The best coffee in Glasgow (RISE expert picks)

There are so many reasons to visit Glasgow other than just for the coffee. But considering you have landed here, we are sure you are looking for the best coffee in Glasgow to enjoy. 

Before we get to the good stuff, here are a few reasons to visit Glasgow in general. 

1. Music and entertainment: Glasgow has an international renowned music and entertainment scene. It has many iconic venues, including the Barrowland Ballroom which was voted Time Out's Best Venue in the UK (2023). Glasgow is also a UNESCO City of Music, home to all but one of Scotland’s national performing arts organisations and has an exciting calendar of world-class festivals and events.

2. Dear Green Place: Glasgow is renowned for having many parks and gardens that you can enjoy. Some of our favourites are Pollok Country Park or Queen's Park and its cityscape viewpoint which looks across the southside of the city. Another favourite is Kelvingrove Park, set on the banks of the River Kelvin or Glasgow Botanic Gardens, known for its impressive glasshouses and tropical plant collections.

3. The food and drink scene: Glasgow is known for its mix of uber cool, high quality and affordable venues. The city has some of the best brunch spots cafes and street food stools as well as fancy venues for afternoon tea and dinner (including Michelin stars!). You will find an abundance of Scottish seafood as well as everything in between including fantastic plant-based menus, the city has it all. 

At Rise we love a trip to Glasgow. We usually head up there in May to enjoy the Glasgow coffee festival and sample specialty coffee from some of the best coffee in Scotland. Currently we are loving the roaster Dear Green. 

All that being said, if you’re reading this, you probably want us to get onto the juicy stuff and read all about where you can find the best coffee in Glasgow! Below is our top 10 guide to the best coffee roasters in Glasgow, 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 (here) to read all about coffee roasters across Scotland. 

We recently featured Glasgow's Dear Green coffee in our March 2024 coffee subscription and felt compelled to write about the coffee scene in Glasgow. 

Without further ado, read about the best coffee shops in Glasgow

1. Dear Green coffee 

Where to find Dear Green coffee:

• 📍Dear Green Coffee Roasters, 13-27 East Campbell Street, GLASGOW
  G1 5DT

If you can, try their Honduras Abeja - it is a honey processed organic coffee which has notes of Tropical, Spiced Rum, Agave. 

2. Gordon St Coffee

Where to find Gordon Street coffee

• 📍Glasgow Central Station, 79 Gordon Street,  Glasgow, G1 3SQ
• 📍Also in Edinburgh: 6 Market Street,  Edinburgh, EH1 1DE

Gordon street coffee has become one of Glasgows most beloved and adored coffee shops and one of the best coffee shops in Glasgow.

All of their coffee is roasted in small batches crafted by their Master Roasters in their beloved Diedrich IR5, 5kg roaster which they have named 'Deidre' - although she is temperamental she is integral to Gordon Street coffee. At Gordon St, every type of coffee is roasted using only the traditional methods of sight and sound to make the perfect small batch brew for you! They have a huge range of award winning coffee to choose from. At RISE, our personal favourite is their premium Indian Monsoon Malabar. Their coffee is on the darker side to what we like, but overall they have a fantastic range. 

Pop in to see Deidre in action and enjoy a coffee of your choice. 

 

3. Thomson's coffee

180 years of better coffee. Thomson's need know other introduction. They are rich in coffee history and take immense pride in being an independent Scottish family business with a rich heritage. Their guiding principles have always been quality and integrity, echoing the pioneering spirit David Thomson

Thomson's has three core coffee ranges for you to enjoy:

The first is Legacy where you can discover timeless classics.  

The second is Core for Thomson's signature coffees. 

The third is Lab where you can discover a variety of adventurous every changing experimental coffees. If you like to discover variety and new flavours like you can with RISE coffee box, then the Lab could be for you. 

Where to find Thomson's coffee:

• 📍211 Fenwick Rd, Giffnock, G46 6JD
• 📍Glasgow Westend, 1841, 14 Vinicombe Street, Glasgow G12 8BG
• 📍Thomson's Coffee Roastery, 5 Burnfield Ave, Glasgow, G46 7TL

Alice and Ben visited Thomson's coffee in the summer of 2022 and enjoyed a delicious bold, strong flat white and would highly recommend a visit to any of their locations. 

