What would life be like without the infinitely satisfying jolt of a freshly brewed cup of coffee? Whether gulped down in a to-go mug or leisurely appreciated over conversation with friends, coffee can always be counted on to provide the morning medicine or afternoon pick-me-up that we need. Keep reading to find out the best places to indulge in our favorite legal drug in St. Louis: coffee!

Blueprint Coffee

The polished professionals over at Blueprint are total coffee nerds, but with coffee this delicious, no one’s making fun of them after class. If you feel comfortable comparing roast characteristics and like to debate the merits of various growing regions, you deserve more than a basic brew - you deserve Blueprint. Come here for ethically-sourced coffee lovingly prepared, but come, too, with the expectation you’ll pay appropriately for this level of expertise.

Multiple locations. Photo courtesy of Blueprint Coffee

RISE Coffee

The go-to: A cappuccino enjoyed on the snuggly green sofa upstairs. With cushy sofas, mismatched chairs, and an explosion of art installations on the walls and ceilings, chilling in RISE feels like snuggling up in your artsiest friend’s living room. Be it winter or summer, the vibe inside RISE is always cozy and kind, with friendly baristas and lots of creative-type patrons filling the space. Bring a book and curl up in an armchair upstairs or sip your cold brew at the bar along the window - it’s perfect for people watching.

Sump Coffee

Sump has long been the king of the St. Louis coffee scene and we can't really argue with that. They take it seriously, they know what they're doing, and you can taste that in every cup. If you're a mocha frappucino drinker, this is not the place for you. You can call it pretentious, but that's just like your opinion, man.

The Mud House

The go-to: The sunny side up sexiness that is The Mud Slinger. Named one of the best breakfast restaurants in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure magazine, The Mud House is much more than a caffeine pit stop. With a full menu of locally-sourced breakfast and lunch options served all day, there’s no excuse for getting hangry. You can’t go wrong with any of the food here, but our personal favorite is the mouth-watering yolk porn of the Mud Slinger.

Photo courtesy of The Mud House

MoKaBe's Coffee House

The go-to: A strong brew alongside their veg-friendly brunch options. The first time we visited MoKaBe’s, we sat by a small group of community organizers who were locked in a heated debate over local politics while still remaining cool-headed enough to use everyone’s preferred gender pronouns. That pretty much sums this place up. Full of politically charged bumper stickers and flyers for local protests, this is where you go to debate Marxist theories and their contemporary applications - and, you know, to drink a cup.

Kaldi's Coffee Roasting Company

The go-to: The knockout seasonal flavors, especially in the fall. It always feels like a beautiful day in the neighborhood at this cute shop on the corner of DeMun. During the winter, students button up their cardigans and curl up on the window seats inside with steaming cups of java in hand, while during the summer, families sip cold brew and chase their four-legged friends across the beautiful outdoor patio. Thanks to friendly baristas and locally-roasted coffee, this place will have you feeling like Fred in no time.

Multiple locations

Living Room

Looking for locally roasted coffee without a side of pretension? Living Room is the place to go. This neighborhood coffee shop makes all their food in-house, roasts their coffee beans in the back, and feels more like someones, um, living room, than someone's business.

Multiple locations

Park Avenue Coffee

The go-to: Your preferred cup of caffeine paired with a slice of gooey butter cake. As if it weren’t hard enough to say no to a slice of gooey butter cake, Park Avenue Coffee ups the ante with 76 flavors of the local treat. With award-winning flavors ranging from red velvet to white chocolate key lime, we recommend coming with your most generous friend and trying out at least a few flavors. The coffee options are often enough to satisfy your sweet tooth too (turtle mocha, anyone?), but if you don’t leave with at least one slice of cake, you’re doing it wrong.

Multiple locations