For someone who grew up in Lancaster County, I haven’t actually tried a whole lot of coffee shops in the area. But there’s a reason for that! Considering how much I love coffee now, you may be surprised to learn I didn’t drink it at all until my mid-twenties – which was a few years after I’d moved away from the Lancaster, PA area. So here I am a decade later feeling like I’m trying to make up for lost time.

It’s probably going to take a while to get through all that Lancaster has to offer – there are over a dozen coffee shops in the city proper, and at least 50+ more more in surrounding Lancaster County! Coffee lovers in Lancaster may want to sign up for the Lancaster County Coffee Trail – where you can earn rewards while trying out new coffee shops!

As a reminder: I don’t give any stars or number ratings to the coffee shops that I visit. Those kind of reviews, in my experience, are super subjective and not always all that helpful. We all have different tastes, and somewhere I loved could be a place that someone else can’t stand! So instead, I provide details like: the vibes, thoughts on what I ordered, recommendations/tips, and overall if I liked the shop or not. Interested in my other coffee-related travels? Check out the rest of my Will Travel for Coffee series!

Wake Up. Drink Coffee. Travel. Repeat.

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Planning a trip to Lancaster? Check out these things to do during your visit!
Wine lover? Check out my Lancaster County wineries guide.

Café One Eight

Anytime I asked for recommendations or did a Lancaster coffee shop search online, Café One Eight was often at the top of the list. You’ll find this bright and airy cafe with rustic farmhouse vibes about a block from the central Penn Square. We stopped by during a busy mid-morning Saturday, but were luckily able to find seats along the window – which were great for people watching. If you’re a larger group you may have a harder time as tables don’t seem to stay empty here for very long.

They have full breakfast/lunch options on the menu, ranging from burritos and sandwiches to pastries and toasts. Now I’m not usually a fan of fruit flavors in my coffee, but I was too intrigued not to try the Blueberry Muffin Cold Brew: white mocha and cinnamon shaken cold brew with a blueberry cold foam. I was pleasantly surprised – I really liked it! The cold foam wasn’t overly sweet and didn’t overpower the flavor of the cold brew. I had my mom along with me this time and she says you can’t go wrong ordering a classic caramel latte here either. The chocolate espresso roll and blueberry muffin were good, not great.

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Passenger Coffee

I’d been meaning to try Passenger Coffee for a while, especially after they were rated the best coffee roaster in Pennsylvania by Food & Wine in 2022. They have two locations in Lancaster: the Flagship Showroom on King Street (where I went) and the nearby Roastery on Plum. I went in with high expectations and was not disappointed. When you step inside, I think the best description of the decor would be ‘minimalist hipster’. For anyone looking to buy some coffee beans to take home, the large rotating list of varieties can be somewhat overwhelming!

Did I have any idea what a ‘One and One’ was before walking into Passenger? Nope! But while I was standing in line someone passed by with one, and apparently I’m easily influenced. Perfect for espresso lovers, a One and One is a double shot of espresso split between two cups – one is served black and the other as a macchiato. Passenger’s espresso was so smooth, and well worth the high praise it gets. If you’re peckish they also have a small assortment of pastries, which we didn’t try this time around.

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Denim Coffee

Located in the heart of downtown Lancaster is this specialty coffee roaster, Denim Coffee. Their headquarters/roastery is located in Chambersburg, and they have a few other locations across Central Pennsylvania including in Harrisburg, Carlisle, and Mechanicsburg. While it’s not much to look at when you first walk in, decor wise, there is a little seating area off to the right that is pretty cozy. We had the place all to ourselves early one Sunday morning right before a snowstorm was about to hit.

Now generally I’m not a huge fan of black coffee, but I make an exception whenever I see a nitro cold brew on the menu. Denim has one of the smoothest ones I’ve ever tasted! I’d heard mixed reviews about their espresso-based drinks but my mom really enjoyed her caramel cappuccino. We also ordered breakfast sandwiches that, while average taste wise, were the perfect size – I didn’t feel stuffed afterwards or feel bad for having to throw half of it out.

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Square One Coffee Roasters

Based on our first impression walking into Square One Coffee Roasters (also known as SQ1), I had high hopes for the coffee. The seating area in the front is warm and inviting, great for relaxing and people watching. But unfortunately this seems to be, in my opinion, one of those places where it looks better inside than the coffee ultimately tastes. My cortado was fairly bland, without the bold espresso flavor I was looking for. Jasper’s hot chocolate was average and not really anything to write home about. We also ordered a couple pastries which were small, a bit stale, and pretty mediocre tasting. Maybe it was just an off day, but I probably wouldn’t stop in here again.

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Lancaster Pie & Coffee

I’m not going to beat around the bush here – I wasn’t crazy about the coffee at Lancaster Pie & Coffee. The espresso in the oat milk cappuccino that I ordered wasn’t very strong, to the point where it struggled to compete with the oat milk flavor. It kind of felt like the coffee was an afterthought. It seems like their main draw is the pie anyway, which is likely why pie comes first in their name. I’m personally not a fan of pie (much to the disappointment of my husband) but the smell of them almost tempted me anyway. They have the option to buy a full pie or just by the slice so you can try multiple flavors!

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On My List For Next Time

Aura Little Cafe – 44 North Queen Street.
Small cafe with a walk-up to-go window, serving espresso and boba tea.

Neighbors Cafe – 450 North Prince Street, Floor 1.
This community-focused cafe has a menu full of a variety of multicultural flavors.

Lancaster County Coffee Roasters – 474 East Ross Street.
A popular local coffee roaster located just outside of the city center.

Endo Cafe – 237 North Prince Street.
This coffee shop, said to be PA’s “original cannacafe”, offers hemp and CBD infused drink options.

Mean Cup – 398 Harrisburg Avenue.
This spot is apparently a favorite of the students at nearby Franklin & Marshall College.

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Have a Lancaster, PA coffee spot you think I should review next? Let me know in the comments!
See that button below? You could buy my next coffee!