Omaha’s Coffee Couture

Who says mugshots can’t be beautiful. In Omaha coffee is an art form, inside and out. Dedicated baristas ensure the foam painted design at the top of the mug equals the quality-sourced coffee inside it.

Many Omaha coffeehouses roast and bag their own coffee, and when it’s roasting time, the smell is intoxicating. Rally Coffee Co. sources beans that are in season and roasts them at just the right time to accentuate their unique flavor profile. When visiting Rally, check out how the barista uses a scientific-looking 3 ft. tall beaker gadget to create cold brew – it’s as entertaining to watch as it is to drink. Archetype concocts its beverages in two minimalistic locations, partnering with farmers for its premium coffee beans, while Himalayan Java serves organic Arabica coffee from Nepal. We dare you to try the YETI Bomb – it contains so much caffeine it requires a signed waiver.

Amateur Coffee specializes in roasting 100% vegan coffee in unique flavors such as Sweet Tart and Soda Shoppe Sumatra, which includes notes of Coca-Cola, sweet grape and citrus. In fact, everything, from the oat milk to the waffles and donuts in this quaint coffee shop, is vegan. The husband and wife team also serves Espresso sodas, and one of the favorites is the Cherry Seinfeld: tonic, espresso, cherry … yada, yada, yada ... and lime – it’s George Costanza approved. Another husband and wife team run Hardy Coffee Co. The goal at their three locations is to serve “seriously useful coffee,” and that means opening early and staying open late so customers can grab a cup whenever the mood strikes. With a roasting lab and bakery included, if the mood calls for a homemade caramel pecan roll or a cranberry orange scone, they’ve got you covered there as well.

Two Omaha coffee companies, so popular they’ve both been franchised, are Crane Coffee and Scooters. Crane and its eight locations serve hand-crafted drinks built on the concept that a cup of coffee can build long-lasting, meaningful relationships. Scooters was started as a drive-through location more than 20 years ago and now has more than 20 locations throughout the city. Its signature drink is the Caramelicious, a rich caramel latte perfected into a smooth, satisfying cup of yum. Each Scooters cup comes with a smiley sticker; the owner started this tradition back in 1998 as a way of saying “have an amazing day.” Customers loved it so much, the sticker... well, stuck.

Want to try a little bit of everything? Sip your way through a coffee flight at Zen Coffee Company. Choose 4 drinks from a menu of over 50 iced and hot beverage options to create your coffee adventure. Coffee flights are also available at Karma Koffee and The Table Coffee Co. in Omaha.

One of the most unique coffee shops in the city provides coffee and kitty cuddle time. Felius Cat Café is exactly as it sounds. It’s a place to grab a cup of coffee and pet cats. The cats roam around the shop, and for a small fee, customers can enjoy a cat cuddle session. Cats are also available for adoption – how’s that for a souvenir?

Browse the many locally-owned Omaha coffee shops below, and find a unique brew just for you.

Omaha Coffee Photos