United States

15 Best Coffee Shops in Iowa City, IA

Blake Walsh

Sep 23, 2022 • 12 min read

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Iowa City is famous for its arts, culture, and vibrant downtown life.

Apart from offering a variety of restaurants and hosting major sporting and cultural events, the city is also home to a wide selection of coffee shops.

If you're a coffee enthusiast looking to relax over a cup of coffee with your friend or family member in Iowa City, the city won't disappoint you.

There are plenty of coffee shops offering high-quality coffee.

Along with coffee, you will also get delightful treats you can enjoy.

Here are the best coffee shops in Iowa City, Iowa:

Java House Coffee Roasters

Located on Washington Street, Java House Coffee Roasters has operated since 1994.

The place offers a great selection of coffees, espresso, and specialty lattes.

If you like your coffee with some treats, then this coffee house has lots to offer.

With a cup of coffee, you can enjoy a variety of delicious sandwiches and treat yourself to a delightful breakfast.

Java House Coffee Roasters also offers teas, salads, and housemade muffins and scones.

If you enjoy your coffee sitting in the coffee shop, its interiors are spacious, cozy, and comforting, providing you with a relaxing environment.

On the other hand, if you like to sip your coffee outside, Java House has adequate space and comfortable seating.

The High Ground Cafe

The High Ground Cafe started its operation in 2013, on E Market Street.

It also has outlets in Coralville at Iowa River Landing and 5th Street.

If you're looking for a coffee shop that offers affordable food and excellent coffee, this might be the one for you.

The High Ground Cafe has a good selection of organic coffee, tea, fresh fruit smoothies, sandwiches, and panini.

Besides offering mouthwatering food and delicious coffee, the café also has a relaxing interior setting.

It has a fireplace, provides comforting chairs and tables, and WiFi.

The High Ground Cafe also has a sofa section where you can enjoy reading a book while having a cup of coffee.

For those who prefer to have coffee outdoors, the café provides a comfortable seating area.

Prairie Lights Books and Cafe

Prairie Lights Books and Cafe started as a book store in 1978.

Later, the bookstore added a coffee shop in the 1980s.

It is on S Dubuque Street, famous for its espresso and coffee drinks.

According to many Iowa City residents, Prairie is undoubtedly the best coffee shop in town, offering excellent espressos and coffee drinks.

The café has experienced baristas who serve delicious drinks.

Prairie Lights Books and Cafe also features teas, pastries, baked goods, wine, beer, and delicious snacks.

This place perfectly suits you if you enjoy reading a book and a cup of coffee.

Cortado Mediterranean Cafe

Established in 2017, Cortado Mediterranean Cafe is an Italian-style espresso bar with a great selection of caffeinated beverages.

Apart from coffees, the café offers a variety of fresh baked goods, Mediterranean-inspired sandwiches, freshly baked pastries, soups, and salads.

The one drink that stands out from the menu is the Cortado drink, which combines espresso and warm milk.

Even their housemade Hummus and Pita are something to look out for.

The interiors are modern and spacious, where families and friends cho enjoy coffee at their homes, Cortado Mediterranean Cafe has a delivery option.

T Spoons

T Spoons, located on S Clinton Street, has operated in Iowa City for 20 years.

It's a family-owned coffee and chocolate shop.

If you're a student, this place is perfect for you.

It provides an atmosphere that is perfect for studying.

While studying, you can enjoy hot chocolate or a variety of coffees that they offer.

Even kids and families can have a good time at T Spoons.

Apart from coffee, the store offers excellent tea, and the menu includes smoothies, English breakfast, and donuts.

The interiors have ambient lighting and cool decors and are spacious.

Press Coffee

Established in 2013, Press Coffee specializes in French-pressed coffee.

Initially located in Coralville, the owners had to relocate to a new place on N Dodge Street due to unfortunate circumstances.

The coffee shop is adjacent to Hy-Vee and St. Joseph Cemetery and close to Hilltop Tavern.

Along with French-pressed coffee, the coffee shop also offers espresso, smoothies, teas, pastries, and snacks to munch on.

The interiors have abundant space with comfortable sofas and chairs.

On the outside, they have two patios, one in the front and the other at the back.

Press Coffee also has a bike tune-up station for people who come to the shop on their bikes.

Bread Garden Market

Bread Garden Market is near the Iowa City Public Library on S Linn Street.

Established in 1995, the Bread Garden Market is not only a coffee shop.

The place also has a gift shop, a bakery, and a section for groceries, similar to a mini-shopping mall with eateries.

Speaking of the coffee shop, it has a variety of drinks to offer.

Apart from coffees, the café provides several options for smoothies and teas.

The Bread Garden Market prepares drip coffee, espresso, macchiato, Americano, and lattes, to name a few.

Nodo Cafe

Nodo Cafe has a couple of branches in the city.

One branch is on Dubuque Street, and the other is on N Dodge Street.

Both the branches have a good number of coffee options to choose from.

Besides coffee, you can indulge in some sumptuous food.

