Seven Mile High Coffee Pop-Ups to Check Out

Spring has sprung in Denver, and flowers aren't the only thing popping up all over town. From buses to carts to trailers, there are a variety of coffee pop-ups that all have the same goal in mind: serving up a caffeine fix at cool spots around the city.

These mobile businesses don't always stay in one spot for long, but if you know where and when to find them, you'll be rewarded. Here are seven pop-ups every coffee lover should check out:
The Cuban Coffee Break
thecubancoffeebreak.com
For the past few months, Jennifer Hernandez has been slinging coffee from her mobile cart on Wednesdays inside Dos Luces Brewery at 1236 South Broadway. Hernandez, who identifies as half-Cuban, started the business after discovering her talent for coffee while working at Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria. "I went through my life not really knowing anything about my culture besides the food. I started the Cuban Coffee Break to dive into my culture," says Hernandez. Traditionally, Cuban coffee comes sweetened with sugar, and customers can choose to add no milk, sweetened condensed milk or regular milk, with alternative milk options at no extra charge. In addition to strong cups of coffee, Hernandez makes pastelitos, puff pastries filled with guava or mango with cream cheese. Gluten-free options are available as well. Her tenure at Dos Luces also led Hernandez into organizing community events, like a Hispanic-themed book swap coming up on April 29. Starting in June, you'll be able to find the Cuban Coffee Break bi-weekly at the People + Produce Farmers Market at Belleview Station. It will also be at many other one-off events and bazaars throughout the summer. For more details and a full list of events, visit the website or follow the cart on Instagram.
Green Bus Cafe
greenbuscafe.com
This lime-green 1975 VW Microbus bus has been delivering vegan food and coffee since early 2021. Just over two years in, owner Dustin Croniser has really hit his stride, frequently doing pop-ups with other vegan and environmentally minded businesses, like Wong Way Veg and Broken Shovels Farm Sanctuary. Green Bus isn't just a coffee shop; it's a cafe on wheels. In addition to standard coffee drinks made with Moru Coffee, Croniser serves up creative fare like coffee milkshakes, frappes and dalgona coffee, along with a veganized version of a breakfast sandwich, all from the back of the van. Keeping with the theme of green, he tries to source organic ingredients and uses compostable cups and food containers that you can toss in the bus's compost bin when you're finished. Green Bus pops up a lot at special events and markets, as well as outside of breweries and apartment buildings. To keep up with its busy schedule, follow along on Instagram.
Katydid Coffee
katydidcoffee.com
Tawny Bridgewater first pursued a career in coffee when searching for work-life balance as a single parent. The industry allowed her to connect with others on a more meaningful level. "I realized that to be happy and fulfilled, working a life serving coffee to others would allow me to pull from my own life experience and provide an ear to listen, a mirror to reflect and a hand to hold through hard times," says Bridgewater, who is launching her mobile coffee concept, Katydid, later this month. The outfitted retro camper offers Bridgewater an opportunity to utilize her coffee and customer-service experience on the go. The menu includes some classic cafe beverages and syrups along with healthier flavor choices made with natural spices and sweeteners, like orange peel, ginger honey and rosebud. For up-to-date news on the launch and where to catch Katydid this spring and summer, follow it on Instagram.
Nowhere
1717 East 39th Avenue
nowherecoffee.co
Brandon Painter started Nowhere in May 2021 with the intent of traveling around the country and living on the road in a renovated 1973 Argosy Airstream. After COVID hindered those travel plans, Painter found a semi-permanent homestead in the Cole neighborhood. Although Nowhere is technically mobile and does move occasionally for events, it's at its regular spot Wednesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will be for the foreseeable future. "Since opening, the neighborhood has been super welcoming, and I feel like they will chain themselves to the trailer if I tried to leave," says Painter, a former designer and art director in advertising. He enjoys the perks of the job, like making coffee and talking to people, but his favorite part of the gig might be getting to pet all the dogs that stop by.
Optimist Coffee
occoffeecamper.com
For years, Hannah Poolman and her wife, Desiree Garcia, wanted to go into business together. They finally found the opportunity in coffee. "Ever since working in a coffee shop in high school, I’ve been obsessed with the process, farming, sorting, washing, drying, roasting, smelling, cupping and finally tasting coffee. Everything and every person it takes to make one cup of coffee that we all take for granted. I never want to stop learning about coffee, so I have been in the industry for about fourteen years now," says Poolman. Shortly before the arrival of COVID, the two purchased a 1968 Crestline camper that was greatly in need of some TLC. With lots of hard work and the help of family and friends in Iowa, they were able to transform the trailer, which they named Peach, into a fully rebuilt vintage coffee camper. Optimist Coffee hit the road in September 2020 and is available for private and public events and markets. As LGBTQ business owners, Poolman and Garcia value showing support for and collaborating with other LGBTQ-, women- and minority-owned businesses. Follow Optimist Coffee on Instagram to keep up with its schedule and stop by for expertly pulled espresso and coffee from Queen City Coffee Collective and Rainbow City Coffee. The friendly service from Poolman, Garcia and their one-year-old son/barista-in-training will really make you feel like family.
Perk Up Truck
perkuptruck.com
This truck got its start in 2019 as a passion project for Laila Zohav, who's been in the service and hospitality industry for twenty years —  and who enjoys coffee as much as she does meeting new people. Before becoming Perk Up, the trailer served smoothies, and Zohav kept those on the menu as an option for people who aren't coffee drinkers. The truck is based in Aurora but travels around the metro area, even going as far as Greeley for events. "I'll go anywhere and make people happy — that's my whole goal," says Zohav. In addition to smoothies or traditional coffee drinks, Perk Up offers concoctions like the Havana latte, a combination of espresso and sweetened condensed milk that she originally tried on a trip to Argentina. On Thursday mornings from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., you can find Perk Up at the UC Health Auxiliary Administration Building at 2400 South Peoria Street in Aurora. It will also be at the University Hills Farmers Market once a month beginning in May, and events like the Erie Balloon Festival. For a full calendar of Perk Up's pop-ups, visit its website or follow it on Instagram.
Sustain & Able
sustain-and-able.com
A project several years in the making, Randee Hitzfield and her husband, Jake, are finally ready to introduce their 1971 VW Bus, Peapod, to the world. A former environmental engineer, Hitzfield didn't feel like she was completely fulfilling her purpose to help make the world a better place to live. "We believe the biggest environmental threats are education and motivation, so we created our business to incorporate sustainability into people’s daily lives through teaching them about the environment, giving people the opportunity to participate in environmental volunteerism or charity, and encouraging people to explore the outdoors," says Hitzfield. When it launches on Earth Day (April 22) at the Old School Cool Market in RiNo, Sustain & Able will be serving coffee in compostable cups, and many of the ingredients it's planning to use, including beans from Kind Coffee, are eco-friendly. It will also have a regular spot at the South University Farmers Market on Fridays beginning in June, as well as other markets throughout the summer. Follow along on Instagram to stay up to date on its whereabouts.