Most mornings Wawa, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, Royal Farms, or Starbucks will do for Delawareans' morning jolt of java. But certain towns like Newark, Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach are busting at the seams with slightly different spots to snag a latte or cappuccino. Through personal recommendations, Yelp, online reviews and our very own caffeine obsession, we found these 17 unique coffee shops (numbered from north to south-ish) that offer a great cup of joe or a fancy, schmancy caffeinated drink.
1. Drip Cafe, Hockessin
Coffee is brewed by the cup, made to order and is either French pressed or pour over/drip style, for true coffee connoisseurs.
2. LOMA Coffee, Wilmington
Located in downtown Wilmington, this quintessential coffee shop is a hot spot for businessmen and women.
3. Brewed Awakenings, Newark
Newark, home to the University of Delaware, is riddled with places to grab coffee to fuel young students. Brewed Awakenings is a classic coffee shop nestled among many other chains.
4. Trader's Cove, New Castle
This shop is located in historic Penn's Place, built back in 1682, long before Delaware even became a state.
5. The Young Bean, Clayton
Clayton isn't a bustling town, but this cute little coffee shop adds some charm to the town with coffee roasted on site and live music on Friday nights.
6. Governor's Cafe, Dover
Come for coffee in the morning and stay through happy hour and dinner in this historic building in the state capitol.
7. Amity Coffee Roasters and Cafe, Greenwood
A new kid on the block, Amity opened in 2013 in the tiny town of Greenwood. Population: fewer than 1000 residents.
8. Dolce Bakery, Milford
You MUST get a house-made cupcake or pastry with your cup of coffee here.
9. Federal Street Gallery and Espresso Bar, Milton
We had to dig and dig for a photo of Federal Street. With a virtually nonexistent web or social media presence, this place (part coffee shop, part art gallery) is known mostly by word of mouth.
10. The Upper Crust, Georgetown
Most places to snag coffee in this part of Delaware are chain coffee shops, gas stations or greasy spoons, so this little gem is a real treat.
11. Notting Hill Coffee / Lewes Bake Shoppe, Lewes
The Notting Hill Coffee Roastery is right smack dab in the small seating area inside the Lewes Bakery. Soak in the smell of freshly roasted beans as you sip your java. One entire wall of the store is lined with flavored coffees; there's a little something for everyone.
12. The Point Coffee House
If you've ever been to Rehoboth Beach, you've most likely driven right by this place. They roast their own beans on the premises, but an added perk is that you don't have to pay to park like you do downtown!
13. Cafe a Go-Go, Rehoboth Beach
Even though Cafe a Go-Go just changed ownership in 2016, we're hoping they still keep some of the Mexican coffees and special touches that the former owners offered.
14. The Coffee Mill, Rehoboth Beach
Go see Mel at the Mill to try one of the many, many flavors of coffee. Tucked down a little alley off the main strip, this place is a favorite with celebs who visit the beach.
15. Indian River Espresso and Coffee Company, Millsboro
If you didn't know this place was here, you'd drive right on by without noticing. It's about as simple as it gets; coffee roasted on site and served simply. Buy beans to go.
16. Laurel Coffee Shop, Laurel
If you like traditional cake style donuts with your coffee, Laurel Coffee Shop is for you. And this place is one of the few true coffee shops in the area, so it's a mecca for the java junkies.
17. The Artful Bean, Bethany Beach
Both a coffee house and a fine art gallery, the Artful Bean is a stone's throw away from the Atlantic Ocean. We hear they will be closed for a bit in the late winter/early spring of 2016 for renovations as new owners put their touch on the place.
Do you have a favorite coffee shop for your caffeine fix?
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