The food menu includes sandwiches, wraps, and salads.

If you prefer vegetarian and vegan food, the cafe's menu includes a veg wrap, a mushroom sandwich, hummus and spinach wrap, and a few other delicious veggie items.

For meat lovers, the menu has turkey and cranberry wrap, chicken salad wrap, and egg sandwiches, to name a few.

Nodo Cafe has something for everyone.

The Encounter Cafe

The Encounter Cafe on South Clinton Street opened to the public in 2017.

The café offers more than sandwiches and wraps; it serves a handful of coffee options to go along with munchies.

The coffee menu includes Americano, latte, cafe mocha, cappuccino, and other coffee drinks.

You can also treat yourself to homemade pastries and coffee if you prefer this combination.

Besides, the menu includes omelets, French toast, pancakes, and panini.

The atmosphere at the family-friendly Encounter Cafe is peaceful and comfortable.

Dodge Street Coffeehouse

The Dodge Street Coffeehouse is a family-friendly café that includes a kids' play zone and serves caffeinated drinks and other beverages.

This coffee shop is ideal for you if you're a parent with little ones.

You can unwind in the shop with your friends while your kids have fun playing in the kids' area.

The highlight of Dodge Street Coffeehouse is its pre-made food from local eateries such as Trumpet Blossom, Oasis Falafel, Local Burrito, and others.

You can choose food items such as wraps from Trumpet Blossom, hummus from Oasis, and sandwiches from Nodo, among others.

When it comes to coffee, the menu has a variety of coffees for you to pick from.

Enjoy latte, mocha, cortado, Americano, macchiato, and espresso shots at Dodge Street Coffeehouse.

Tru Coffee

Established in 2021, Tru Coffee is close to the University of Iowa, located on N Linn Street.

Tru Coffee also has a great collection of vintage clothing.

While sipping a cup of coffee, you can browse their collection.

Their menu includes coffee drinks such as espresso, iced coffee, cortado, matcha latte, brewed coffee, and many others.

Apart from coffee, if you're also into tea, the place offers iced mango black tea and iced hibiscus berry tea.

Along with beverages, you can also enjoy their selection of munchies.

The shop's interiors are simple, uncluttered, and spacious.

Mammitas Coffee Shop

Mammitas Coffee Shop is a small coffee shop in the heart of Iowa City on S Linn Street.

This woman-owned Latin-inspired coffee house opened its store in 2020.

At large, the menu has a lot of Latin flavors, such as Horchata, Dulce De Leche, and Guatemalan Antigua.

Apart from coffee, the shop also serves smoothies and energy drinks.

To go along with coffee, Mammitas offers breakfast and lunch as well.

You can get veggie burritos, Cuban burritos, sandwiches, and other items for breakfast.

For lunch, you can choose sandwiches, quesadillas, tacos, and others.

As you walk into the shop, you will see an indoor porch area, a large fireplace, and a few small chairs and tables.

The coffee bar and a fridge filled with Mexican soda bottles are on one side.

Though Mammitas Coffee Shop is small, it's cozy and welcoming.

Sidekick Coffee and Books

If you're a parent, this place is ideal for you and your young ones.

Launched in 2019 on Melrose Avenue, Sidekick Coffee and Books is a children's bookstore and coffee house.

You can take a break from your everyday grinding life and visit this place to indulge in some fantastic coffee while your kid reads books.

This place's coffee menu has various coffees, including brewed coffee, espresso, Americano, cortado, cappuccino, and others.

Even kids have a few food items to snack on.

For kids, the place serves a variety of milkshakes and ice creams which they can have while reading their favorite book.

The interiors offer a spacious area filled with books and a snack bar.

You can sit inside or on the patio to enjoy your coffee at Sidekick Coffee and Books.

DayDrink Coffee

Launching in August 2020, DayDrink Coffee offers some of the highest-quality coffees in Iowa City.

Located on S Dubuque Street, this beautiful place runs under a small group of people who are welcoming and hospitable.

The menu includes a selection of teas, a few munchies, and coffee.

You can try their espresso, Americano, latte, or cold brew with a bagel or sourdough.

What's impressive about this place is that though it's small, it's comforting.

For people who love having coffee outside, the place offers outdoor seating covered with trees, providing a relaxing environment.

DayDrink Coffee house is one of the best-rated coffee shops in Iowa City.

Fix Coffee Shop

Located in downtown Iowa City, Fix Coffee Shop opened in 2019.

This is a small place on the second floor of Hotel Chauncey with fantastic coffee and a limited collection of pastries.

Their menu includes Americano, cappuccino, cold brew, cortado, espresso, and drip coffee, among other varieties.

Along with every coffee, you get a Biscoff cookie too.

Fix Coffee Shop offers a relaxed setting with ambient lighting where you and your friends can enjoy a coffee.

Final Thoughts

Iowa City is full of life and is home to many cultural and sporting events.

It also has a vibrant downtown filled with many coffee shops.

Amid this bustling environment, you can refresh yourself with a cup of joe from the best coffee shops in Iowa City.

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