My 5 favorite coffee shops in Ft. Worth

Recently I had the opportunity to be featured in a blog post by Apartmentguide called "5 Steps to the Perfect Day in Ft. Worth." As a big fan of Ft. Worth, I was super happy to help as a contributor highlighting some of my favorite activities to do with friends and family in Ft. Worth. It got me thinking, though: if I had to pick my favorite coffee shops in Ft. Worth, what would I recommend? In this blog post, I'll go over my 5 favorite coffee shops in Ft. Worth, so read on and see if one of your favorites made the list!

Roots Coffeehouse, 400 Bryan Ave

If you're a lover of bright natural light, you can't beat sitting in the sun of the big windows at Roots Coffeehouse in SoMa. In the blog post for Apartmentguide, I included Roots in my recommendation for exploring SoMa since it's the perfect place to start the day OR keep it going after walking around and checking out the shops and eateries. Each time I've been I've never had a bad drink, and the baristas there have always been happy to nerd out over espresso with me. In fact (don't laugh), this was the first place I think I was ever served some sparkling water with my espresso, which was new to me since I grew up in the old school days of coffee where you just took the shot and went along with your day. I'm thankful for places like Roots who make coffee more than just a drink; they really seem to enjoy the experience and making sure their customers are happy.

Recommended drink: Go for a double shot of whatever espresso they've got and ask the barista to tell you a bit about it. I want to say they had an Ethiopian bean on the grinder when I was there and it was great. They source from Novel Coffee Roasters which was recently purchased by the owner of Cherry Coffee Shop... which leads me to...

Cherry Coffee Shop, 1121 W Magnolia Ave

It'd be a huge mistake if I didn't include Cherry Coffee Shop on my list of recommended Ft. Worth coffee shops. Though it's a lot less bright than Roots Coffeehouse, Cherry Coffee Shop has a cool, laid-back vibe with a good mix of conversational seating AND spots where you can get a bit of work done. Though I will say, the place is often packed, which is a sign that they're doing things right. It's also woman-owned, and I see the owner all over the place on Instagram doing things in the Ft. Worth community. And, she recently purchased Novel Coffee Roasters so Cherry Coffee Shop is getting their coffee from an established roastery that knows what it's doing.

Recommended drink: I'd probably get another cortado here with their "Hang Around" espresso blend so you can see what they're about. This is another place where the baristas seem to enjoy their coffee and their Instagram always shows off the workers and their personalities. If they have their new "Rosita" single origin from Bolivia available, I'd probably get a double shot of that or a pourover or whatever.

Rio Dulce Coffee, 109 Houston St

I'd bet you may have never heard of Rio Dulce if you live in Ft. Worth since it's downtown and it's kinda hiding off the corner of Houston St and W Weatherford St near the Tarrant County Courthouse. I popped in here one time (back when I believe it was called Vaquero Coffee) and really appreciated the warm hospitality from the friendly baristas while I was slightly hungover after a wedding. If it's the same style as Vaquero Coffee was, I can highly recommend.

Recommended drink: Get a latte and sip for a while while you chill out in a quieter part of Ft. Worth. If you're by yourself, take a few minutes to catch up on the news and relax.

Race Street Coffee, 2031 Race St

This is another place where the baristas know their stuff and don't mind talking about espresso a bit. It's especially convenient if you live in Coppell and want to meet up with someone who lives in Ft. Worth since you can shave a few minutes off the drive time, especially if they live in south or west Ft. Worth. I like the funky vibes at Race Street Coffee and the no-nonsense attitude that is customer-focused. I think they're pretty big on community, too, which is cool since I always see them promoting events on Instagram.

Recommended drink: Though I haven't had it yet, I've heard good things about the Pistachio Almond Latte, so I think if you're on Race Street you should treat yoself a bit and get a flavored latte. Also, I hate to throw a bit of shade, but they use Oak Cliff Coffee which I've never really been blown away by. Nothing against them since they're a popular roaster out of Dallas, and I need to try their coffee again, but I just remember not really being "wowed" by the coffee I've had from Oak Cliff.

Cafe x Jose, 105 S Main St. (in the food truck area)

I'm going to throw a bit of a bone here to Cafe x Jose because I've personally never been, but I've heard good things from my buddy who owns Funky Calavera nearby and I think their little Airstream setup over on SoMa is awesome. If you're there on a Saturday or Sunday, go check them out and let me know what you think of their coffee.

Recommended drink: You might try a Mexican Mocha or a Cafe de Olla Cold Brew since those are unique drinks you won't find in a lot of other places. They've got food there, too, so you could make a morning out of it or check them out while you're shopping around at the Ft. Worth Community Market.

What do you think?

Am I totally missing somewhere (besides Avoca, I know) that I need to check out next time I've over in Ft. Worth? Drop me a line and let me know. Thanks for reading, and thanks to Apartmentguide for the feature!