Seven Local Coffee Drive-Thrus That Aren't Starbucks

Denver's coffee scene is thriving, but when you want a quick caffeine fix, a trip to the Starbucks drive-thru can be too tempting to pass up. If you'd rather keep it local, you've got options. Some spots, like Buzz and Prodigy, have been offering drive-thru service for years, but others are new to the game.

Here are seven locally owned drive-thru options to hit up next time you're looking for coffee with a side of convenience:

Buzz Cafe
303-831-1077
1229 East Sixth Avenue
Open 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday
Located inside a converted gas station, Buzz Cafe is owned and operated by Haile and Yuko Hagos, who've run the coffee shop with the motto "Fast, Friendly Service" since 2003. Part of that fast, friendly service comes from the drive-thru, which makes it easy to get a cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich to go (though Buzz requests that orders of three or more drinks be called in ahead). Although the drive-thru is a main attraction, Buzz also has plenty of space if you decide you want to park and stay a while. There's a game corner for kids, a large, pet-friendly outdoor patio, free wi-fi and newspapers and magazines, plus handheld food options such as pastries, breakfast sandwiches and burritos. As its website notes, "We wanted to create a coffee shop that anyone can feel free to come to, as if it were a friend's or family's home."

Huckleberry Coffee
5990 West 38th Avenue, Wheat Ridge
The drive-thru is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
Huckleberry's been around the Denver roasting scene since 2013, and it's built a solid reputation on serving delicious craft coffee from creative spaces. Its most recent addition is a location in Wheat Ridge. The revamped former convenience store at the intersection of 38th and Harlan debuted in September and features the brand's signature vibrant design plus something new for Huckleberry: a drive-thru, which opens a full hour earlier than the cafe. Although the full food menu is only available inside, you can still order coffee and snacks like pastries, breakfast burritos and parfaits from the window.
Lilac Coffee Express
4736 East Colfax Avenue
Open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday
Lilac Coffee Express opened earlier this year on East Colfax, filling the void left behind by longtime neighborhood institution Hot Chick-A-Latte when it closed in 2022. Currently, it's taking orders only through the drive-thru, but it may add a walk-up window in the future. Denver native Josiah Kim and his business partner, Evan Damato, took over the purple building with a mission to provide everyone with good coffee at a good price. It serves specialty coffee from Kim's longtime favorite roaster, Corvus. Taking a beat from its corporate counterparts, Lilac is focused on efficiency, complete with automatic milk steamers and dispensers for hot water, cold brew and milk. Don't expect too many frills, but do expect a quality cup of coffee made with reverse-osmosis filtered water plus a small selection of pastries from Trompeau Bakery.
The Molecule Effect
2215 South Broadway
303-928-0635
Open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
After they had to close their original cafe in the Santa Fe Arts District last year, Molecule Effect owners Mark Landman and Megyn Rodgers began looking for a new space. Now, in addition to its Wash Park cafe, it's serving in Rosedale, where it took over a former Dairy Queen. While the patio is perfect for walking up with a pup and the interior is full of the brand's signature eccentric, artsy flair, the drive-thru is ideal if you're in a time crunch but don't want to compromise on quality. The Molecule Effect has been creating chemistry in the community with fan faves like bulletproof coffee and bourbon-barrel-aged cold brew, making this pit stop at Broadway and Evans a no-brainer.

Prodigy Coffeehouse
3801 East 40th Avenue
Open 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
Our 2024 Best of Denver pick for Best Coffee for a Cause, Prodigy serves a quality cup of coffee, second only to its social-enterprise model of providing a space for young adults to get job training and build community. We have to admit, that aspect makes the coffee here taste just a little bit better, whether you're hitting the drive-thru on 40th or visiting its Globeville location. Oh, and did we mention it serves up breakfast tortas, burritos, handheld waffles and ice cream affogatos? Whether commuting by bike or by car, this stop is a must.

Vento Coffee
2002 Coalton Road, Broomfield
Open 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Formerly an outpost of Queen City, this spot has changed its name but it still offers solid local joe from a drive-thru that is actually the old teller window of a former bank. It occupies the back of Dardano's shoe store in a sea of chains near FlatIron Crossing, which makes us especially grateful for its presence, its homemade syrups, and the fact that it carries mochi donuts from the Enchanted Oven, burritos from Dis Burrito, quiche from La Belle Bakery and more.

The Sugar Cube
4313 Wadsworth Boulevard, Wheat Ridge
Open 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Owned and operated by Cassie Grutz since 2020, the Sugar Cube is aptly named after the white square that houses it. Grutz, a former dental hygienist, worked around the corner before taking over during the pandemic. She does it all, from manning the window and dreaming up specialty beverages to roasting the coffee. Blends like the Wild Child Loveland taste good on their own, but even in a flavored drink, the beans are not masked behind lots of sugar. Try the Blackberry Iced Latte with sweet cream cold foam or a Strawberry Dipped Mocha along with eats such as burritos, bagels and pastries. The service is fast, friendly and full of thoughtful touches, like the chocolate-covered espresso bean that comes on top of all the drinks.