The 25 Best Coffee Roasters of 2023

 

 

There are plenty of differences between people out there, some are taller, some are shorter, some are heavier and some are slimmer, but there is one thing that we all have in common, one thing that transcends both time and space itself, and that is our common love for coffee.

We all love coffee and that’s a fact, regardless of what coffee brand you like, how you like it and how much of it you drink every day, let’s be honest here, the moment we pour our coffee into our mugs and we start sipping on it is the moment we truly experience peace and serenity.

We could sit here and talk all about how much we love coffee, and we would mean every word of it, but that’s not what we’re here for today. Instead, what we’re here to talk about is the 25 best coffee roasters of 2023.

So, let’s not waste anymore time and just jump right into number 25:

25. Ruby Coffee Roasters

What started off as just another small-town coffee shop managed to quickly grow in size and competence over the years, literally replacing some of the giants in the area and in some cases even overtaking them in sales.

They did this by going for a sweeter taste as opposed to the dark roast that most of their competition went for over the years. This is why their Costa Rica Cerro La Cruz espresso is so famous nowadays, and if that sounds like something you’d like we definitely recommend giving it a try.

24. Royal Mile Coffee

If you love your coffee with a hint of caramel and brown sugar then Royal Mile’s got you covered because they make one of the best tasting light roasts in the world.

It all started back when the founder of Royal Mile sipped on a cup of the Texas roaster Cuvee, and as he did so he couldn’t help but be inspired to try something similar himself.

He has stated in an interview that he spent over 1,000 hours giving out samples to everyone passing him by, trying to find the best tasting combination on the market. Eventually, he succeeded, and the results are more than worth the effort.

23. Merit Coffee

If you want a more exotic tasting brew then definitely try out the Merit Coffee. They excel in roasting the Karamandi bean, especially after combining it with a hint of white grape and green / rose apple.

Back in 2009 when they were first established in San Antonio, the owners behind Merit wished to bring their love for the craft to the rest of the city but they didn’t have the resources for it.

Nowadays however, they’re pretty much unstoppable as they have over six different shops all set up throughout the city. Needless to say, their quest is still ongoing as they continue to spread even further.

22. Manzanita Roasting

The wine industry is definitely quite a lot more cutthroat than the coffee making industry and that’s just the truth right there. Many would argue that making it in the wine industry is akin to making it past the hardest level of the game, so changing to the coffee making industry is definitely taking a step down in terms of difficulty to say the least.

But alas, this was the career choice that the owner of Manzanita Roasting decided to go for and he didn’t disappoint. He went a step beyond that by even going for a more environmentally friendly approach to coffee making by cutting down the greenhouse gas emissions by 80%.

21. Coava Coffee

Portland have always had some of the best coffee in the world, and that’s a fact. So, you can already guess right off the bat that since Coava is their best-selling coffee, it’s pretty much one of the best choices out there.

That alone should be a good indicator as to why Coava is such a great pick.

20. Camber Coffee

Camber is known for having been established by a team made up of Q Graders, the top-of-the-line coffee tasters around the globe.

They pretty much know everything there is to know about the art of making coffee, so is anyone even surprised that ever since they established Camber they’ve been at the top of their game?

Just take a sip of their Honduras Migdoneo Enamorado bean coffee, you won’t regret it.

19. Wrecking Ball Coffee

Despite the fact that many have tried to argue against the rich and flavorful taste of Wrecking Ball’s coffee, we honestly can’t get enough of it.

It’s one of those tastes that you either fall in love with or you absolutely can’t stand and we definitely are a part of the former pick.

You can’t even describe the taste, that’s how good it is. So, even if you don’t like it, you do have to give it to them that they never tried to copy anyone, they did their own thing and it clearly shows.

18. Triple Coffee Co.

Despite only being active for around a year or so, Triple Coffee Co. have already pretty much just set the bar up pretty high for them, making it on the news several times and even outselling their competition a lot of times during this time period.

On top of that, they’ve also shown a general understanding of the new age market, specifically targeting the online medium by trying to socialize with other coffee farmers and even strike deals through their social media platform.

