Every Coffee Shop in Waco | The Complete Guide
I've already covered which ones are the best coffee shops in Waco, as well as the most unique coffee shops in Waco. But, since not every coffee shop in Waco can be "the best" or "the most unique", I did have to leave out a few pretty fantastic coffee shops.
Also, in my previous articles on this topic, I only covered local coffee shops. That means that some larger coffee companies that started outside of the Waco area were left out of the mix.
So, this article is going to remedy that.
This article is ALL about ALL the coffee shops in Waco and everything you will want to know about ALL of them - local and not local coffee shops alike.
- Is it a walk-in and/or sit-in coffee shop?
- Can I sit down, relax, work or study?
- Does it have a drive-through?
- Is it a drive-through coffee house only?
- How popular is the coffee spot with the locals?
- Is it a locally owned and operated coffee shop, or a coffee chain?
I will try to answer all these questions and more about every coffee shop in Waco.
Why? Because I've been to all of them!
- Cozy Coffee Shops | No Drive-Through
- Walk-In Coffee Shops | Seating Available
- Drive-Through & Walk-In Coffee Shops
- Drive-Through Only Coffee Shop
- Walk-Up Only Coffee Shops
And I go back to most of these coffee shops on a regular basis! I'm a local and somewhat of a coffee fanatic. It's a real problem, but... at least you get to reap the benefits of my problematic coffee drinking habits!
Whether you're a fan of latte's, mocha's, horchata's, or any other number of coffee drinks, I've got you covered. Let's get started!
Cozy Coffee Shops | No Drive-Through
This group of cozy coffee shops in Waco will be featured first. This is the type of coffee shop where there is plenty of space to sit down in a comfy chair - relax and enjoy your delicious cup of hot or cold brew.
I would define these coffee houses as "the most relaxing coffee shops in Waco".
If you are looking for a drive-through, you'll need to keep scrolling to the sections below. This section is all about the sit down, relax, and enjoy your coffee kind of place.
GLORY BELL COFFEE
There's a brand new coffee shop in Waco and it's making a huge splash. Why? Because at 4,000 square feet, it's officially the largest coffee shop in Waco, and potentially tied for the title of the largest coffee shop in Texas!
Glory Bell Coffee is the only coffee shop conveniently located on Columbus Ave in downtown Waco, and features several beautiful and relaxing lounge spaces, a designated play room for younger kids, and plenty of seating throughout.
And no, I'm not pulling your leg - It's also the only coffee shop in the entire city that has massage chairs!
There's Wi-Fi for remote workers and students, as well as places to sit down and play games like Connect 4 with friends and family. If you stop in on Wednesday evening, you'll be treated to live Christian music for Worship Wednesday.
It's a beautiful coffee shop, and you won't find any other coffee shop like it in Waco - or anywhere in Texas for that matter!
HERITAGE COFFEE
If you want to check out a two-and-a-half story 1800's barn that's been restored with Spanish Villa vibes and converted into a modern-day coffee shop with a rustic edge, then look no further. You've found it at Heritage Coffee in Waco, TX.
Everything about this project was carefully thought through and designed all the way down to the cups that your drink of choice is poured into. The cup has a specially designed plate connection so that when the cup sits on the plate, it won't slide. I find the attention to small details like that fascinating.
This coffee shop in Waco is part of a larger community known as "Heritage Homestead" where they grow their own foods, build their own buildings and much more. The drinks at Heritage Coffee are absolutely some of the smoothest sips of coffee I've ever taken. I'm guessing in part it's because they use a lot of their own organically grown and sourced ingredients. They even make their own syrups...
In fact, through their Ploughshare Institute for Sustainable Culture, Heritage Homestead teaches well over 100+ classes (to anybody who wants to learn) about everything from pottery, blacksmithing, wood furniture making, soap production, canning, gardening, homesteading and much more.
If you're heading out to Heritage Coffee, plan to spend a couple of hours on-site and visit the gift shop, pottery shop, woodworking shop, and many of the other businesses located in the same community as the coffee shop.
In fact, you may as well just time it with your dinner reservation (yes, it's that popular) at one of the best places to eat in Waco - their on-site restaurant called Cafe Homestead.
If you're in a hurry and don't have time to do much else beyond grab a cup of coffee - no worries, they have a drive-through at the front of the community near their general store where you can get a quick cup of joe. You can't miss it. The drive through coffee line is on the left-hand side as soon as you turn into the Homestead Heritage community.
DICHOTOMY COFFEE & SPIRITS
There is no other coffee shop like Dichotomy Coffee in Waco.
