Rhode Island’s Signature Coffee Scene

In the early 1800’s, French novelist Honoré de Balzac dramatically wrote that coffee “sets ideas into motion like battalions of a grand army marching toward their legendary battlefield.” The literary giant was so devoted to caffeine that he reportedly consumed as many as 50 cups a day – and when he ran out of water, he ate the grounds. Read that again. “Coffee lover” might be an understatement.

Since the first coffee café opened in Paris in the 1600s, coffee has evolved from a beverage that fuels us into a lifestyle, a gathering place, and a form of self-expression. Few people understand that better than Providence-based marketing and communications professional Cristy Raposo, whose passion for local coffee inspired her to create the social media platform #CoffeeWithCristy, where she highlights cafés and coffee shops throughout the state. “Growing up, I loved the smell of the Folgers coffee my Portuguese grandmother brewed in her percolator,” Raposo says. “I knew that when coffee was brewing, company was coming. Coffee became associated with family, conversation, laughter, and connection. Coffee gives people a reason to slow down and connect.”

Rhode Island’s relationship with coffee runs deep. The beverage exploded in popularity with the arrival of Italian immigrants in the late 1800’s. And since then, New Englanders consistently rank among the nation’s most enthusiastic coffee drinkers. Rhode Islanders consume roughly two cups per person each day, according to the National Coffee Association, which also reports that beyond the caffeine boost, a growing body of research suggests that regular coffee consumption may even offer health benefits, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and increased longevity.

You can’t talk about coffee in the Ocean State without mentioning the Massachusetts-born Dunkin’ Donuts. With one of the highest concentrations of Dunkin’ locations in the country, Rhode Island has embraced the brand as part of its daily routine. While Starbucks, whose star is now waning, built its reputation around lingering over handcrafted drinks, Dunkin’ has long positioned itself as the fuel of the working day – quick, familiar, and accessible. Yet both have played an important role in shaping how Rhode Islanders experience coffee, helping turn a simple daily habit into a defining part of the state’s culture.

Today, Rhode Island’s coffee scene extends far beyond the major chains. Independent cafés and specialty roasters across the state are elevating the conversation, exploring the nuances of origin, processing, roasting, and brewing. Rhode Island has about 500 independent coffee cafes, many that roast their own beans. Transforming a humble green coffee bean into a cup layered with flavor, aroma, and character is both an art and a science. Factors such as growing region, elevation, processing method, bean variety, and sourcing practices all influence the final flavor long before roasting even begins. The roaster’s role is to unlock those unique qualities, bringing out everything from bright citrus notes to rich chocolate undertones. Fortunately, Rhode Island is home to a passionate community of coffee roasters who have devoted themselves to mastering this craft, ensuring every cup reflects the very best each bean has to offer.

The bright orange Dave’s Coffee logo is familiar to most Rhode Islanders, either because they see the company’s coffee milk on grocery store shelves or visit one of their two cafes in Providence and Charlestown. “At Dave’s Coffee, our mission is to help our customers make lasting memories,” owner David Lanning explains. “We believe coffee is more than just a drink; it creates feelings and connections.” Whether it’s a quiet morning alone or a bustling table of friends, the goal is the same: “to be the bridge that helps you make fresh memories every day.” That emphasis on experience over complexity sets the tone for a brand focused on a sense of place. While they honor responsible sourcing and careful roasting, they’re more interested in how coffee lives in people’s daily rituals than in technical precision. “We don’t focus on complicated or technical details. Instead, we care about how our coffee makes people feel,” Lanning says.

For many Rhode Islanders, that feeling is intertwined with something uniquely local: coffee milk. “As a lifelong Rhode Islander, coffee milk holds a special place in my heart,” Lanning says, recalling childhood memories of the sweet, creamy drink that became the official state beverage in 1993. Its roots trace back to immigrant communities in the 1930s, when families blended sweetened coffee syrup with milk to create something both familiar and celebratory for children and adults alike. Dave’s Coffee continues that legacy, refining it with specialty-grade cold-brewed coffee and pure cane sugar. Beyond the cup, there’s gratitude for the community itself. “It amazes me that people wait in long lines, patiently and happily, to support their local coffee shops,” the team says. “It really shows how communities come together.” With cafés in Providence and Charlestown, plus local retail partners and nationwide shipping, Dave’s Coffee has grown without losing its grounding principle: connection over competition. “If you worry too much about competing, you can lose sight of your own identity,” Lanning says. “It’s a wonderful community to be part of.”

In the state’s ever-evolving coffee galaxy, a quiet story of craft, community, and persistence brews behind the East Bay counter at a pair of beloved cafés and a roastery shaped by husband-and-wife owners Brian and Jessie Dwiggins: the brand that is Borealis Coffee. Brian’s journey began far from New England, in Anchorage, Alaska, where early exposure to specialty coffee arrived before the wider American coffee boom. The seeds of a future business were planted early, but it wasn’t until years later – after meeting Jessie in college in Colorado and eventually relocating to Cumberland – that those ambitions began to take form.

