Coffee on a Saturday morning. Nothing beats it! I don’t know about you, but waking up on a Saturday morning and driving to the Claremont Village to grab a cup of coffee is truly what gets me through the work week. I spend every weekend frequenting Claremont coffee shops and have shared pleasant conversations and met many characters along the way. I’d love to share those places with you so you can know where to go to mix it up with the Claremont locals. Be sure to say “good morning” to at least one person if you go to any of these places as it helps to maintain the joyful, neighborly spirit of the city.
Some Crust Bakery. If you ask any local what the #1 coffee shop in the village is, 9 times out of 10 they’ll tell you “Some Crust''. They have the best coffee in town and literally have a sign in their window that says “Yes, we have the best coffee in Claremont.” Some Crust has tons of drip coffee options from Monkey & Sons and serves well-crafted espresso drinks. But the best thing about Some Crust is the people. The employees are all welcoming, hospitable, and will remember your name and drink order if you come enough. Their customers are the most loyal of all. Customers sit outside on the black table and chairs greeting people as they pass along and talk amongst each other, truly enjoying the moment and present time. It’s hard not to become a weekend regular here and gives Claremont that small town feel.
Iron & Kin. This is the newest coffee shop to grace the Claremont Packing House and let me tell you, it’s damn good! Iron & Kin’s employees craft up the finest of lattes in the City of Trees. Their hot lattes are velvety, and their mocha is rich and delish! They also serve “affirmation lattes” which are specialty lattes with unique ingredients like ginger, brown sugar, pink salt, cloves, and even chipotle! You can’t go wrong with their drip of the day which you should drink with no cream.
If you’re lucky, you’ll get David, Daniel, or Daisy (the 3D’s is what I call them) to make your drink. They’re super friendly and will remember your drink order if you come often enough.
Side Note: Ask David about his photography because he takes some spectacular photos.
The owner Josh Avila is a pretty passionate and humble dude. I had the pleasure of speaking with him during their grand opening and wrote a separate blog about it here: Iron & Kin: Serving Up Coffee and Vibes in Claremont Packing House.
The Reverse Orangutan. This is a new coffee gem that recently opened inside the Leammle theater in Claremont. The Reverse Orangutan (TRO) not only makes incredible lattes but their syrups are made in house. I had a latte with their house made vanilla bean syrup and it gave me all the warm and fuzzy’s. They also offer cold press coffee, cappuccinos, drips of the day, chai lattes, and other rotating menu items. They recently had a front cover feature in the Claremont Courier telling their entire story. You will find vendor booths set up near TRO to align with their mission of supporting local business as stated in their website “Our business reflects our passion for great flavor, sustainable ingredients, and supporting local business.”
Lucky’s Coffee Roaster. Having opened November 2020, Lucky's is refreshingly different from other coffee shops in town. They are currently gearing up for a coffee roasting operation next door which also includes classes for wholesale customers and coffee enthusiasts.
Their robust coffee menu offers espresso classics like cappuccino, lattes, macchiatos and specialty lattes like The Rabbit Hole, Dirty Dona, and Espresso Mule. If that’s not enough, their seasonal menu offers drinks like The Pumpkin King Latte, Grandma’s Candle, and Old Fashioned Chai. All their syrups are made in house, too.
Now for the best part. As soon as it's safe to dine inside, there will be a special area at the bar dedicated to mocktails. The mocktail area will have a rotating menu, a mocktail server, 4 seats, and have a coffee or tea element to it.
Get the full story on Lucky's through my latest blog Lucky’s Coffee Roasters: A New Flair to the Claremont Coffee Experience.
Sanctuary Coffee. I thought I’d mention this gem in the outskirts of Claremont Village. This is a coffee shop truly operating on a mission. They use their coffee shop as a vehicle to advocate for social justice in three ways:
Paying their coffee farmers ethical wages
Donating food to pantries per pound of coffee sold
Donating all profits to charities in Claremont and surrounding areas
Now, Saturday morning coffee is becoming more altruistic in Claremont. I can get behind that and make Sanctuary Coffee a stop in my weekend coffee routine.
If you're looking for places to sit and enjoy your coffee, read Clear Your Mind at These Serene Places in Claremont.
There you have it – the coffee shops in Claremont sure to make a local out of you. I’d love to hear about your own experiences at the Claremont coffee shops in the comments below. See you on the weekend for a nice cup of joe.
Toodles for now.
Photography Credits: All photos were taken by the author of this blog.