5 Best Places for a Cup of Coffee in Buffalo

Next time you have some time between your job, the kids' sports practices and doing everything else you do think about taking a trip to one of these places; the 5 best spots for a cup of coffee in Buffalo.

It's Elmwood at Bidwell location is the Goldi Locks of coffee shops; not too big, not too small - just right. On a spring or summer day it's positioned just right to grab a drink, a sandwich, walk over to Bidwell Park and just relax with a book for an hour (or more).

Cafe Aroma offers lunch & dinner (menus).

Specializing in the unexpected, Chow Chocolat is easily the most unique coffee shop experience you'll find in Buffalo. Chocolatier first and foremost, Chow's focus is creating artisan handmade chocolates with flavors from cognac to key lime pie.

Chow Chocolat is also a great place to see art from Buffalo artists. Chow rotates its artwork almost monthly so stop by frequently if discovering new artists is something that interests you.

While the coffee menu is straight forward and simple here, don't forget to try out their sipping chocolat - it's a real treat.

Continuing on the theme of coffee houses/art galleries we move on to Sweetness 7 located on Grant and Lafayette. Sweetness is a true marriage of coffee and art, occupying 20,000 square feet. At the S7 Cafe you can grab breakfast or lunch (menus here) browse the works of several up and coming artists and relax with a cup of coffee or any of their seasonal drinks (menu here).

This cafe is a little off the beaten path for a lot of people, particularly if you're coming out from the suburbs, but it's a trip worth making as it's truly an original Buffalo coffee house through and through.

Coffee Culture might be a franchise coffee shop but it is unique to NY (Central and Western, down-staters need not apply). Designed to offer a less elitist atmosphere than Starbucks, Coffee Culture is starting to open locations all over Western New York (see all locations here). Inside it's what you would expect from a semi-corporate coffee house: a warm, welcoming atmosphere but designed with the intentions of being duplicated several times over.

Unlike any of the other shops on this list, Coffee Culture has an environment where you can feel comfortable working out of. It's a place where you can have a meeting, something anyone who works from home can appreciate. The coffee selection here is pretty straight forward, rich dark blends from all around the world are available but there's nothing on the menu that says "this is OUR thing." Regardless, if you're looking for an alternative to the green & white, Coffee Culture is a place to put on your list.

If you've lived in Buffalo for any period of time you've surely heard about SPoT Coffee. It's truly "Buffalo's Coffee House" in every sense of the phrase. Personally, I rejoiced when I saw the "Coming Soon" sign at their Main & Union location in Williamsville. SPoT offers a "what you imagine a coffee house looks like" feel but with a quality of drink and food that you'd expect from a full-fledged restaurant (try the Chicken Focaccia, you won't regret it!)