4 of the best coffee roasters in Oxford (after tasting over 500 coffees!)
This is a shout out to all coffee lovers looking for the best coffee in Oxford. We are Alice and Ben, and we started RISE because we wanted to discover the best independent roasters in the UK. We found the world of online coffee roasters a little hard to navigate and were tired of average over roasted and stale coffee that was available on supermarket shelves. Since 2020 we have taste tested over 500 coffees, from around 130 roasters in the last four years. Since we launched we have become the most exciting, unpretentious coffee club in the UK. An original RISE coffee subscriber recently reviewed us and said:
"I have followed these guys from day one, since I was looking for a coffee subscription that offered a variety of indy speciality roasters each month, and there just weren’t any at the time. RiSE certainly deliver. Phenomenal coffees, brilliant service and I love the surprise treats in each box. It’s like opening Christmas each month. Best subscription I’ve ever ordered!"
Before we delve into the best coffee in the city of Oxford and the surrounding areas, we wanted to share a bit more about our process for selecting coffee. So, what do we look for when we choose the best coffee to go inside our RISE coffee box? First and foremost, every coffee roster we work with has to fill out a RISE sustainability and sourcing questionnaire which is reviewed directly by Alice and Ben, we then look out for these factors. If you would like to see how it works click here.
| Criteria | What we look for |
| Coffee bean quality | We have a 4 step process of determining the quality of the coffee bean. We blind taste test all coffee in a cupping session alongside a variety of samples. We have a head roaster gives their approval We have a taste test panel of customers who try the coffee before it makes the box Alice and Ben select the coffee that has the highest quality. |
| Responsibly Sourced coffee | Each coffee roaster fills out a RISE questionnaire so we can understand how they source their coffee and whether the farmers are getting a fair price. We look at which importers they are using or whether they are sourcing via direct trade. |
| Reputation | How well respected is the roaster and how well known are they in the coffee scene? Reputation matters and we work with partners that have credible reputations in the coffee world. We look at what awards they have won (including Great Taste) and what reviews they have from past customers. Recent partners include Dear Green coffee, North Star coffee, and Danelaw. See all our partners here |
| Sustainability practices | We look at what sustainability practises the coffee roaster has in place. This includes their packaging choices, how they handle waste, and whether they are B-Corp. We look for what accreditations they have including being Organic Certified, Fair Trade or Rainforest Association. |
| Uniqueness | At RISE coffee box we are all about variety, discovery and uniqueness. We look for roasters that have a variety of coffee to offer from wonderful and different places. |
All coffee has been personally taste tested by us, Alice and Ben the founders of RISE. We have the privilege of working with coffee roasters from all over the UK and get to sample coffee from a variety of origins, flavour profiles and processing methods. It's a great job! We also have a taste test panel of customers who help us select the best coffee for our RISE coffee subscription box - drop us a message if you would like to be involved.
We also look for coffee roasters that you can buy online that offer fast, free delivery for you to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
In summary, does Oxford have good coffee?
Oxford is one of our favourite cities in the UK in 2024 for coffee. The roasters in this city are some of the best and three of which have featured in the RISE coffee box! including New Ground Coffee Routes Coffee, Jericho Coffee Traders, and Missing Bean Coffee. If you are from the Oxford area, there are a number of coffee shops for you to pop into or visit the roasteries of the coffee producers listed below. If you are looking to buy coffee online, then all the roasters below roast coffee to order to ensure maximum freshness and have subscription options available.
Limited Time Offer: If you order from RISE coffee box today, you'll get 35% off your next order with code BLOG35. This means you can have a cup of coffee that's roasted to order, taste tested by Alice and Ben and definitely the best coffee from around the UK. Don't wait, order today here!
Below is our short guide to the best coffee shops in Oxford, some of which have featured in our RiSE COFFEE BOX or we've visited in person. If you're looking for recommendations for further afield, head over to our blog to read all about coffee roasters across the UK here
1. Missing Bean coffee
Missing Bean are an old favourite of RISE coffee. They featured in our April 2022 box and you can buy their coffee online via our RISE online shop.
Missing Bean offer a variety of subscriptions and gift subscriptions if you are looking to order coffee online but we would recommend visiting one of their 5 cafes in the Oxford area. All serve up great coffee, delicious pastries and have a lovely relaxed atmosphere.
📍 1, Newtec Place, 66-72 Magdalen Rd, Oxford OX4 1RE
2. Jericho Coffee Traders
Fast forward to 2024 and Jericho coffee have five locations across Oxfordshire - all serving delicious espresso and filter coffees accompanied by locally made pastries and cakes. Alice stopped by in late 2023 and loved the place, definitely spare half an hour if you are ever in Oxford!