17. Treeline Coffee Roasters

A while back, Natalie Van Dusen knew nothing about roasting a good cup of coffee, but that all changed back when she met Don Eilas. Don actually taught her everything she knew about the craft, and before long, after Natalie got back home, she started putting everything together and even experimenting around to see if she could change the game as everyone knew it.

Before long, she came up with the secret formula behind Treeline Coffee Roasters and the rest is history. 

16. George Howell Coffee

What really sets George Howell Coffee apart from any other company out there is their adaptability. Ever since they were first launched back in 1996, they pretty much never stood still for a second, always trying to revolutionize the game by changing up their formula.

Nowadays, they can go as far as to change up the bean they’re using every month, making them unpredictable but also extremely innovating to say the least.

15. Onyx Coffee Lab

If Ethiopian coffee is more your style, then Onyx Coffee Lab is definitely the right choice for you. They specialize in a darker roast, coupling it with barriers and sweet cream to really make the notes stand out.

They have actually blended a ton of different coffee varieties, they even stated in an interview that they had over 59 baristas trying out new stuff every single day to see what matched up better. As you can clearly tell, they eventually got the results they were hoping for.

14. Verve Coffee Roasters

You’ll find Verve’s base around Santa Cruz, but you can also get to them in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Tokyo too. They are especially popular because they never consider coffee to be just a random addition to your day, they truly care about the process of coffee roasting and that’s a fact.

They were originally founded back in 2007 by Ryan O’Donovan and Colby Barr, and even back then they were led by none other than CEO Mike Eyre, the man that truly took coffee roasting to the next level.

They have been praised a lot over the years for their intense and overall incredibly flavorful coffee and you’re free to try out their coffee anytime you want something that’s both delicious and energizing.

13. Sweet Bloom Coffee

Sweet Bloom Coffee have always tried to make it so that regardless of whether you’re a coffee fan or not, you can take a sip of their finest brew and walk out with a smile on your face.

They have also been known for welcoming farm partners to their roasting facility where they’re free to meet up with their retail customers and everyone else that enjoys their craft.

Despite the fact that they were only established in 2013 by Andy Spreger, they’ve already won several awards for their incredible hard work and dedication to the craft.

12. Stumptown Coffee Roasters

Stumptown Coffee Roasters are based in Portland and they’ve pretty much dropped the ball back in 2015 by selling out to Peet’s Coffee.

But, despite this, they’ve actually still managed to keep their main clients with them over the years and it’s all thanks to their incredible respect for the craft and for their customers too.

Just look into their incredible Nitro Cold Brew if you really want to feel like you’re in heaven right then and there. There’s a reason as to why they made it so far into everyone’s top tier list and you can instantly tell why.

11. Slate Coffee Roasters

Slate Coffee Roasters are known specifically for having received the second place in the US Brewers Cup and right off the bat you can tell why they deserved that. Essentially, the Seattle based company made it all the way to the top of the list by bringing more flavor to their coffee than any other company out there and that’s a fact.

Despite the fact that Starbucks are still the kings in Seattle, they’re following pretty close behind, pulling in more and more numbers as we speak. Hopefully they don’t slow down because we’d love to see how far they can get.

10. Take Flight Coffee Roasters

If you’re a fan of the Ethiopian Kochere bean then you have got to take a sip of a hot coffee from Take Flight because you will be absolutely amazed to say the least.

When they first started out, Take Flight stated that they actually wanted to make Americans fall in love with their espresso the same way that the people over from Australia love it and so far, they’ve done a great job at it.

They have aptly nicknamed themselves the Gypsy Roasters, and regardless of whether that’s the right political term to call them or not, we do have to say that they definitely brew one fine cup of coffee.

9. PT’s Coffee Roasting Co.

The reason as to why most people started drinking PT’s is because it was actually one of the first coffee roasters that took part in the Direct Trade program and it was also one of the first roasters to have ever competed in the US Barista Competition.

They’ve won a lot of trophies over the years and they definitely deserved every single one of them. As far as taste goes, they are some of the best, even if you’re not the biggest fan of coffees you’d probably still love the taste of their roasts.

8. Madcap Coffee

Madcap became world famous ever since they were first launched back in 2008 thanks to their incredibly strong and rich tasting produce.

They also were very lucky to have a lot of relationships with the rest of the competition around that time period, meaning that they didn’t have to sell themselves short to get things going from the start.

