Best Coffee Shops in Greenville, SC from an upstate native

Greenville, South Carolina/upstate South Carolina best coffee shops

Junto coffee. Look at those big tables! Gorgeous windows! Fiddle leaf figs for dayyzzz.

My reasons for loving coffee shops are as diverse as the orders I place when I frequent them. So let me start by clarifying what I order, because I think that makes a difference in receiving a recommendation, and then I’ll give you a list of this southern lady’s top hangouts and what makes them special.

My order:

I love a good breve latte with an extra shot in the morning, iced Matcha in the afternoon (seriously, iced is the way to go imo) or decaf herbal tea in the evening. I really can’t handle my caffeine after noon- one shot and I’ll be up til 2 am. I appreciate a coffee with a good pastry option, and although I wouldn’t claim to be a coffee snob per say, I do like my espresso strong and am the first to jump on a fun twist, especially if we’re talking more flavors and notes and less sugary concoctions.

Latte at Barista Alley. My date had a hot chocolate.

My priority:

There’s a couple specific shops I go to for their food but usually the driving force for going to a coffee shop is that I need to get some work done, but I would love to be a little more social by working at a coffee shop. Makes me feel like I’m hanging out with people while still giving me the chance to get some work done on the laptop. For this reason, the ambiance of their location as well as the type of crowd it draws are important to me.

I’ve also been known to meet friends there, of course- Clients turned to friends and networking buddies out in town- so I’m always trying to choose one halfway between or on their side of town, which really lends itself to mixing it up.

Here’s my list of the best coffee shops in the upstate with my reasons for loving them:

Junto Coffee - Taylors

Junto is my first pick primarily because it’s very close to my studio in the Taylors Mill and the vibe cannot be beat.

It’s the most spacious coffee shop I’ve found with lots of room to spread out. It has the most gorgeous sunlight, and I love the pink BoHo aesthetic. It is truly unlike any other coffee shop in town. They also have interesting drink specials.

I have to tell you an embarrassing story about it though- I asked some of my clients to meet me there, but I pronounced it with a hard J in Junto-  they repeated it after me and I said “yes. I know it’s a funny name for a coffee shop. I don’t know what it means.”

They laughed and said “it means together and it’s pronounced (Hoo-Nn-toe. ahem. My approximation and apologies)” I had no idea it was a Spanish word.

These clients happen to be Cuban, and so we all got a good kick out of my mispronunciation. In my defense even the owner is not particular about how it’s pronounced and they’ll let you in even if your Spanish accent (and awareness) is terrible.

Barista Alley - Greer

My second on my list of favorites has to be Barista Alley. The owner imports and roast his own beans and is very particular about it, but I would say more importantly, I can’t even count the number of people who have recommended the shop to me (even though I think I went the day it opened nine years ago and many times since) and confided in me that “the owner is super nice, a very cool guy.” Which really just tells me how much this guy (Andrew, btw) goes out of the way to make everybody feel like a welcomed friend. Everyone feels like they have the inside scoop on coming to this local hub and I super love that. I am all about a local business where nobody hustles harder than the owner and he’s known for being friendly and approachable. That sounds maybe common sense, but I’ll tell you it’s not always common. I know plenty of business owners who don’t seem to like their customers and that’s a real shame. You won’t find that here, plus they always have seasonal offerings and cool pairings for you to try. Sometimes they have really yummy small batch cakes up at the front too, but get there early because people are not afraid to eat cake for breakfast around here, so it disappears fast.

Tandem - Traveler’s Rest

Third on my list is tandem crêperie over in Travelers rest. I’m not much of a pumpkin spice latte fan, but I will tell you what- I make a special trip for their pumpkin crêpe every fall. It really hits the spot. I’m always torn between a sweet or savory crêpe and of course I want a latte as well, so this is the perfect spot to bring a friend so you can go halvsies and get everything you want. This is probably the busiest and cheeriest place to go, but the lines always move quick and its never a bad call to go out for crepes and lattes.

Chestnut - Greenville (Verdae, woodruff road)

Number four has to be chestnut coffee. I once made friends with a couple ladies at the table next-door, and one of them ended up hiring me- twice! So a place that has a vibe that strong will always hold a special spot in my heart. I also love the handmade market they have on shelves throughout the coffee shop. I love that they’re sport supporting local artists and this is an amazing place to pick up a local gift really easily. I have to also mention that they have a four dollar sourdough grilled cheese, which is perfect when you don’t really want fast food but you need something convenient and cheap. It’s also right next to a park so you can take a long walk down by the pond as well.

Green Laundry Lounge - Taylors

I have to put the green laundry lounge on my list, not necessarily for their coffee to be honest, but for their concept. You can bring your laundry and run it through while you hang out and the vibe is relaxed enough that I would feel comfortable bringing my rowdy seven and nine-year-old boys without feeling reservations. I’ll bring them to the other shops, but we don’t stay long and I feel more inclined to be on top of managing their behavior as little boys, whereas the green laundry lounge has more of a living room vibe with games. You’re meant to stay longer because you’re doing your laundry (or not. Whichever) and there’s an outdoor area where the kids can get some wiggles out.

Methodical - Greenville

Last on my list is methodical coffee, and in particular the location on Wade Hampton. They have some cool merch & gifts, a really fun camp vibe which I happen to love, and they are the best known roastery in the upstate.

I hope I mentioned at least one new place for you, so that you can try something you haven’t before.

I’m curious if your favorite coffee shop made it on my favorite coffee shop list? Share this blog post to give these local guys a boost, and you never know, maybe I’ll see you at one around town!

All the best,

Becka