After taking a few years off, I returned to Charleston Coffee Cup in 2018. This event was held at Memminger auditorium and attracted coffee roasters from Charleston and all over the Southeast. It featured a latte art competition and a "taste off" between different roasters, where each guest had one ticket to vote for their favorite. Charleston Coffee Cup is a great example of how an event improves from year to year based on feedback. This year, everyone's admission price included a ceramic mug that we could reuse to try each coffee sample- which was not only environmentally friendly but a nice souvenir of the event. Speaking of the coffee roasters, the taste off was wonderful and voting was a super hard decision! I loved that every roaster did something different. From lattes to coffee-infused vodka and cold brew, Charleston Coffee Cup had it all. Those who are lactose intolerant or dairy-free even had the option of oak milk and almond milk. The roasters sold their coffees onsite as well for us to take home and consume or give. Some roasters even offered other items for sale- one even had coffee scented soap! Along with coffee, you could try numerous brunch items from local vendors and a few food trucks. Charleston Coffee Cup is well worth the $20-25 price of admission. Some proceeds also benefit a charity, so you leave caffienated, slightly hyper, and happy that you got to give back by trying coffee. If you're a coffee lover, this is a no-miss event for you. read more

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Definitely worth it if you're a coffee lover! The 3rd year festival was held at Memminger auditorium and admittingly, I got a bit hyper. Great to be indoors, as it was quite a rainy, cold day--perfect for a cup of joe, right? Lots of coffee roasters were there with pour-over style samples. Also a handful of espresso could be had as well. In addition, there were even some stylized coffee concoctions. Overall, there was a focus on tasting all the subtle flavors/notes so creamer wasn't really encouraged. They did have side tables available that offered those options (a friend of mine drinks with cream) I would say at times, it could feel crowded, as there were bottlenecks in the walkways; However, wait times for samples weren't bad at all. Anyway--with coffee--I like to sit and chill a bit, but the seating was limited and always filled. Overall, really good value and I had a good time, so I'll likely be back next year! read more

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Aside from the weather, I loved this event! There were so many different types of coffee and they all smelled amazing. I don't drink coffee, but my spouse LOVES anything and everything to do with it, so I knew we had to go to this event. No worries though, because I found the most incredible Belgian waffles and some fantastic shrimp and grits to enjoy while he sampled all of the coffee. We got these great goody bags when we arrived that were stuffed with some business cards, coupons, charleston city paper, and a magazine! My only complaint was that some of the booths we're very spaced out. I'm not sure if it was that some vendors didn't show or it was just the first annual learning experience. Overall, this was a great experience and I can't wait to attend in the future! read more

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The Charleston Coffee Cup is a great event for coffee lovers to unite and appreciate the craft and passion that goes into facilitating caffeinated consciousness. It's nice to see so many people gather and support local coffee companies and what they stand for instead of giving into the commercial swill. My wife and I arrived half an hour after the official start time. The entrance was a little crowded and chaotic at this time, but we made it in without a whole lot of hassle. Upon stepping inside it was awesome to take in the fantastic venue which was the Cigar Factory. It all took place in a huge open room that easily accommodated the fairly large crowd. Despite the amount of people in attendance it was pretty quick and easy to get any of the lovely samples of the black stuff. The room was lined all the way around with people slinging their brews, and everyone seemed genuinely excited to be there and represent their brand. I got to talk to many of the brewers and learned a lot about their different techniques. It was a real treat to sample some of the company's limited and rare batch stuff. There was an artisan market out back featuring handcrafted goods, and there was even a bar for non coffee alcohol breaks. The only areas needing improvement were the food selections and the latte art competition. The food was pretty limited and sparse, and the competition really struggled to get going. All in all this was a great event though, and I look forward to next year's Coffee Cup. read more

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If you're a coffee lover than this is definitely the event for you! $12 for student or military for as many samples of coffee as you can handle plus free demos and a latte art competition. Sounds like a great way to enjoy coffee right? Well it is! But there are a few minor things I wished were different, maybe for next year. The first would be the food vendors, although the ones present were good there were only three and most offerings were small pastries and very few savory items. It would've been nice to see more hot/savory items or items like bagels, scones and brunch style items, not just coffee cake and cookies. The latte art competition would be my next minor complaint. The original competition was to begin at 11 but kept getting pushed out. Then when the competition actually began there were a couple technical glitches getting all tv's to show the competition. The demos, or presentations more like it, while we waited were insightful though. The artisans market outside was great also. And I think as The Charleston Coffee Cup grows each year there will be more vendors wanting to be a part of the action. I also loved that they had a bar set up for Bloody Mary's and Mimosas when you needed a coffee break. And the venue in general was gorgeous! I'm very happy I finally got a taste of what's coming to The Cigar Factory. Overall I think the event was a success and can't wait to attend next year! Hopefully back at The Cigar Room! read more

