Queen City Coffee
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Denver has a robust coffee scene that includes a wave of new additions offering a taste of global coffee culture. It’s a part of the culinary culture beloved by locals, but increasingly, the national experts are getting wise to the quality of the scene as well.
Just last year, Tokyo Premium Bakery landed on Yelp’s list of 100 Top Coffee Shops based on user reviews. The little Platt Park Cafe and bakery has been a perennial favorite since it opened its doors back in 2018.
Last week, it was announced that two Denver-based cafes have ranked among the Top 100 Coffee Shops in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean regions at the World of Coffee event in San Diego.
Queen City Collective Coffee, which has grown to seven locations since launching in 2018 landed at number 61, while Sweet Bloom Coffee, which operates three shops, ranked at number 43.
Courtesy of Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters
What’s notable about this ranking is that it spans a far broader geographic area. Only thirty of the shops listed in the top 100 hail from the U.S., and instead of Yelp’s starred reviews, the shops that make this list are first nominated, then reviewed by a panel of experts.
Both the public and a panel of judges, consisting of “esteemed specialty coffee experts,” then vote on the nominated shops, with judges’ votes accounting for 70 percent of the weighted total. Criteria includes assessing not only coffee quality but also the expertise of the barista, and the sustainability practices of the shop in question.
“Two Denver roasters recognized on a continental stage is a cool moment for the city’s coffee scene,” says Eric Byington, who founded Queen City with his brothers, Scott and Luke.
See the full list here, where you can also nominate your favorite coffeeshop for future awards.
Queen City Coffee Collective has seven metro area locations. For more information, visit queencitycollectivecoffee.com or follow it @queencitycoffee on Instagram.
Sweet Bloom Coffee has three shops. For more information, visit sweetbloomcoffee.com or follow it @sweetbloomcoffee on Instagram.
