Highest-rated cafes in the Baltimore area by diners
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.
Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?
compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Baltimore area based on diners' reviews on as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Baltimore were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!
#30. Lucky's Coffee, Ice Cream and Candy
- Rating: 3.5/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 601 East Pratt St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Candy Stores, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Coffee & Tea
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#29. Daily Grind
- Rating: 3.6/5 (267 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1720 Thames St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Coffee Roasteries
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#28. Carma's Caf茅
- Rating: 3.7/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3700 San Martin Drive Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
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#27. Atwater's - Belvedere
- Rating: 3.7/5 (267 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 529 East Belvedere Ave. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea
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#26. On the Hill Cafe
- Rating: 3.8/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1431 John St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Burgers
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#25. Saturday Morning Cafe
- Rating: 3.8/5 (1598 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 301 Light St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, New American, Coffee & Tea
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#24. Bird In Hand
- Rating: 3.9/5 (115 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11 East 33rd St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Bookstores, Coffee & Tea, Beer, Wine & Spirits
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#23. Order & Chaos coffee
- Rating: 3.9/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1410 Key Hwy Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Internet Cafes
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#22. Teavolve
- Rating: 3.9/5 (947 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1401 Aliceanna St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#21. Common Ground
- Rating: 3.9/5 (235 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3543 Chestnut Ave. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Sandwiches
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#20. Artifact Coffee
- Rating: 4.0/5 (663 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1500 Union Ave. Ste 114 Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea
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#19. Kneads Bakeshop
- Rating: 4.0/5 (278 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 506 South Central Ave. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#18. Dooby's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (751 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 802 North Charles St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Asian Fusion, Breakfast & Brunch
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#17. Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse
- Rating: 4.0/5 (232 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3128 Greenmount Ave. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Bookstores, Coffee & Tea, Vegan
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#16. Baltimore Coffee & Tea
- Rating: 4.1/5 (174 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 9 West Aylesbury Road Ste R Timonium, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Breakfast & Brunch
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#15. The Bun Shop
- Rating: 4.1/5 (627 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 239 West Read St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Desserts
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#14. 3 Bean Coffee
- Rating: 4.1/5 (328 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 209 Key Hwy Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#13. Emma's Tea Spot
- Rating: 4.1/5 (165 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5500 Harford Road Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Venues & Event Spaces
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#12. Atwater's - Catonsville
- Rating: 4.1/5 (303 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 815 Frederick Road Catonsville, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Cafes
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#11. Ceremony Coffee Roasters - Harbor Point
- Rating: 4.2/5 (169 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1312 Point St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Cafes
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#10. Kung Fu Tea
- Rating: 4.2/5 (129 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 508 York Road Towson, Maryland
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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#9. Baby's On Fire
- Rating: 4.2/5 (127 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1010 Morton St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Vinyl Records, Breakfast & Brunch
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#8. Afters Cafe
- Rating: 4.2/5 (166 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1001 South Charles St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Desserts, Coffee & Tea
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#7. Zekes Coffee
- Rating: 4.2/5 (233 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4719 Harford Road Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bagels, Breakfast & Brunch
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#6. Koba Caf茅
- Rating: 4.4/5 (196 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 644 East Fort Ave. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
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#5. Good Neighbor
- Rating: 4.5/5 (170 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3827 Falls Road Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
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#4. Pitango Gelato & Coffee
- Rating: 4.5/5 (791 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 802 South Broadway Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Coffee & Tea, Gelato
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#3. SACR脡 SUCR脡
- Rating: 4.6/5 (257 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 933 Fell St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Macarons, Bakeries, Coffee & Tea
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#2. Morning Mugs Coffee
- Rating: 4.7/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 15 West Hughes St. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Bakeries
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#1. Ice Queens
- Rating: 4.8/5 (119 reviews)
- Address: 1648 East Fort Ave. Baltimore, Maryland
- Categories: Shaved Ice, Desserts, Coffee & Tea
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.