4. The Good Coffee Cartel

The Good Coffee Cartel was founded when two self confessed coffee nerds united and formed one of Glasgow best coffee companies. Courtney Brennan & Todd Whiteford are the two Glasgow nerds behind The Good Coffee Cartel and they are on a mission to not only make delicious coffee but bring innovation to the industry. One of their innovate ideas is their reusable cup exchange system helping to keep the planet plastic free and clean. You can buy coffee from their online store and the coffee comes in tin cans which not only look cool, are far more sustainable. They have a range of coffee from Brazil, Honduras, Kenya and Colombia (as of April 2024). 

We personally love their African coffees, in particularly their Ethiopian - Kelloo Uraga Robo Bodo which is a washed Ethiopian coffees and described by The Good Coffee Cartel as "delicate little flowers. Lovely and sweet, subtle, clean"

They do also have an outstanding Colombian, Finca La Divisa which is £25 per 200g - so if you fancy treating yourself then this could be for you! It is a great coffee but why not spend £24 online on a RISE coffee box instead and get 2 x 250g of specialty taste tested coffee?

Where to find The Good Coffee Cartel:

• 📍12 Cornwall Street, Glasgow, G41 1AQ

5. Papercup coffee 

Located in Glasgow's City Centre, the Papercup Coffee Company are, refreshingly being straight up with what they are trying to achieve. They just want to source, roast and share great coffee. Their open roastery, near their first and only Papercup café, allows you to sit and enjoy a specialty coffee whilst watching the roasting process from start to finish.

Where to find Papercup coffee:

• 📍 Papercup Coffee Company, 603 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 8HX

FAQ: Have a question about coffee in Glasgow? 

As we take you on a journey of discovery we try to answer a few questions you may have about the coffee in Glasgow. 

Let's continue below...

What Is the Best Coffee in Glasgow?

In our expert opinion, Dear Green coffee roasters serves up some of the best coffee in Glasgow. They featured in our coffee subscription in March 2024 and Ben and Alice were inundated with praise on how good their Honduras coffee is. 

Shop Dear Green Coffee Here

Where to Buy Coffee Beans in Glasgow?

Glasgow is home to a host of amazing coffee roasters and has a lively cafe culture. We have listed our top 5 coffee roasters above but keen to hear from you if we have missed anyone you love. You can buy high quality beans from Dear Green, Thomson's or discover them in your RISE coffee box. All these roasters sell online but try to check out their cafes and shops in person if you are in Glasgow city. 

Is There Coffee Cupping in Glasgow?

Many coffee roasters hold cupping sessions with their customers. If you find a coffee roaster you like check out their website or drop them an email to ask. Places like Papercup cafe have a roastery on site so you can see the process of coffee being roasted from start to finish. If you are interested in attending a RISE coffee cupping session then drop your email below to hear more. 

How Much Does a Coffee Cost in Glasgow?

The cost of a bag of coffee in Glasgow varies depending on the quality and type of bean and roast you choose. You can get coffee ranging from £6 to £25+ (such as The Good Coffee cartels Colombian). Factors like whole bean origin, roasting method (dark or light), and quality play into the cost. At RISE we help you explore some of the best coffee the UK has to offer through our multi roaster discovery here

Conclusion 

Glasgow is one of our favourite cities in Europe, especially as coffee lovers and foodies who love to explore new and exciting high quality products. Each roaster in Glasgow really cares about the quality of their coffee, where it has been sourced from and the ethics that go behind it. The experience of the cafe culture in Glasgow can not be beaten with a great variety of cafes to sit, relax and enjoy a cup of delicious coffee. 

At RISE we care about finding the UK's most sustainable, high quality coffee to deliver to your door each month. 

We're not just a subscription but a coffee journey to enjoy, if you aren't already a subscriber join us and be part of the best coffee subscription in the UK - as voted for by magazines including GQ, The Independent, and BBC Good Food.