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As one of the first in the door, I received a Yelp shwag-bag which included some free samples of coffee. almond milk (chocolate), and other assorted goodies. The bag was large enough to be used as my carry all for the other random free stuff I gathered from the vendors. Sampled coffee from almost every table, and a few food items as well. Shrimp n Grits after a round of Belgian Waffles (dessert first). A very educational event and a lot of fun. Event was at the old cigar factory, and although it was a little cramped at times, everyone was really good about it and looked to be having a good time. How could you not when caffeine is involved? read more

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This is my 4th annual charleston coffee cup festival. Yes, I'm a loyal attender! Ever since my first year, I felt this event is worth repeating over and over again. For the price of one ticket, you get a free express cup and as much espresso, drip coffee, and tea as you like! If you wonder long enough, you'll find other free goodies as well. For those who are coffee savy, you can sample drinks from Ethiopia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, etc. Vendors come from all over the county to share their coffee specialties. You can chat and learn about how they roast their beans and you can watch the latte art competition as you scroll around the venue. There are also some food vendors and food trucks such as Baked Donuts, Belgium waffles, and mosaic catering if you need a snack. read more

Charleston Coffee Fest - Buona cafe lattee - Festivals Near Me

My third time attending the event and it's always a spectacular time!! Much thanks to all who make it so!! (pic: enjoying my goodies!!) read more

Charleston Coffee Fest - Festivals Near Me

New space, more coffee roasters, fewer food options (super disappointing since the event was heavily advertised as having brunch options), same issues with getting the latte art competition going. I'm only giving 4 stars because of the great assortment of roasters from all over the Southeast, otherwise...meh. read more

Charleston Coffee Fest - Espresso tonic in my adorable Le Creuset cup. - Festivals Near Me

I got there around 1pm, which apparently was the perfect time to go because the clouds parted and let in some sunshine, it stopped raining and it was pleasantly cool outside. For a first time event, I thought they did a great job. I had a fun time getting to try some coffees/espressos I normally wouldn't, reuniting with my new obsession (wat up La Gaufre belgium waffles!), trying the Stars' biscuits and accoutrements (ha, that's a word I never say out loud) and watching the latte art smackdown. And now for the constructive criticism.... I think the admission price is a bit steep. I didn't know about the goodie bags being given out at the beginning of the event, so if I got one of those, I might feel a little differently. I think to charge $10 just to get in and then you have to purchase additional tickets for samples is a bit of a rip off. I don't know what kind of deals were made between the vendors and the Joe, so I can get that they need to make money somehow. However, I honestly think you'll get a better turn out if you maybe reduce the admission price to $5 and/or at least include a couple of tickets with the admission fee. Also, I agree with TJ in that the vendors should've offered a regular-sized coffee option in addition to the sample sizes. And since a surprising amount of vendors didn't provide sugar or creamer, maybe the event organizers can designate a table or two with all that stuff? I didn't feel right going to another vendor and trying to stealthly pour some creamer into my coffee that I just purchased from somewhere else. Almost done here but one more suggestion: encourage the vendors to bring beans to sell! I was kind of shocked that very few vendors had products to sell. My friend bought a bag of beans from one vendor who told her that they were surprised at how much they were selling. I wasn't surprised, their coffee was awesome and it only makes sense that people would come to a coffee event, find their new favorite coffee and want to leave said coffee beans. read more

Fun event with great goodie bags for the first 150 attendees. Mine included a full sized bag of coffee, a box of dandelion tea, a few ground coffee samples, and an XL tshirt from Collective Coffee. I enjoyed sampling the various coffees and espressos, as well as the good eats. Loved the fresh belgian waffles and the biscuit bar from Stars. My only complaint is that only a few vendors had sugar and creamer. read more

