16 Best Coffee Shops in San Antonio (2023 Edition!)

By Kelsey Kennedy | March 1, 2023

Here we go…the best coffee shops in San Antonio, TX! The coffee scene here goes wayyy back to What’s Brewing?, an old-school coffee roaster that opened in 1979 (and is still going strong!). But recently, more specialty coffee shops have been opening their doors and there are now several really solid places to get a great cup of coffee in SA.

Poetic Republic Coffee Shop in San Antonio

The list below is in no particular order, but read the paragraph to get a general idea of the type of coffee shop it is.

There’s also a map of the best San Antonio coffee shops below, as well as information about their location, website, and more. Sip, savor, and get caffeinated.

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The Best Coffee Shops in San Antonio

1. Local Coffee Founders

Regarded as the original specialty coffee shop in San Antonio, Local Coffee is a beautiful space in the historic Pearl District. Stop in for an expertly poured cappuccino, some delicious pastries, and a gorgeous spot to sip and savor your coffee.

There are a few tables outside on the sidewalk patio where you can watch the hustle and bustle of shoppers, or sit indoors and enjoy the light-filled space. It has a modern touch with white subway tiles lining the wall, large windows on three sides of the space, and beautiful topiary cover the display shelves

The owners of Local Coffee sold the business in 2020, but they still retain ownership of this little shop. The other locations in Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas have transferred ownership and are called Merit Coffee.

WEBSITE | 302 Pearl Pkwy, San Antonio, TX 78215

2. Merit Coffee

Merit Coffee started in San Antonio under the same ownership as Local Coffee (the first place you read about on this list), but they're now separate companies. But Merit Coffee is still a REALLY solid option. They have beautiful cafés, highly skilled baristas, and excellent coffee. Oh, and some of the best pastries you'll find ANYWHERE.

There are 5 Merit locations in San Antonio. They source and roast their own coffee, and each location is a welcoming place to chat with the barista, get some work done, or enjoy a coffee date with a friend.

WEBSITE | Multiple locations

3. Shotgun House Coffee Roasters

Here's another excellent option if you're looking for a coffee shop in San Antonio for coffee snobs. 😉 Shotgun house has an excellent coffee program, which starts with their in-house roasted coffee beans.

The roaster is literally a few feet from the counter where you order your coffee, so you might get to see it being roasted right in front of you! They bag it up and sell it within a day or two of it being roasted. Super fresh.

Shotgun is located inside Warehouse 5, a longtime sewing factory - turned co-working space. (Psst: this warehouse also houses Vista Brewing taproom.)

There's a cozy indoor space with tables and couches and wifi, as well as an outdoor beer garden where you can bring your coffee and your laptop and get some work done in the great outdoors.

WEBSITE | 1333 Buena Vista St, San Antonio, TX 78207

4. Brown Coffee Co.

Brown Coffee, established in 2005, was at the forefront of the third-wave coffee movement in San Antonio. They roast their own beans and have often been known as one of the best shots of espresso in the city.

Their brick-clad coffee shop in Southtown is a large space with giant windows where you can watch the actual coffee roasting in action. There's a long bar where you can order and enjoy your espresso, as well as a few indoor and outdoor tables.

WEBSITE | 812 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78205

5. Estate Coffee Company

Located near downtown, this small-batch coffee roaster and espresso bar are one of the best coffee shops in San Antonio. They pride themselves on working with family-owned importers to source the best coffee beans possible. Estate Coffee Company roasts in-house and provides a robust wholesale coffee program to their patrons.

The shop itself is an adorable space to stop by for a latte. There’s a small bar at one end of the rectangular cafe, and the rest of the space is filled with tables and chairs. It’s simple and modern, but what matters most is that the coffee program here is really top quality.

WEBSITE | 1320 E Houston St a101, San Antonio, TX 78205,

6. CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bakery

Latte and croissant at Commonwealth Coffee

This chic cottage from the 1800s has been transformed into an all-day cafe, coffee house with French decor, indoor/outdoor seating, and a chicken coop. Yep! Each location has the cutest rustic/chic vibe. This is definitely the place to go for a relaxing morning breakfast or fun lunch date.

They offer homemade pastries and French cafe fare like a Croque Madame with black forest ham, parm béchamel, and fontina cheese on their signature homemade french bread, or fresh dill chicken salad served on a homemade croissant.

WEBSITE | 118 Davis Ct, San Antonio, TX 78209

7. Niche Coffee

For an excellent cappuccino in downtown San Antonio, head to Niche Coffee, a small specialty shop that uses beans from San Antonio's own Quantum Coffee Roasters.

They have a small cafe space with tables, free WIFI, a few refrigerated snacks available, and a full espresso bar with drip coffee, cold brew, well-made lattes, and multiple milk options.

If you want something fun, go for the seasonal specials like a roasted hazelnut latte or the delicious chocolate-caramel latte.

WEBSITE | 108 Villita St. San Antonio, Texas 78205

8. Poetic Republic

The Poetic Republic is about “making connections between strangers, friends, and generations,” and the entire Southtown coffee shop is set up with that intention.