Their philosophy has always been to make every coffee count, as every single cup that they sell is meant to share a story with the drinker. They’re currently active in over 20 countries and many have stated over the years that they’re pretty much the best at what they do. Would you agree?

7. Sey Coffee

Sey Coffee, or as many people probably know them as, Lofted Coffee, were recently rebranded right after the launch of a Buswick Café that took the world by storm.

The company has set itself up to buy micro-lots all around the globe, essentially making sure that they can get their products from reliable resources regardless of how slow the market is.

They’ve even made it clear that they’re willing to support the individual farmer to make sure that he or she gets their money’s worth after putting so much work into the craft.

This has given their coffee a great backstory and honestly just an out of this world taste that you absolutely need to try for yourself.

6. La Colombe Coffee

La Colombe have always been at the top of their game, but recently, after receiving a whopping $28 million dollar investment, they stated that they’ll be sharing their passion for the craft even further than ever before, now taking their incredible produce all the way up to Fishtown.

They also went ahead and established two more Los Angeles Cafes amongst others, showcasing the fact that just because they’ve been doing so great so far, that doesn’t mean that they’ll be slowing down anytime soon either.

5. Intelligentsia Coffee

Intelligentsia’s incredible Black Cat Classic Espresso has pretty much just changed the game as we know it over the years thanks to its incredibly rich notes of dark chocolate, ripe cherry and of course, the piece de resistance, the brown sugar.

They’ve pretty much just always been known as a reliable source to get your coffee from, and recently they’ve been upping their antics even further, becoming known as one of the top tier coffee choices from Los Angeles and Chicago.

4. Heart Coffee Roasters

Dark roasts are always going to be at the top of the food chain, regardless of how much anyone argues against it. Starbucks have pretty much controlled the market for the past couple of years now and they’ve continuously pushed that ideology on everyone.

But, thanks to companies such as Heart Coffee Roasters, we might actually see a bit more coverage on the light side as time moves on.

They’re pretty much known for their light roasts, and since they’re on the rise as we speak, it’s pretty clear that they might very well be battling it out with Starbucks in the near future once everything’s settled down.

3. Four Barrel Coffee

The funniest part about the Four Barrel Coffee company is definitely their simple yet effective motto which many people have credited as the best motto a company can have: “We don’t suck”.

Without a simple hint of irony or anything of that sort, we can gladly state that they’ve done just that, and that’s not all, they’ve become quite a staple for coffee lovers all around the globe by establishing cafes literally around every country out there.

You can find yourself a hot cup of their coffee anywhere from Latin America, to Indonesia and even East Africa. Despite all stemming from San Francisco, this is about as international as a company can get and that’s a fact.

2. Counter Culture

Counter Culture is pretty much one of the biggest independent coffee roasters all around the globe and this isn’t without merit either.

They have changed the landscape as we know it, eschewing storefronts as opposed to just piling up espresso machines all around the globe. They went fully organic in 2002 and they’ve been keeping up with the trend since.

They’re also known for actually being a very big part of special programs such as the Coalition for Coffee Communities and they’ve even made up their own coffee flavor wheel through which they explain the vastness of tastes and flavors you can find in their coffees.

1. Blue Bottle

Blue Bottle are especially famous for their rather incredible Oakland Lights bean, and who can say otherwise when you get down to it?

It’s simply put one of those drinks that tastes completely different from anything else you might have tasted over the years.

When they were first established around 15 years ago or so, Blue Bottle stated that they lived in horrible conditions that one could only describe as living in a latrine and serving up coffee to rich people all while dipping their toes in the mud.

As they continued to spread though, they adapted and overcame that part of their career, getting very close to reaching Starbucks levels of roasts and, as many would argue, even surpassing them.

Conclusion

The world of coffee roasting has forever been changed by these companies and that’s a fact. As much as we’d like to say that they’re the best that there’ll ever be, we can clearly see that as time moves on more and more companies have started taking the market by storm and it doesn’t seem as though this will slow down anytime soon either.

Hopefully this’ll continue onwards too, as we’re excited to see just how good the coffee-roasting industry can get. Thank you for reading and, regardless of how you like your coffee, we hope that the next one you pour far exceeds your expectations!