Need a Caffeine Fix? Try These 8 Southwest Virginia Coffee Shops 

If you’re looking to sample the brews of the westernmost part of the commonwealth, you’ll likely want to start at one of these eight local shops. 

Starbucks is synonymous with coffee for most people. While it’s hard to deny that the Seattle-based chain has a delectable drink menu, it’s equally hard to deny that Southwest Virginia is home to many coffee shops that could give Starbucks a run for its money.

Red Rooster Coffee

Location: Floyd

“Roasting coffee to its highest potential, putting quality and customer satisfaction first” is what Red Rooster Coffee is all about. 

The coffee roaster, which tries to “make an impact at origin and at home” by using organic and fair-trade coffees, also has an on-site café.

The café is now serving breakfast all day, including croissants, bagels and biscuits. Be sure to try the Chili Crunch Croissant. The flaky buttery house-made croissant comes topped with garlic aioli, local spinach, local eggs, cheddar cheese and Momofuku Chili Crunch. 

After trying one of the roasts at the café, like the Ethiopia Worka Sakaro Anaerobic Natural light roast, you can buy a 12-ounce bag to take home with you.

Rendezvous International Café 

Location: Abingdon 

Rendezvous International Café is the place to go in Abingdon if you’re in search of a hang out with Wi-Fi. It has a large drink selection, including hot drinks, like coffees and teas, cold drinks, like iced coffees and frapes, smoothies, and milkshakes.

The café offers omelet sandwiches, crepes, omelet platters, soups, salads and sides, if you’d like to order food with your drink.

Those who enjoy sweet drinks, like one of the Nutella frappes, might also like a savory crepe to go with it. You can’t go wrong with the Mediterranean Cheesy Crepe, which comes with mozzarella, feta, mixed cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice and Mediterranean seasoning. 

Little Green Hive

Locations: Roanoke and Daleville

With three locations, the locally owned Little Green Hive has a relatively large footprint in the Roanoke Valley. The coffee bar believes that “coffee is personal.” For that reason, it buys local products and only serves “real, quality ingredients.”

The menu includes coffees, teas, smoothies and food.

Latte lovers will likely enjoy selecting from the signature latte menu. Those who want to start their morning off right may want to order the Queen Bee Latte. It comes with espresso, steamed milk, Ghirardelli white chocolate and raspberry. 

If you’re stopping by for breakfast, have one of the breakfast bowls or burritos. The lunch menu includes salads, sandwiches and wraps. Those who need a recommendation should try the Harvest Turkey Melt, which comes with turkey, apple butter, Swiss cheese and spinach on sourdough bread.

Better Coffee Co.

Location: Marion

Better Coffee Co. bills itself as a “specialty coffee shop for the connoisseur and the curious.” The menu includes espresso, cold brew, pour over and nitro options. 

If you need help ordering, consider one of the house favorites, like the Brown Sugar and Maple Oat Milk Latte or the Orange Blossom Nitro. You can also add one of the house-made syrups to your order. Even though pumpkin spice season has passed, don’t be afraid to add the syrup to your order.

If you like one of the syrups, you can buy a bottle, or two, to take home with you. 

FIKA Coffee & Tea

Location: Bristol 

FIKA Coffee & Tea “serves coffee and tea enthusiasts hand-crafted beverages made-to-order and grab-n-go.” 

The goal of each brew is to get customers to pause and savor the moment. When you decide to savor the moment, try ordering the Blackberry Sage Iced Tea or the Salted Caramel Cold Brew. 

The shop occasionally holds events, like a three-course afternoon tea that will include finger foods on Sunday, March 19.

Startbien Coffee Shop

Location: Galax

Startbien Coffee Shop has an exhaustive menu of espressos, in addition to frappes, ice teas, iced coffees, drip coffees, hot teas and hot chocolates. If you need a quick infusion of caffeine, order the 16-ounce Black Eye Espresso. 

Add something sweet by ordering the newly added Cannoli With Ice Cream. The large cannoli comes filled with ice cream and is topped with syrup flavors. A health-conscious option is the avocado toast.

Radford Coffee Co.

Location: Radford 

Radford Coffee Co. “was designed to feel like you are walking into someone’s living room” so that customers “feel welcome and comfortable.” 

The shop doesn’t just serve coffee for coffee’s sake. It gives back by providing money to help educate Miskito children along the remote Coconut River in Nicaragua. 

The menu includes coffees, espressos, teas, smoothies and shakes. Peppermint lovers should definitely order the Mint To Be signature expresso. It can be ordered as hot, iced or blended. 

The shop also serves breakfast all day long, in addition to wraps, paninis and salads. You can’t go wrong with the Grilled PB&J Panini, which comes with either grape or strawberry jelly.

If you find a roast you like, you can buy a bag to brew at home. 

The Grind

Location: Wytheville 

The Grind serves “gourmet, hand-made coffee,” in addition to “freshly-baked bagels, decadent wraps, the best smoothies, frappes and milkshakes.”

It started off the new year with a seasonal menu that will only be available until March. Cheesecake lovers will likely want to try the Cheesecake White Mocha. If you made a resolution at the beginning of the year to eat healthier, check out The Grind’s numerous sugar free iced coffee options, like the Bourbon Caramel. 

If you’re on the go but want a bite of something to go with your drink, try the newly added Lemon Cranberry Muffin with Gourmet White Chocolate Drizzle.