Walk in and you’ll be greeted by a friendly barista at the window-facing coffee bar who’s ready to take your order. Once you have your drink (try the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Latte!), sit down in the adjacent lounge where they have tables, sofas, and a calm environment for reading, chatting, or just sitting and enjoying your latte.

In line with the name of this place, Poetic Republic has free readings available to the public (often on Friday evenings). This is a full-service coffee shop and one of the best San Antonio wine bars with Texas natural wines available.

WEBSITE | 2330 S Presa St, San Antonio, TX 78210

RELATED: Best wine bars in San Antonio

9. Halcyon - Southtown

Coffee drinks by day, cocktails by night… Halcyon has one of the coolest vibes in San Antonio. It’s located in the Blue Star Arts District, so it has that industrial feel with brick walls, exposed ceilings, and lots of bright colors.

If you need a place to grab a cup of joe in the morning, grab an iced coffee and enjoy their free wifi and energizing environment. But they also have a great afternoon happy hour ($6 mango chile margaritas, anyone?) a delicious dinner menu of comfort foods like brisket fried rice and pulled pork pineapple tacos, and a full bar. Don’t forget about those tabletop s’mores for 2 or 4 in the evening!

WEBSITE | 1414 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78210

10. Mila Coffee

Mila Coffee is an awesome little coffee trailer near Brackenridge Park. It’s a pretty casual place (there’s no official website and they sometimes open and close on a wim), but they have a loyal customer base and some great cold brew. They use Tweed coffee roasters, based out of Dallas.

They’re located in a community of other airstream businesses, so be sure to check out Mister Diablo Taco Truck and Bexar Goods Co. while you’re there.

WEBSITE | 2202 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78215

11. PRESS Coffee

PRESS Coffee shop feels like you’re in a little treehouse! The multi-level shop has lots of greenery, tons of windows, and a multi-level seating area. Stop by for coffee and tea, homemade pastries, and free wifi.

They also offer a customizable coffee subscription service. You can select the type of coffee, bag size, and shipping schedule, and they’ll keep freshly-roasted coffee coming to ya all year.

WEBSITE | 4035 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209

12. Summer Moon

Summer Moon Coffee Shop, a chain based out of Austin known for their “oak roasted coffee and moon milk” has a presence in San Antonio. Of course, they do! This is one of the fastest-growing private coffee chains in central Texas.

There are four locations in San Antonio. The one pictured above is central, and there are 3 others on the outskirts of the city. If you love cozy coffee shops and super sweet coffee drinks, you'll love their signature Moon Milk, convenient drive-thru, and welcoming environment.

WEBSITE | 3233 N St Mary's St Ste 102, San Antonio, TX 78212

13. What’s Brewing

These local San Antonio coffee roasters are known for their OG shop (they’ve been around since 1979!) pinball machines, and coffee roasting program.

You can get their coffee at their roastery and cafe, their drive-thru only shop, and at the Pearl Farmers Market on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

WEBSITE | 138 W Rhapsody Dr, San Antonio, TX 78216

14. Southbound Coffee

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Southbound Coffee’s tiny pink trailer is the place to go for the most instagrammable coffee shop in San Antonio! It’s an adorable, bright trailer in Southtown that serves fun, photo-worthy coffee drinks. They offer mobile ordering so you can place your order ahead and pick it up right when you arrive.

Try their famous dirty horchata, a deliciously-sweet matcha latte, or one of the fun seasonal menu items that they’re constantly introducing.

WEBSITE | 246 E Cevallos St, San Antonio, TX 78204

15. Theory Coffee

One more little coffee trailer on our list of best San Antonio coffee shops: Theory Coffee has a classic menu of traditional coffee offerings like espresso, cappuccino, and drip coffee. Owner Mark Vollmer has a culinary degree from the Le Cordon Bleu program in Austin, TX and loves to pay attention to the care and quality of every single cup they prepare.

Theory Coffee gets their beans from Wild Gift Coffee Roasters in Austin, TX.

WEBSITE | 2347 Nacogdoches Rd, San Antonio, TX 78209

16. Bright Coffee

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Open since early 2022 at the Blanco Center in Beacon Hill, Bright Coffee has quickly become a neighborhood favorite. With coffee and a gallery by day and dancing by night, Bright Coffee has managed to combine three loves of its owners (java, art, and swing dancing) into one outstanding experience.

Bright is all about supporting and bringing together the local community. From the beans they source (downtown’s Estate Coffee Company), to the warm and inviting seating area, to the works of local artists they display around the café, everything they do is meant to bring people together while promoting local businesses and the arts.

Bright’s menu has all the traditional coffeehouse standards as well as a few unconventional options inspired by the owner’s Korean heritage including a banana milk latte (highly recommend!), a melon milk latte, a red bean latte, and a black sesame latte. They also offer a seasonal menu highlighting the flavors and ingredients of each season.

*Bonus - Once you’ve had a chance to check out Bright by day, don’t forget to come back at night for swing dancing and lindy hop lessons. It seems right on the nose to work out those caffeine jitters by learning the jitterbug.

WEBSITE | 1705 Blanco Rd, San Antonio, TX 78212