CommonWealth Coffeehouse & Bakery pairs careful espresso with French-style pastries in a bright South Flores room, a work-friendly cafe with a proper bakery.
Tip: The pastry case leans French; pair a croissant with a flat white. Plenty of seating for laptop mornings.
Address: 1913 S Flores St #A, San Antonio, TX 78204
Local Coffee at the Pearl sits in a historic brewery building, a polished cafe that serves carefully brewed coffee to a steady flow of Pearl shoppers.
Signature drink: Single-origin pour-over
Tip: It gets busy on Saturday market mornings; come early for a seat. The pour-over is the order for the coffee-minded.
Press Coffee on West French Place near Monte Vista is a neighbourhood cafe with a comfortable interior and a generous spread of patio tables, a quiet spot.
Signature drink: Espresso and pour-over
Tip: The patio is the draw on a mild morning. A calmer alternative to the busier Pearl and Southtown cafes.
Bird Bakery on Broadway, founded by Elizabeth Chambers in 2012, is a cheerful bakery-cafe near Alamo Heights known for from-scratch cupcakes, layer cakes.
Signature drink: Cappuccino with a cupcake
Tip: The cupcakes and layer cakes are the draw; the coffee is a sidekick. Grab a box of sweets to take with you.
Barrio Barista on Culebra Road builds its menu around Mexican flavours, with horchata lattes and cafe de olla, a West Side cafe with its own identity.
Signature drink: Horchata latte and cafe de olla
Tip: The horchata latte and cafe de olla are the orders that set it apart from the third-wave crowd.
Folklores Coffee House near Fort Sam Houston builds Latin-inspired drinks like the Bexar Latte and the Chagaccino, a community-minded local cafe.
Signature drink: Bexar Latte and Latin-inspired drinks
Tip: The Bexar Latte is the signature; the Latin-flavoured drinks are the reason to skip the chains.
The Spin Coffee & Vinyl on the north side lets you flip through record bins while you sip, a fun, low-key alternative to the polished Pearl coffee bars.
Signature drink: Espresso among the record bins
Tip: Flip through the record bins while you sip. A fun, low-key alternative to the polished Pearl cafes.