It's located right on Austin Ave in the heart of downtown Waco, just a few blocks from the historic Alico building.
Dichotomy Coffee features a massive first-floor space with plenty of seating, as well as a large upper-level area on a covered balcony with outdoor furniture, heater lamps, etc.
Whether you go for your morning coffee, or your evening spirits, Dichotomy Coffee & Spirits is a unique coffee shop unlike every other coffee spot in Waco.
The seating is well laid out, spacious and offers plenty of opportunities to hang out and study, work, or just relax.
PINEWOOD COFFEE
This coffee shop is a great space for many reasons and it's not just because of their coffee - though, the coffee is a great reason to go to Pinewood Coffee.
This coffee shop roasts their own beans and sells them to other Texas coffee locations to brew state-wide.
The coffee shop is massive. There is plenty of seating both inside and outside in the well-shaded courtyard, and along the side of the building near the street. Pinewood Coffee shop offers mostly booth-style seating (and readily accessible plugs nearby in most cases) which provides a good amount of privacy for those wanting to study or work at the coffee shop.
The exterior space is well-designed featuring plenty of covered and/or shaded space outside to sit down.
Later on in the day, you can also get beer at Pinewood. I'm not a beer drinker, but I think some of their beer options are brewed both locally, and in Texas in general.
Added Bonus: Pinewood Coffee frequently has a food truck of some kind sitting out front that you can get food from if you're hungry for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Pinewood Coffee has a history of being instrumental in helping other local businesses start up by allowing them to park their food trucks out front and giving them an opportunity to grow their business right in the Pinewood Coffee parking lot.
Some of the companies that got their start at Pinewood Coffee include Helberg Barbecue (recently voted as one of the top BBQ restaurants in Texas), and Waffle Chic (one of my favorite places to eat in Waco).
ONE DAY BAR
One Day Bar doesn't sound like a coffee shop, but it is. It's a coffee shop and an upscale lounge-style bar. The inside is adequately furnished with nice sofas, chairs and benches and the outdoor area features a nice, covered space with more traditional picnic-style tables and benches.
*One Day Bar not only serves coffee and alcohol, but (like Pinewood Coffee) they also frequently bring in local food trucks to serve up some delicious lunch and dinner options a few times each week. You'll have to follow their Instagram to see when the next one is.
I have been to One Day Bar a few times, and my favorite drink there is an oat milk latte with their house syrup - Their house syrup makes it a unique drink that I haven't found anywhere else in Waco.
FABLED BOOKSHOP & CAFE
These last three coffee shops in this section do not sell alcohol or beer. However, you can find some fantastic books at Fabled Bookshop & Cafe while sipping on a delicious coffee brew of your choice.
My favorite drink here is the Muggle Mocha with oat milk. Fair warning, it's pretty sweet, but regardless of whether you like your drinks hot or iced, it's fantastic drink!
The café has a knack for stirring up literary magic in its menu, regularly infusing its drink offerings with flavors inspired by iconic authors and their works. Recently, I spotted a series of coffees that paid homage to the "Hunger Games" - a creative twist that blends the art of brewing with the art of storytelling.
My favorite part about this coffee shop though, is how delicately they balance the look and feel of both a bookstore and a coffee shop - and they've managed to do it REALLY well.
I'd highly recommend hanging out at this coffee shop for a while and just enjoying everything about it. If you have kids - they'll enjoy it too! There's a kids room specifically designed to engage and excite kids about the prospect of leaping into the next exciting story.
I'm guessing you'll walk out of this coffee shop with an interesting book or two. I think a buy a new book just about every time I go here.
BITTY & BEAU'S COFFEE
Bitty & Beau's Coffee is a North Carolina based coffee shop that opened a location in Waco. It's a great coffee shop to spend your hard-earned money at!
The founders of this coffee shop started it out of a strong desire to offer employment to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I love the entire purpose and mission of this coffee shop, but aside from that, they also serve up some amazing drinks.
So if you want to support an awesome business mission, as well as get a delicious cup of coffee, then Bitty & Beau's Coffee should be at the top of your list of Waco coffee shops to go to.
As far as the interior goes, Bitty & Beau's Coffee shop has a beautifully designed interior space with plenty of seating. One of the longest walls inside features a padded bench that stretches almost the entire length of the wall. They also have a spacious, private meeting room behind a glass door that can be used for studying or working as long as it's not in use by a party who previously reserved it.
Overall, I'd say that this coffee shop's seating options are plentiful and comfortable.
MAGNOLIA PRESS CO.
