THE rOaSTErS

Clarity Coffee, 431 W. Main St., OKC

The downtown shop is home to one of Oklahoma’s most respected roasters, and the founder and one-time partner in KLLR Coffee, Steve Willingham. His shop is clean, bright and bustling, given its location in the central business district. The staff is famously friendly, and the coffee is stellar. Seasonally, he adds outstanding coffee drinks, like the pumpkin spice latte made with fresh, local pumpkin. Pastries are from Quincy Bake Shop.

Coffee Slingers, 1015 N. Broadway Ave., OKC

The OG roaster in Automobile Alley, Coffee Slingers was one of the first shops to take coffee seriously. It still does, with a full roster of French presses, Americanos, cold brews and even the Nitrane — coffee with nitrogen, much like a good beer. It even has drinks for the kids, such as hot chocolate and Italian sodas, and the pastries come from Harvey Bakery and Kitchen.

Elemental Coffee, 815 N. Hudson Ave., OKC

One of the turning points in the development of Midtown was the decision by Elemental’s then-owners to locate their shop and roastery at NW Eighth and Hudson Avenue, the site of H & 8th Night Market, the massive nighttime food truck festival in the glorious days before COVID. As of last year, the partners are now Laura and Allie Phillips-Shinn, roaster Marcus Smith and Elena Hughes, the latter of whom has been overseeing Elemental’s delicious food program since she joined the team in 2014. Highlights include the cookies, especially the salted chocolate chip, and pastries, like the blueberry lemon hand pie that occasionally appears in the pastry case.

Eote Coffee Company, 7 NE Six th St., OKC

For Todd Vinson, coffee started as a side project, second to his work as the founder of Willow Springs Boys Ranch near Chandler. The spiritual components of Vinson’s life and work are made plain in the name EOTE — “ends of the earth.” Fortunately, it’s not a gimmick; he cares about people, and he cares about coffee. The shop is located in the Central Exchange Building, and it’s one of the more striking settings you’re likely to see in a coffee shop, with its post-industrial-meets-comfy vibe, the roaster operation behind the counter and large windows lending a diorama feel to the aesthetic. Vinson is a great collaborator, so you’ll find pastries by Ganache Patisserie on the counter, as well as Ganache’s Nutella Italian shortbread cookie (it’s complimentary!) and syrups from Matthew Griffin's Rose & Thorns.

Hoboken Coffee Roasters, 224 S. Division St., Guthrie

There are stories, and then there is the story of Trey and Mallory Woods riding their bikes from Oregon to Oklahoma after selling their car to buy an espresso machine. They’d moved to Oregon to dive into coffee culture, and they brought their experience and expertise to Guthrie, a town that was just beginning to see its potential as a culture destination. The cafe and roastery are in an old garage made beautiful by their hard work. It’s a popular hangout in Guthrie with a lovely patio, beautiful interior, comfortable vibe and delicious pastries.

KLLR Coffee, kllrcoffee.com

(It’s pronounced “killer.”) Before he launched Clarity Coffee, and after he left Elemental as roaster, Steve Willingham co-founded KLLR Coffee. The company is still running fine without a storefront, but you can find its coffees in many local restaurants, and you can buy them online at its website. The focus is small-batch and single origin, and the beans are roasted to perfection.

Leap Coffee Roasters, 44 NE 51st St., OKC

Named for leap day 2016 — when the Starkeys purchased the roastery from founders Gary Hargrave and Lee Morrison — Leap is best known for its Artist Series, a project that puts local artists on bags of coffee and on the shelves of major retailers. The Starkeys have collaborated with Ebony Iman Dallas, Eyakem Gulilat and Amanda Zoey, among others. The focus is small-batch and blended coffees, all of which you’ll find on its website or at the roastery the first Friday of every month.

Not Your Average Joe, nyaj.coffee

The mission is what gets people’s attention. NYAJ hires people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities, and roaster Hannah Barstow makes good coffee. The five locations are cozy and friendly — especially Midtown, where the patio is dog-friendly, including a water bowl, and the walk-up window is very convenient.

Prelude Coffee Roasters, 3 NE Eighth St., OKC

Located in the 8th Street Market east of Automobile Alley, Prelude roasts its beans weekly, so the coffee is always fresh. In addition to full coffee service, it collaborates with Urban Tea House and Woodshed Teas and offers pastries from Quincy Bake Shop. Prelude also features ceramics from a local artisan, and you can subscribe to its coffee program so you never need to leave your house to get great coffee.

Sincerely Coffee Roasters, 1325 N. Walker Ave., OKC

Ian Flemming makes coffee for people who like coffee, not coffee drinks. That means that while the lattes at Sincerely are delicious (still waiting for it to be autumn so the house-made butterscotch returns), the pour-over and drip coffee have remarkable balance and drinkability. For those of us who love black coffee, Sincerely is a happy place. Flemming offers a subscription service, too, and his package design is among the best in the business. As an added bonus, there are fresh-from-the-oven scones and tacos from Taqueria Lupita most days.

30TH STREET MARKET/ HOLEY ROLLERS:

Vanilla Bean Donut

Strawberry Basil Donut

Vanilla Lavender Donut

Strawberry Chocolate Cheesecake Donut

Tawbi Organic Coffee Roasters, 7519 N. May Ave., OKC

The focus at Tawbi is in the name: organic beans. The roastery creates blends to achieve specific flavor profiles rather than focus on terroir — the French wine term that describes the taste of a place as much as the product. The bags are adorned with Oklahoma critters as a reminder that the organic concept matters, and the shop provides full coffee service, tea and a few other beverages.

Yellow Dog Coffee Company, 222 S. Porter Ave., Norman

Yes, owners Robert and Sereta Wilson love dogs; they even help operate a dog rescue. But the coffee is also very good. Images of dogs, including the eponymous yellow lab, adorn the bags and are an important part of the shop’s decor, but the Wilsons have built their Norman brand on quality roasts and great, friendly service. The scones from local Sconed are beautiful, creative and delicious.

Zero Tolerance Coffee and Chocolate, 913 W. Britton Rd., OKC

In a perfect world, Maura and Roy Baker would have a line down the street outside their Britton shop every day. The veteran-owned roastery and cafe features bean-to-cup coffee and bean-to-counter chocolates. Maura oversees the day-to-day operations, including the roasting, and all the equipment needed to make the chocolate is behind the counter. The breakfast is excellent — on a very good day, she’ll have Ukrainian oreshki, shortbread cookies filled with dulce de leche, from a local producer.

Chocolate Croissant

Apple Turnover

Red Velvet Cookie

Snickerdoodle

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

Peanut Butter Cookie

Cinnamon Roll

Macarons

HARVEY BAKERY:

Raspberry Linzer

Midnight Cowboy Croissant

Croissant

Almond Croissant

Cinnamon Roll