Craving something more than your daily dose of caffeine? Want to switch up your routine and try out a cafe that has a little something extra? If you’ve been going to the same coffee shop for years it’s easy to get burnt out. Next time you need that cup of joe head to one of these fun, quirky cafes to see what else is on the menu in town.
Denver Cat Company
Photo Courtesy of Denver Cat Company
Where: 3929 Tennyson St., Denver
When: Monday – Thursday 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. and Friday – Sunday 7 a.m.- 8 p.m.
The Lowdown: There are around 100 cat cafes in the U.S. now but Denver Cat Company was one of the first. It hosts rescue cats that are up for adoption with the goal of not only providing patrons an adorable place to hang out with the cats but to provide the cats with forever homes. The cafe partners with Life is Better Rescue, PawsCo, the Intermountain Humane Society, and the Denver Animal Shelter to acquire adoptable cats and has its own rescue organization – Denver Cat Rescue. You can see between 15 to 18 cats there at any given time, read one of the many books available, play board games or paint in the open studio. The cost is $10 to visit – or $8 for students and seniors – but unlike other cat cafes, Denver Cat Company does not limit visitors’ time by the hour.
Tazza di Cafe
Photo by Giacomo Di Franco
Where: 5455 W. 38th Ave. Unit 1, Wheat Ridge
When: Monday – Saturday 6 a.m.- 8 p.m. Sunday 6 a.m.- 1 p.m.
The Lowdown: Not only does Tazza di Caffe serve amazing Italian coffee and espresso – but it also serves as an upholstery shop. Owners and longtime friends Rebecca and Enrique Tapia de la Torre and Jazmin and Roy Rodriguez were inspired by the cafes they discovered during their travels to Italy and wanted to bring the concept back to Denver. The Tapia de la Torres partnered with the Rodriguezes – who own an upholstery shop – and decided to combine the two. The cafe not only serves as a place to grab a coffee and a snack but as a showroom for the shop’s designs. Roy upholstered all the furniture in the cafe himself to come up with a modern yet comfortable design where guests can go to have a drink and gain some inspiration. You don’t have to shop for upholstery to have some coffee or a treat though – the goal is to get you to sit down to enjoy a cup of coffee and you just might become inspired by the decor.
Global Goods & Refuge
Photo by Karson Hallaway
Where: 5613 Olde Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada
When: Monday – Saturday 6:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.
The Lowdown: Located in a small, yellow house in Olde Town Arvada Global Goods is a cafe on a mission. The cafe serves as a way for the nonprofit – Global Refuge – to earn money for the projects it oversees that provide relief for war-torn communities. Founded by the McNeely family in 2001, Global Refuge sends medical volunteers to difficult-to-reach areas to teach citizens basic medical care. The coffee shop sells homemade breakfast items and snacks like breakfast burritos, chia pudding and baked goods and donates all proceeds to the nonprofit. It also sells goods like purses, wallets and kitchen items that are handcrafted by non-medically trained refugees so they can learn how to make money. If you would like to donate or learn more about Global Refuge, check them out online.
Mint & Serif
Photo Courtesy of Mint & Serif
Where: 7310 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood (opening in September)
When: Monday – Friday 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The Lowdown: Created by a woman who didn’t feel welcome in other coffee shops, Aurora Hendrix opened Mint & Serif to act as a community space where locals can feel at home and meet their neighbors in a casual environment. The shop hosts monthly art parties by local artists, a yearly student art show and a refugee art show. Mint & Serif’s customers are an extension of Hendrix’s family and she always welcomes in more “family members.” The shop is about to move to a new location in Lakewood in the fall so stay tuned for more art, events and community.
Denver Bicycle Cafe
Photo Courtesy of Denver Bicycle Cafe on Facebook
Where: 1308 E. 17th Ave., Denver
When: Monday – Sunday 6 a.m. – 7 p.m.
The Lowdown: Want a bicycle tune-up with your coffee? Head over to Denver Bicycle Cafe to get a coffee, a tune-up or even a new bike. Open every day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for bicycle services, shopping, coffee and even beer there aren’t many better places to hang out while you shop for a bike or wait for a tune-up. The shop has a mechanic in by 10 a.m. every day and participates in events around Denver like Bike to Work Day to promote biking as the preferred mode of transportation in town.