While working as a lighting technician, Brian began home roasting small batches and bringing them to set. Word spread quickly. “People started talking about the guy who roasts his own coffee,” Jessie says. At its core, Jessie says, the mission was simple. “The goal was roasting his own beans and owning a coffee shop. He just started, kept going, and stayed alert for opportunities to grow along the way.” Today, the cafés reflect that same sense of momentum and community. From commuters grabbing morning coffee to RWU students studying for hours, knitters and mahjong groups who return weekly, and bike path visitors lingering on patios, each space carries its own rhythm. “We see people working on their ideas or taking a break for themselves,” Brian says. “Coffee gives us a moment of connection with ourselves and others.”

That sense of connection extends into music, workshops, and education – from jazz nights and improv performances to cupping sessions and brewing classes. “Education has always been a part of our mission,” Jessie explains, “because coffee is an agricultural product, and there’s so much work that goes into its production.” Enthusiasts can even see “where the sausage is made,” with a visit to the Borealis roastery in Pawtucket. Even the smallest details at the Borealis cafes are intentional: house-made syrups, seasonal pastries, and a full evening menu of cocktails and bar snacks that many guests are surprised to discover. “We’ve seen their curiosity for great coffee grow,” says Brian. “We get some really unique single-origin coffees in, some with unusual tasting notes, and people are always up for trying them – they may not always love them, but they’ll try them.”

Set along the Sakonnet River in Tiverton’s Old Stone Bridge district, as Coastal Roasters approaches its 25th anniversary, its story reads like a love letter to coffee, community, and resilience. The café opened its doors in July 2002, but the vision began years earlier, when co-founders Donald and Lisa Machado first became captivated by roasting coffee while living in Alexandria, Virginia. “We were frequenting a coffee shop with a working roaster out in the open for customers to see,” current owner Lisa Machado recalls. That spark followed them to Tiverton, where home experiments soon followed. “We were roasting our own coffee at home in a Whirley Popcorn maker, sharing with friends and family.”

What began as a dream to leave corporate life and build something rooted in craft quickly accelerated when a lucky break aligned with preparation. A future café space located in Tiverton became available. “We were lucky enough to acquire the lease,” Lisa Machado says. The café offers more than coffee – it offers a view, a pause, and a sense of place. The waterfront patio remains a gathering point where guests sip lattes, matcha, or drip
coffee as boats drift by. Sadly, Donald passed away in 2022. But his legacy endures here thanks to his family and the Coastal Roasters team. The café still roasts on its original Diedrich IR-12, a fully manual machine that reflects its philosophy: no shortcuts, just skill and attention. Today, roasting is led by head roaster and his second wife, Adriana Machado, continuing the craft tradition that has defined the business for decades.

But the heart of Coastal Roasters has always been its people. “It’s a family vibe, from our small crew to our community and beyond,” Lisa Machado says. Many baristas have stayed for years, learning regulars’ names, drink orders, and even their dogs. “They make it their mission to make customers feel at home and welcome.” With every cup, Coastal Roasters also gives back, supporting Fair Trade farming initiatives in Guatemala through donations tied to every pour and pound sold. “Coffee and community go hand in hand for us, locally and globally,” Lisa Machado says. 

Not far from URI in West Kingston, inside the café at TLC Coffee Roasters, the aroma drifts from an on-site roaster where the roasting team brings each batch to life. According to Jill Querceto, who owns the shop with her husband Jim, TLC carefully sources beans from small estate farms around the world, prioritizing organic and sustainable growers, and partnering with Rainforest Alliance-certified producers. For them, sourcing is not a marketing phrase – it is a guiding ethic.

Once the green coffee arrives from origins across South America, Central America, Africa, Indonesia, and India, the transformation begins. At roughly 500 degrees inside a rotating drum, the beans develop through heat, airflow, and time. Moisture is released, sugars caramelize, and the unmistakable “first crack” signals the moment when raw seed becomes aromatic coffee. The goal is balance rather than dominance. The hands-on approach to roasting and high-quality sourcing makes the best coffee. At TLC, roasting happens daily – sometimes all day – to keep pace with demand. But TLC is not only a roastery; it is a gathering place. With ample seating, free WiFi, and a steady hum of regulars, the café serves roughly 700 customers daily, most of them familiar faces. The kitchen extends the same philosophy: made-to-order breakfast sandwiches, panini, soups, salads, and an array of pastries baked fresh each day.

Flavored coffees, from sea salt caramel mocha to French toast, are created using as many locally sourced natural extracts infused into freshly roasted beans. Here, customization and care are as important as consistency. “At the end of the day, we hope people leave with more than a great cup of coffee,” Querceto says. “We hope they leave feeling welcomed, cared for, and connected.”

A Barista’s Tale

The basics of coffee inform each enjoyable brew at this mornings-only spot

While the chefs of a noodle bar on Providence’s Luongo Square begin their day prepping for dinner in the back, the front of house is bustling with a different service – coffee. The barstools are occupied by patrons lingering over their first morning espresso while baristas pour cappuccinos rather than cocktails. This is the kismet of Pickerel and Reprise Coffee & Vittles – two distinct establishments under one roof, and the transformation is literally day and night. The dream arrangement took shape when Nick Berry realized his passion for serving the perfect cuppa needed its own venue. The former Nitro Bar barista honed his craft at the hopping Broadway location, where he was immersed in all things coffee, from training other baristas on traditional drinks to developing buzzy specials.