Always a good time at the Charleston Coffee Cup. This is our third year going and we always have a good time. Seems like there are more and more shops and roasters coming from farther away. When I asked about it, we were told that most local places are already known so they don't bother going to the Cup anymore. Kind of a bummer because I like supporting local but I understand that. It's a little fun to sample and meet other shops from other places and maybe bookmark some for travel opportunities. There were fewer non-coffee vendors there this year. I do like that a couple of shops had alcoholic options. The food options were delicious and I even purchased some scrumptious granola. I managed not to give in to temptation and did NOT order the waffles though I literally stood and stared at them for a good 2 minutes. There's something a bit mesmerizing about watching a waffle being made. I love that there are more tea vendors showing up, too! We like to get a head start on Christmas shopping at this event and take advantage of the craft options. Looking forward to next year! read more

Great event, so happy that the coffee culture continues to grow in Charleston. I have to say I love the venue itself, the cigar factory building is absolutely stunning. Coffee cup does a great job introducing awesome coffee from around the world from different roasters in our area. Hopefully this will help some of the more casual coffee drinkers realize there is much better stuff out there than "Charbucks". Can't wait to go back again. read more

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The weather was perfect and chilly for a coffee festival. After being around a few minutes i felt a little out of place with all the exotic choices for coffees and tastes. I tend to like plain old coffee and learned alot about coffee that I never knew existed. Definitely a learning experience. read more

This event was held in the Joe Riley stadium. It was cold and rainy but I love coffee so much it made it all worth it! A variety of vendors set up tents offering delicious coffee, pastries, and other goodies for purchase. Since it was rainy me and my husband tried to hit up as many vendors as we could as fast as we could. Stars restaurant had a booth wit some delicious biscuits with a variety of jams, honey, and even coffee butter to try. At Mosaic we tried this egg frittata type dish with arugula salad and fried oysters on top. The egg was a bit rubbery, but everything else was yummy and it was a pretty good tasting portion for $5. For the non coffee drinkers the juice joint was there with wraps, hot cider, smoothies, juice and other goodies. I had the Radio Flyer juice which had beet, cucumber, ginger, and apple. I'm a big juicer so I loved it. It wasn't too sweet which is fine for me, but if you want it sweeter just ask for more apple. The Orange Spot from Park Circle was our favorite. I do prefer french press over pour over coffees because it is more rich because of the oils left over. They not only had delicious french pressed coffee but they also did food pairings with them to compliment the coffee. The Ethiopian brew had fruity notes in it so it was paired with dark chocolate and blue berries. It was such a lovely touch and enhanced the coffee tasting experience even more! I also sampled their ginger snap cookies, and their pumpkin bread. I am also a big fan of their thai iced tea or cha yen which was there for sample as well. Everything was so yummy and I found myself circling back to them even after trying others. I had a great time! If the weather was better I probably would have stayed allot longer to see the latte competitions and such. I can't wait until next year! read more

I loved the venue, and even though it was pretty crowded all the baristas were smiling and friendly. There seemed to be a lot of vendors and a good mix of coffees, even including some cold brews. There were also plenty of snacks for purchase to go with the coffee, from waffles to pastries, and I think even shrimp and grits? Despite the crowds I didn't have to wait long at any one station. I liked that they also had a craft tent with some things for purchase, thought it was a little small. I would love to see this part expanded in future years. Overall, a very pleasant way to spend my morning. read more

Thanks Yelp for the free contest tickets! This event was amazing and I will definitely be going back again next year. There were so many different options from different vendors. I really liked how there were other options just besides coffee. The lattes were amazing and I even found a new milk alternative that was amazing. As you entered the event you were given a cute little coffee sampling mug to take to each of the vendors. There were also stations set up where you could clean your mug out. Everyone working the event were extremely friendly and helpful. The swag bag at the beginning was awesome too! I love the coffee scent candle that was in it. I would highly recommend this event and can't wait to go again next year! read more

Free face painting, and dang does it look good. Great coffee and good people, would definitely suggest to go. I will be attending again next year read more