They also have a diverse range of coffees in their online coffee subscription as well as a coffee school you can go to improve your at home barista skills!
Customers rate Jericho 4.92 out of 5 with over 500 reviews!
3. Routes coffee
A lot of our coffee club members have been asking for a "light roast" coffee and this May (2024) we've given the people what they want with a light roast from Routes in the box. The Guji coffee from Ethiopia is a naturally processed fruity coffee was produced by smallholder producers in the Buku kebele (village). The Buku Abel village, where the washing station is located within the Guji zone, sits 2350 meters above sea level, representing one of the highest coffee producing altitudes that Routes have worked with. With tasting notes of chocolate, apricot and blueberry this is a coffee that we fell in love with. It is bold, strong, but well balanced with a fruity after taste.
If you do get Routes coffee inside your RISE coffee box here is a brew tip for you from the founder, Will:
Where to find Routes Coffee in Oxford:
📍Unit 5, Fenchurch Court, Bobby Fryer Cl, Oxford OX4 6ZN
4. New Ground Coffee Co (the only B-Corp on the list!)
New Ground coffee are really breaking boundaries in the UK coffee scene.
They are a social enterprise that believe coffee can go beyond the cup and can be used as a catalyst for change right here in our very own communities. This is why they use their business to create work and training opportunities for ex-offenders across the UK, giving some of the most overlooked people in society a new beginning.
If that wasn't enough, they are:
- B-Corp - tick.
- Carbon Neutral - tick.
- Recyclable packaging - tick
📍 NewGround, Workshop, OX3 7BU, UK
Frequently asked questions about coffee in Oxford:
We love to answer any questions you have on coffee in Oxford, so do get in touch any time!
What is the Best Coffee in Oxford And Surrounding Areas?
Tough one. The four roasters in this list are all exceptional. We would not hesitate to order coffee online from any of them! Routes Coffee are going in to our May 2024 coffee subscription box with their Ethiopian Guji which is absolutely delicious. An old favourite is Jericho Coffee Traders who have been around for a long time and have a lovely cafe in the city. All four have made it into the RISE coffee box and we would happily have them back again one day! Oxford has an abundance of great coffee roasters to choose from, in our opinion you wont be disappointed with whoever you choose. You find some of the others inside our RISE coffee box soon!
Are Coffee Roasters in Oxford Sustainable and Ethical?
The majority of specialty coffee roasters we came across whilst travelling around the UK looking for the best coffee and through our research were committed to delivering sustainable coffee through sourcing beans ethically via fair trade or direct trade, and ensuring environmentally friendly roasting processes. New Ground Coffee are a social enterprise and B-Corp so they stand out to us as the most ethical and sustainable roaster in Oxford. We only work with those that are, and checking a roasters website for reviews, awards and information on the farmer and the farm are critical to understand how they source their coffee. All coffee that features in the RISE coffee box subscription goes through vigorous testing to ensure they follow ethical practices.Where Can I Buy Coffee Beans in Oxford?
You can buy coffee beans from a variety of coffee roasters and cafes, but the best ones are from Jericho Coffee Traders, New Ground Coffee, Routes Coffee and Missing Bean Coffee. You can buy via their cafes or roasteries or you can buy online as a one off order or subscription.
How Do I Choose the Best Coffee Roaster from Oxford?
Choosing the right coffee beans to buy online involves thinking about things like the bean quality, how the coffee has been roasted, or whether the roaster is sustainable in their ethics. We would recommend looking at reviews from customers too. At RISE, you can order coffee beans in the comfort of your own home, knowing they will be premium quality, sustainably sourced and delicious because they have gone through the RISE taste testing - taking the hassle away from you having to source your own with the risk it may not be good quality. If you would like to buy coffee online yourself, look out for their sustainability practices, what variety they have on offer and whether the coffee is roasted to order.How Much Does a Bag of Coffee Cost in Oxford?
Price of coffee can vary considerably when it comes to buying coffee from Oxford coffee roasters. Buying a bag of coffee online can prices, a bag of coffee can costs between £7 to £25+ for a 250g bag. Some rare coffees can be upwards of £25 per bag. But you should remember that the cost of a pack of coffee in Oxford, like in any city, can vary greatly depending on a number of factors including quality, origin etc. At RISE our 4 bag box is £38 making it exceptional value. We would avoid any coffee below £9 per 250g as we do not believe the coffee can be sourced, roasted, packaged and sold at this cost without compromising on quality or paying the farmers fairly.Can I Buy Coffee Beans Directly from Coffee Roasters in Oxford?
All coffee roasters there offer coffee beans online to buy. Many are delivered via letterbox friendly boxes or you can discover new coffee from Oxford and other cities inside your RISE coffee box.
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