The Top 6 Absolute Best Coffee Shops in America

The top 6 best coffee shops in America

Coffee is my crack. I could have it hot or cold or even in that place in between, where it’s not exactly iced coffee, but it’s definitely not steaming anymore, either. I need it in the morning before work. I need it in the afternoon, around the time 3 p.m. hits. Sometimes I need it at night, too. It’s just that good.

So when New York Magazine’s Grub Street created a slideshow outlining the country’s 58 best coffee shops, I got pretty excited. I mean, if I’m going to drink enough coffee to give me an ulcer or a heart attack, I might as well try only the best of the best. At the following six shops, I wouldn’t mind spending a morning (or afternoon, or night, or, what the hell, the whole day):

Fika

I’ve never been to Sweden, and chances are I probably won’t go anytime soon, but the good news is that I can get my Scandinavian fix at New York City’s Fika. The coffee shop currently has five locations around the city and sells drool-worthy chocolate, sophisticated coffees, and even offers a catering service.

Oh, and also? Fika is Lady Gaga’s favorite (meaning, if you pay it a visit, you could run into Mother Monster herself).

Intelligentsia

Who wouldn’t want to walk into a coffee shop with a cool name like that? The trendy shop serves exotic coffee beans from Ethiopia, Guatemala and Brazil, among other places. Intelligentsia has a number of locations in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.

The Wormhole Coffee

I’m sure you love anything ‘80s (who doesn’t?). Stepping into this Chicago coffee shop is pretty much like walking right into a time machine with coffee on the side. Really. They even have a life-size replica of the “Back to the Future” car, and — get this — a working old-school Nintendo.

Dolcezza Artisanal Gelato

Gelatto and coffee? Yep, you better believe it. At Washington D.C.’s Dolcezza Gelato, you can get a little bit (or a lot) of both.

Frank

Leave it to Austin, TX, to host possibly the trendiest coffee shop in America. Frank’s a little bit diner (rumor has it they serve banging hot dogs and fries), a little bit brewery and a little bit coffee shop — perfect if you’re feeling indecisive.

Old City Java

In a way, Knoxville, TN’s Old City Java is like part-museum, part-coffee shop. After all, the shop is the oldest in the entire (artsy) city. Who wouldn’t want to pay it a visit? It must be pretty good if it’s lasted this long.