Last, but not least, Magnolia Press Coffee Co is a Waco-based coffee shop owned by Chip & Joanna Gaines. This coffee shop is MASSIVE and features both indoor and outdoor seating.
However, due to its overwhelming popularity, you may not find seating inside - outside may be your only option unless you're willing to wait for a seat, or it just so happens to be a little slower when you stop by.
If you're visiting the Silos at Magnolia and all of the things that are available to do there, then this coffee shop is certainly the most convenient since it's located onsite.
I do occasionally go to this coffee shop to work on my laptop during the Fall or Winter months. It's usually too hot to sit and work in the outdoor area during the summer months in Texas.
During the Fall and Winter, the outdoor fireplace and covered seating is a well-designed and lovely space to sit down, drink some coffee, and get some light reading or work done.
MILK BOTTLE COOKIES
Ok, so the name definitely doesn't scream coffee, but trust me - they have coffee and it's really good!
Milk Bottle Cookies is a great local bakery that makes some fantastic cookies. Each week they switch up their flavor of the week, so be sure to check out their Instagram to see what it is this week.
I think sometimes they even have one-day only flavors.
They actually ordered a full espresso bar a long time ago, but due to the shortage of equipment across the world, it took a LONG time for it to get delivered. But they have it now, and they make some fantastic coffee drinks!
The seating inside is also comfortable, spacious and inviting, so I'd definitely recommend hanging out for a bit.
FOR KEEPS COFFEE & BAKERY
For Keeps Coffee & Bakery is one of the most recent coffee houses to open up in Waco.
For Keeps features large garage-style windows (including one that actually opens like a garage door during cooler weather), arch-style booth seating that looks like it jumped right off the pages of a fantasy novel, along with a massive, locally crafted wood table as a center-piece sitting in the middle of the room.
Nearby is a PourSteady coffee machine sitting on the counter next to a beautifully designed La Marzocco espresso machine and an in-house bakery kitchen that puts out deliciously fresh-baked bagels (OMG!) and other delicacies during the early morning hours each day.
And the fun doesn't stop there.
The drinks are just as novel as the rest of this Waco coffee house, starting with their flagship drink, the True Blue Latte, which - true to its name - is actually blue.
And unless you specifically request your order "to go," you'll find your drink served in an actual mug and your breakfast bagel (if you ordered one) on an actual plate. Glass or ceramic, I'm not sure which, but it's not something you'd mistakenly leave the coffee house with.
The entire experience at the For Keeps coffee house is intentionally designed as a personal invitation for you to find a seat and stay for a while.
THRST COFFEE
THRST Coffee Shop is a great place to get a local cup of coffee for a couple different reasons:
- The coffee shop is locally owned and operated by a really down to earth family who are incredibly active in the local entrepreneurial community.
- They roast their own coffee beans, and you can buy their coffee beans for personal use in your own home for those days you won't be near this coffee shop.
- The coffee is some of the smoothest coffee in town.
- The location is in a part of town that has historically been largely neglected. Only recently has that begun to change, but this coffee shop opened in the neighborhood well before those changes began in earnest. I appreciate coffee shops that don't just cater to the more well-to-do, high-traffic downtown areas.
This coffee shop was recently redesigned and the interior is much more inviting now. There is a good amount of seating (including comfy sofas), and the seating arrangements are well-laid out and comfortable enough to sit down and get some work done, or just hang out with cool people.
Just keep in mind that parking can be limited here. But don't let that deter you from going, though - it's totally worth it! It's one of my favorite coffee shops in Waco, and if you can't find a parking spot, there is street/curb parking available nearby.
The coffee and the experience at THRST Coffee Shop are absolutely worth it.
Walk-In Coffee Shops | Seating Available
This group of coffee shops are places where you can walk in, order coffee, and maybe even sit down and enjoy your hot or cold brew. However, the seating arrangements aren't exactly the most comfortable, and you probably won't spend a ton of time relaxing in the space.
REIGN COFFEE CO
If you take 18th Street out towards China Spring, you'll quickly find yourself in a coffee desert. But thankfully, that's not the case anymore. Reign Coffee Co opened up in 2023 and has been a fantastic local coffee shop for the China Spring area.
Reign Coffee Co not only has a relaxing lounge, but they also feature a drive-through. So regardless of whether you're on your way in/out of Waco, or you need a spot to sit down and work or study for a while, Reign Coffee Co has you covered.
LIGHTHOUSE COFFEE SHOP
Lighthouse Coffee has quite a bit of seating, and I have never been there at a time when it was so packed that I couldn't find a seat either inside, or outside on the covered patio area.
