The 10 Best Cities for Independent Coffeeshops

Coffee is a nonnegotiable part of many people’s daily routines. In the U.S. alone, the average person spends almost $2000 a year on it. Coffee chains are abundant around the country, but many people prefer going to smaller shops to get their caffeine fix. The small business lender OnDeck shares that the specialty coffeeshop industry is expected to grow by $39.17 billion from 2022 to 2027, mainly because of independent businesses. To see which places excel in this area, check out the map and list below of the cities with the best independent coffeeshops in America.

Experts from the site gathered this data by first compiling a list of the most populous major cities in every state. Researchers then pored over the Tripadvisor pages of all the coffeeshops in each one, noting every five-star review for those that weren’t a franchise. The team concluded the study by ranking the cities based on the weighted average of these ratings across their independent cafés.

Knoxville, Tennessee, boasts America’s highest-rated indie coffeeshops, with an average rating of 4.59 out of 5 stars. The best spot in the town is Coffee & Chocolate. Out of 129 reviews on Tripadvisor, 94 users dubbed it “excellent.” Visitors cannot get enough of their drinks, desserts, and attentive service.

Bentonville, Arkansas, is right behind Knoxville, with independent coffeeshops there averaging 4.58 stars. Kennedy Coffee is considered the best in the city. Their frozen drinks are a popular pick for many Tripadvisor users. Lincoln, Nebraska’s, independent coffeeshops have an average rating of 4.56 stars, placing it third on the list. According to TripAdvisor reviewers in the city, Mill Coffee & Tea is top tier. Customers swear by their brownies, sandwiches, and—of course—their coffee. 

Here are the rest of the top 10 cities for independent coffeeshop lovers, along with their corresponding states and average ratings:

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