Best Coffee Shops in Oakland County

Story by Brandon Alger

Whether it be that morning ritual to start your day or an afternoon meet-up with a friend, most of us drink coffee. And while the dessert beverages may be losing their popularity, this coincides with a rise of local roasters and styles of coffee which preserve the flavor of a single-origin bean. Oakland County is home to many roasters and coffee shops that serve high-quality coffees, and here is a short list to get you started.

Berkley Coffee
This coffee shop is so much more. It has a stage, a piano, a soundproof kids room with games, mocktails, a huge selection of beans and tea, and dry erase markers in the bathroom for you to write messages on the white-board walls. This coffee shop is so much fun. When you go in, there will be hundreds of pre-measured tubes of beans that are color-coded for what coffee is in here. Select the one which sounds best from the descriptive flavor profile and they’ll make it into a drink of your choice.

Layover Coffee Bar
Auburn Hills is probably the best little downtown that most Metro Detroiters don’t know about. If you’ve not visited, Layover Coffee Bar is a great reason to get out there this weekend and try them out. They’re located inside Blue Skies Brewery and in addition to their familiar styles of coffee, they have options for beer and coffee blends, which are really quite good.

The Proving Grounds Coffee & Ice Cream
One of the reasons you may be in Downtown Milford, Proving Grounds is great for a quick stop to grab a morning coffee, or a destination for a casual meetup. With 9 house-roasted coffee styles and a rotating batch of sweets and pastries, there will be plenty of options for coffee to grab before your adventure at Kensington Metropark.

Sabbath Coffee Roasters
Sabbath is one of my favorite locally roasted beans to pick up fresh at Meijer, but it’s somehow even better when I get it from their downtown Clawson coffee shop, attached to Weiss Distilling. It’s very small, so don’t plan to host an event here, but if the weather is nice you can walk down the alley next door and use the tables provided by downtown Clawson.

Bean and Leaf Cafe
If there’s one word that best describes Bean and Leaf, it’s “cozy”- the little Main Street coffee shop is simple, with comfortable seating, and a relaxing atmosphere. With sandwiches and bakery items, you don’t have to be hungry here either. Bean and Leaf makes a variety of traditional coffees, but also serves a unique Thai Tea that’s worth a try.

Mia’s Bakery Coffee Shop
Mia’s may be known for their desserts, but they are also a delicious European styled coffeeshop. With various flavors, including seasonal fall favorites, great prices, and a convenient location right of I-75, Mia’s is worth a stop if you’re commuting past the 14 mile exit or staying nearby.

Joe's Cafe
Joe’s of Novi is more health conscious than your typical coffee shop. In addition to great locally roasted coffees, Joe’s serves a variety of healthy snacks, wraps and drinks. Joe’s is conveniently located in the heart of Novi, so plan to look around and do some shopping while you’re in the area.

Atomic Coffee
Royal Oak gets a lot of attention for its nightlife, but it’s also a very vibrant place on weekday mornings and weekend brunch. Atomic is one of the hotter, and better, places to grab a quick cup to start your day off. Their lavender latte is my favorite, but don’t sleep on the nitro cold brew either if you want something more pure.

Apothecary Espresso and Coffee
Apothecary is located in the middle of another lesser-known local downtown: Downtown Farmington. This casual alternative to the chain coffee shop has simple, inexpensive coffee to locally sourced beans made into something else. Apothecary also runs open-mic nights, trivia nights, and even the occasional comedian, so be sure to keep an eye on their calendar for special events.

Ferndale Project
It took me too long before realizing that one of my favorite local pubs is also a coffee shop from 8 AM to 3 PM. Ashe Coffee operates here to the left of the taps at Ferndale Project. Their menu is simple, but their location is convenient and the drinks are quite good.

Coffee and Bark
This newer addition to downtown Berkley is very dog friendly, with outdoor seating and pup treats available. Their seasonal offerings are currently a Maple Cinnamon Latte and a Pumpkin Spice Latte. They also offer cold brew and a variety of snacks. The indoor seating makes for a very comfortable place to relax with friends and catch up, but if you’re in a hurry the street-side parking makes for a quick grab-and-go.

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Author

Brandon Alger
Brandon Alger is a professional geologist who moved from Salt Lake City to Metro Detroit in 2015. He has a wife, two kids, and a dog. He enjoys coffee, video games, science fiction, and helps to run various Detroit social media pages. He's passionate about urban reuse, local geography, and exploring the metro area which he now calls home.