The seating is mostly hard seating, no sofas or padded seating at all. I have spent some time here working from my laptop, writing up articles and what not. However, if I were wanting to go relax and read a good book, Lighthouse would not be my first choice.
There is something that sets Lighthouse Coffee apart from other coffee shops in town. Lighthouse Coffee routinely hosts weekend dinners and wine-tasting events on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The cost for each event ranges depending on the specifics of the event and which chef is hosting the dinner. The prices always seem to be reasonable and affordable for a date night out.
The one thing that sets Lighthouse apart from every other coffee shop (except Dichotomy) is the view of the Alico Building and the historic Waco Courthouse from the coffee shop. When you're done sipping on your favorite drink, you can stroll down Washington Ave to the riverwalk and get some steps in.
BRU COFFEE
Bru Coffee now has two locations. One of them is in a 100+ year old elevator in the lobby of the historic Praetorian building, and the other is in the historic Stories building. Both of their locations are just a few blocks from each other in downtown Waco, TX.
While you can walk in and sit down, the Praetorian location is not a lounge-style coffee bar. There are a few seats inside and outside, but not a ton of space in general. You'll probably want to take your drink to go at this coffee spot, unless you're just trying to get a break from the heat.
The Stories building location has substantially more space and ample seating, so you may want to spend a little time there. It's a beautiful coffee shop right on Austin Ave where you can sit down and study, work or just relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of the main street in a small city.
However, their Austin Ave location does have some weird hours. But, the good news is - if you get there and it's closed, their other location is literally just a couple blocks away and it has more consistent, normal business hours.
Drive-Through & Walk-In Coffee Shops
These Waco coffee shops have both options; drive-through and walk-in. If you just need a quick coffee fix, and don't have time to stop and hang out, then the drive-through coffee shops are a good option to have.
But, if you do have some time to spare, you can walk into these coffee shops too!
COMMON GROUNDS
Common Grounds coffee is a locally owned and operated coffee shop that started on the East side of Waco near the Baylor campus and has expanded to multiple locations over the years.
One could say that Common Grounds was one of the first coffee shops in Waco - if not the first.
Three of their four coffee house locations are in and around Waco, while the fourth location is in Fort Worth, TX.
The two locations with drive-throughs are the I-35 location, and the Woodway location. Fort Worth does not have a drive-through option.
Both of the Waco locations also have plenty of seating if you want to hangout either inside or outside.
BE KIND COFFEE
Be Kind Coffee has two locations: one on Lake Air Drive, and one on Washington Ave; the latter is their newest coffee shop. The Be Kind coffee shop on Lake Air Drive has a drive-through, the one on Washington Ave does not.
The one on Lake Air Drive doesn't have much of anywhere to sit down since it's located inside another business, but the Be Kind coffee shop location on Washington Ave does have seating.
This is a local coffee shop and they serve up some fantastic iced coffee drinks including my favorite - the iced caramel latte with oat milk.
Drive-Through Only Coffee Shop
If you are looking for a coffee shop that is strictly a drive-through location, then look no further. Here are a couple of coffee shops where you can't walk in - these are drive-through coffee shops only:
DUTCH BROS COFFEE
There is only one coffee shop in Waco that's drive-through ONLY. Meaning, there is no place to even walk inside or sit down. Dutch Bros coffee is that place.
Dutch Bros Coffee is not local. It's a chain coffee shop that started in Oregon, but due to the large number of people who have moved from the West Coast to Texas, they've started to open up coffee shops in the area.
They do make some good coffee! My personal favorite is The Caramelizer - It's an espresso mixed with chocolate milk, caramel sauce, and whipped cream. It's basically a Mocha on steroids and I'm here for it!
Just be prepared for the super-chatty baristas. It's part of their brand - super peppy baristas chatting you up while you wait for your coffee. I guess it's supposed to make your wait time feel shorter - or something - I don't know. But just know that I warned you beforehand, so you're not caught off guard.
Walk-Up Only Coffee Shops
This section features coffee shops where you can no drive through, and you can not walk in. You can only walk UP to the coffee shop and order your delicious brew.
KURBSIDE COFFEE
Kurbside Coffee is currently the only locally owned walk-up coffee shop in Waco. And the only place you can "walk up" to this coffee shop is at the weekly Waco Farmer's Market in downtown Waco.
This locally owned and operated coffee company used to have a location at Union Hall (a popular eatery hall in downtown Waco), but now it is operated out of their coffee truck which you'll find at the Waco farmer's market every Saturday from 9AM - 1PM.
I typically order my usual Oat Milk Latte, and during the summer, it's definitely iced!
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