“I wanted to create a place that really focuses on the basics of coffee,” elaborates Berry. All of the shop’s brews are made with single-origin coffee from Berry’s friend, Justin Enis. Well-known for his tenure at Bolt Coffee, Enis was just starting to heat things up with his business, Enjoy Coffee Roasters, around the same time Reprise opened. “Along with a rotating batch of single origins, house-made syrups, and – from what I’m told – a cult-like following for limited merch drops, there’s so much more to be seen from us on all fronts. We take things slow and try to iron out any creases before we make a move so that we can ensure quality and satisfaction,” says Berry.

The barista-turned-entrepreneur cites their basil vanilla house-made syrup as one of his personal favorites – a simple syrup made with fresh basil, vanilla, and lemon. “It’s a flavor combination that isn’t seen with coffee and the community has really gone crazy for it,” he says. “We also introduced our Big Star cold brew to the menu, a strawberry co-fermented coffee that is absolutely mind bending. The cold brew process rounds out the acidity and leaves you with a big strawberry flavor without tasting artificial, processed, or needing any milk or sugar,” says Berry. “It really is the coffee of the summer.” 3 Luongo Square, Thursday-Monday, 7am-1pm, @reprisepvd – Abbie Lahmers & Elyse Major

RHODY RESOURCES

Places around the state to get the freshest cup and more.

All Favorites Cafe, Cranston

Apothica Cafe, Cumberland

Arabella’s, Wakefield

The Art Cafe, Little Compton

The Beehive Cafe, Bristol

Beans and Buns, Cranston

Bloom Patisserie, Warwick

Borealis Coffee, Bristol, Pawtucket, Riverside

Bucket and the Bean, North Kingstown

Cafe 1888, Westerly

Cafe Richmond, Providence

Cafe Water Street, Warren

Cafe Zoey, Providence

Chokondi Cafe, Cranston

Culinary Hub of Providence, Providence

Coastal Roasters, Tiverton

Coffee Exchange, Providence

The Coffee Guy, Narragansett

Cold Brook Cafe, North Scituate

Cora’s Coffee, Warren

Dave’s Coffee, Charlestown, Providence

Eastside Bagel Company, Providence

Fuel Coffee Bar, Narragansett

Higher Grounds Coffee, Richmond

The Hive Bar at Jordan’s Jungle, Pawtucket

Java Madness, Wakefield

Jitters Cafe, Charlestown, North Kingstown

Junk N Java, Westerly

LaSalle Bakery, Providence

Lighthouse Coffee Roasters & Cafe, North Kingstown

Longshore Coffee, Coventry

Naga Coffeehouse, Cranston

Nana’s Bakery, Westerly

New Harvest Coffee Roasters, Providence

Nook Coffee House, East Greenwich

North Koffee, North Kingstown

Onshore Brewing, Little Compton

Pawtuxet Village Market, Cranston

Phantom Farms, Cumberland

Presto Strange O Coffee Company, Warwick

Queen of Cups, Narragansett

Red, White, & Brew Coffeehouse, Warwick

Reprise Coffee & Vittles, Providence

Revive Coffee Co., Slatersville

The Rhody Hen Cafe, East Providence, Pawtucket, North Providence

Slice of Heaven, Jamestown

Small Point Cafe, Providence

Sophie’s Brewhouse, Exeter

Springline Coffee, Newport

Standards, Jamestown

Starry Night Cafe, Smithfield

Sunset Cove, Portsmouth

Sweet Althea’s, Wakefield

Sweet Marie’s Tea Cottage, Wickford

Sydney, Providence

Tamp, Bristol

Wild Harvest Bakery & Cafe, East Greenwich

TLC Coffee Roasters, West Kingston

Yumi Bar, Providence

Spill the Beans

10 popular drinks demystified.

Americano: Equal parts espresso and hot water.

Café au Lait: Equal parts coffee and steamed or scalded milk.

Cappuccino: Equal parts espresso and steamed milk, with milk foam on top.

Cold Brew: Coffee steeped in cold water for 12-24 hours and then filtered.

Cortado: Two ounces of espresso and two ounces of steamed milk.

Espresso: Concentrated coffee made by forcing water through finely ground beans.

Iced Coffee: Regular coffee poured over ice.

Latte: Espresso and steamed milk is topped with a layer of foam.

Macchiato: A concentrated espresso shot marked with a small amount of steamed or foamed milk.

Nitro Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee infused with nitrogen for creamy texture.

RHODY ROASTERS

Even more bagged local brands to try for your new home brew.

Bolt Coffee Co. Roastery

Cooper’s Cask Coffee

Downeast Coffee Roasters

Enjoy Coffee Roasters

Lighthouse Coffee Roasters

The Lil’ Rhody Coffee Company

Longshore

Mills Coffee Roasting Co.

New Harvest Coffee Roasters

Roast House & Richard Alan Coffee Roasters

Seaworthy Coffee Roasters

Springline Coffee

Tropics of Coffee