks and outdoor seating
Grab an iced latte or cold macha, find a picnic table in the sun or the shade, call some friends, and your summer plans are set. Boulder has a plethora of coffee shops, but we’ve got a list of the best places in town for cooling drinks and seating that is plentiful and with great views of the mountains.
Spruce Confections
Although the other three Spruce Confections locations in Boulder County serve up the same delicious coffee and some of the best scones in town, the North Boulder spot has a sprawling patio with plenty of outdoor seating and shade. Post up here under an umbrella to get some work done with a side of the semi-sweet Spruce Juice. This highly caffeinated cold brew comes blended with house-made vanilla syrup and half-and-half. Or, rehydrate after a hike in the foothills with the Ruby Sipper, a caffeine-free, slightly tart herbal iced tea with notes of hibiscus, apple, blood orange, papaya, and rose hips. 4684 Broadway, Boulder, spruceconfections.com
Full Cycle Cafe and Bar
Bikes, booze, and coffee reign at this is a full-service spot in Boulder. Here the local company Boxcar Coffee is king, but a cold cup of Matcha Lemonade also hits the spot on a hot day. The cafe has plenty of space and events to offer too, with spacious indoor and outdoor seating, reliable wifi, occasional live music, weekly trivia, and monthly comedy. The attached bike shop offers a number of weekly group rides too. And if you’re hungry too, grab a bagel from Fleishman’s Bagels, which is usually parked right outside. 2355 30th St., Boulder, fullcyclecafebar.com
The Coffee Ride
Josh Crane started his coffee-bean bike delivery service in 2013, and now The Coffee Ride has a fleet of employees. They stock restaurants, bars, homes, and anyone else who wants coffee every Thursday. If you don’t need the buzz delivered, the roastery sports a quaint cafe with wicked views of the Flatirons.
Grab one of the few outside tables and enjoy house-made syrups in beverages such as the Miel Latte with cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cardamom, and the Lavender Lemon Cold Brew. It’s a must-visit and isn’t going to be on your main radar of cafes in Boulder necessarily, and no, you don’t need to be a bike person to go. Find the cafe in East Boulder, tucked between some industrial buildings, but right off the bike path. 2516 49th St., Boulder, thecoffeeride.com
Bona at Sanitas Brewery
The actual brewery at Sanitas doesn’t open until noon, but the small coffee counter is open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every day. You can get a typical caffeinated drink made from Bona Coffee Roasters, an independent and family-owned roastery founded in 2017 right in Boulder. There’s a vast outdoor space with over 20 picnic tables and grassy areas to park, perfect for an iced latte and an easy hang. 3550 Frontier Ave., Boulder, bonacoffeeroasters.com
Alpine Modern on The Hill
Because this Alpine Modern location is always packed with hikers and college kids, take advantage of its app that allows you to pre-order your iced coffee. Given it’s just four blocks from Chautauqua Park and all the trails, we aren’t surprised. Work up a sweat outside and then fuel up with the blueberry ricotta toast and one of the summer specials such as the Iced Blueberry Pie Latte, Strawberry Matcha, or Lavender Vanilla Cold Brew. The patio has a firepit complete with low-slung chairs, shallow counters for a quick stop, and a covered area with a loungy vibe and plenty of seating. 904 College Ave., Boulder, alpinemodern.com
Amante Uptown
Amante Uptown is just around the corner from Spruce, but has less of the slow-down-and-sit vibe and more the vibe of refueling and getting back out there. Inside are plenty of spots for working and chatting, and outside a large patio with shaded tables next to the Italian restaurant, Bacco.
Often, you’ll see cycling groups starting or ending at Amante. The cafe has a no-frills approach to its space and its coffee. In fact, Amante only uses beans from a third-generation roaster in Northern Italy, so you always get a consistently smooth cup of coffee. After a ride or hike, enjoy an iced coffee, one of its spicy, sweet or traditional Chai drinks, and even a scoop of gelato. 4580 Broadway, Boulder, amantecoffee.com
Dry Storage
As the sister cafe of sustainable restaurant Basta, Dry Storage serves up good coffee as well as stellar bread, pastries, and slices of pizza. Because Basta is an artisan mill and bakehouse using heirloom grains, you can enjoy a sourdough toast plate, a croissant sandwich, and whatever else is on the daily bread and pastry menu.
Grab Nitro Cold Brew or a Cold Brew Tea, and take a seat on the outside patio. Other hits off the beverage menu include the iced Nitro Matcha, or if you want something more bold, try the iced espresso and yuzu tonic. 3601 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, drystorageco.com
Creature Comforts
Creature Comforts proves perfect if you need a cozy pick me up when the weather is cold and frigid, or if you need a break from the heat with an iced drink. The inside is vibrant, open, and plant-filled, with huge windows opening onto Pearl Street. That means that even if you need to get some work done or want to be in the cool shade, you can still get plenty of fresh air with an inside-outside feel. Plop yourself on one of its open-air window benches for people watching, and get adventurous with any of its lattes such as an iced Five Spice latte or a perky cold brew. 1647 Pearl St., Boulder, creaturecomforts.cafe