Charleston Coffee Fest - Staying warm!!! Trying to - Festivals Near Me

What better way to beat the doldrums of a windy, cold and overcast day in the Holy City! Why not sampling 40+ different coffee beans and roasts while rubbing elbows with other people passionate about their caffeinated brew?! This is one Coffee Cup I could spend the day buzzing around in! I attended the 2015 'Cup and found it to be worth the price of admission and then some. The old Cigar Fictory was an ideal venue- the space was open but warm and well-lit with old wood floors and large windows throughout. The space alone was a treat to be within. About 20+ different roasters were set up and tables ricing around the space with 2-5 different roasts that they were busy grinding and turning into pour-overs to fill simply cups as quickly as they could. What a great chance to really explore the differences in beans and roasts and even their drying methods. Everyone got a ticket to use to vote for their favorite. In the center you could find latte art pourings done with live video stream onto TV monitors at all corners. There were also demos offered every half hour by a different roaster to show off different methods of brewing and the equipment you could own to do so. Endless samples of coffee were included with admission, but you could purchase snacks and foods. But my one complaint was that not many foods were offered- mostly pastries and cookies that were on the expensive side. I'd like to see some more savory options in future years, to help slow some of the caffeine absorption if nothing else and help to clear your palette. Brunch in Charleston is a bit of an arty anyway, but it would have been clutch to have such an option on site as well, especially since the festival ran until 3 PM. Still, I hope to see this one return in future years. What a great time to get coffee people together and learn from one another and explore these different beans and roasts. I'd gladly buy my ticket to come back again. read more

I really enjoyed the whole experience. Amazing coffees, teas and information. Friendly knowledgeable people. Enjoyed the latte competition, brunch area and different vendors. Next time I will have to eat some carbs or coat my stomach prior due to all he acid from the coffee. But otherwise worth it. read more

Pretty fun event, the layout worked to keep the crowd moving. Plenty of coffee to try with some tasty eats scattered about. I feel like they could have benefited from some tables with some packets of sugar or creamer for us that don't like coffee black. Im not a huge coffee person, but I enjoyed the event. Getting to taste coffees that had different flavor profiles made for a fun event. read more

This was my second year going to this great event! This time around, it was held in a larger venue (Memminger Auditirium)than last year and featured a varied group of roasters from around the Southeast. A nice change this year was the personal Le Creuset tasting cups instead of paper or plastic. A few of the roasters even had nitro and cold brew tastings - two things I really enjoy. The only disappointing part was the lack of food choices. I really looked forward to having scones, muffins or croissants at minimum. The only vendor with actual food had three meat-based options, completely excluding vegetarians. Thankfully, there was a local waffle maker ( La Gaufre) that was delicious. read more

Another great Charleston event! New space this year for the CCC, and way more coffee vendors! The coffee offerings were superb! Also this year, your own le creuset mug for all your coffee samplings. Not sure what the other commenter was seeing, but there were plenty of options for food! I had some yummy waffles from Le Greuf (I may have butchered the spelling) and some to die for shrimp and grits! This is such a great experience. I love to see the coffee community coming together and the support for local nonprofits! Kudos Charleston Coffee Cup 2016! read more

So, at an event like this, I think you need to pick and choose... so either have people buy food and drink tickets OR an entry fee, but to do both seems excessive... so you're telling me I need to pay $10 to get in AND $.50 per dixie cup of coffee... I heard the lady say to the guy selling food and drink tickets, "So, I pay $10 to get in and I don't even get a cup of coffee?" I'm with you lady, I totally get it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be cheap, but to pay $10 to get in to an event that has a limited number of vendors and pay on top of that for each sample... yeah, I wouldn't recommend this to friends or anyone. While I did meet some vendors that were interesting to talk with and had some good coffee, I also had some not so great coffee (I mean, bad enough to throw it out rather than drink it and I LOVE good coffee). One was so bitter I added cream to it... then realized the cream had probably been out all morning as it was a bit sour. I went back and told the guy and he said "Oh, thanks for letting me know." Not that I even really wanted it, but it would have been nice if he offered to make a new one since his creamer was bad... I think the weather may have gotten to him by then, he had been complaining about weather etc earlier. My two favorites were Papagayo Coffee and Coastal Coffee Roasters. On another note, the best thing I got at this event was the Yelp gloves... #YelpLife read more

One of the most delightful ways to spend clean ,crisp fall day , great choice of coffee and delightful people staffing and judging . Will attend again next year thank you read more

Great event! Attended from 11am-1pm & it was never too crowded. The Cedar Room is a stunning venue & the event offered free valet parking! You definitely got your fill of coffee & there was a nice variety of food vendors as well. Everyone working the event was very upbeat & passionate about their product. I definitely got a coffee education. I prefer honey & milk so the all black tastings were a shock at first but I surprisingly acquired the taste after just a few samples. Only downsides were a bad/inadequate PA system (couldn't make out what was being said despite the crowd noise not being terribly loud) & a shortage of tasting cups just hours into the event!! read more

Enjoyed the coffee and atmosphere. Went hoping to buy breakfast while drinking and was a bit disappointed in the food variety. The event was still worth the experience. read more

nice event but a little crowded and every one was amped up on coffee and it became a rugby match