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Old City Coffee

4.0 (285 reviews)
InexpensiveCoffee & Tea
Closed • 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Updated a few days ago

Old City Coffee Photos

OLD CITY COFFEE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Quiet
Outdoor seating
Good for working

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Recommended Reviews - Old City Coffee

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Steel cut oatmeal and cappuccino
Brittney C.

Lovely, relaxed coffee shop with delicious coffee and quick food options. A few tables outside to sit and enjoy if you have time.

This is a large cappuccino, next to a 12 oz OJ.
Ned L.

Like a European café, a large cappuccino is a two handed mug-bowl with a crema & micro-foam mixture on top that is at least a 1/2 inch thick. Why is this so difficult to find in America? Nice professional service, and plenty of seats inside with little tables. Blueberry muffin also was large and tasted freshly baked. Otherwise a simple place without common distractions. Wonderful!

Marie M.

This is the sort of aesthetically beautiful and inviting coffee shop that I look for when visiting a city. What made this a treasured gem was that it's in historic Philly and located in an ally style street. The street was cobble-stone for Pete's sake and had that colonial feel. When we walked in at first, it appeared that there wasn't any sitting area, and just coffee to go style, but just around the corner from the order counter is the sitting area. There were plenty of places to sit with an outlet nearby for your laptop, and the general atmosphere was very ideal. People did appear to keep their conversation tone down, as opposed to where I'm from. No churchy conversations either, which was like a dream come true for me. So thankful to Philadelphians who appear well-mannered. But I digress, the coffee shop had plenty of pastries to choose from. I didn't notice any real breakfast items, but I was well satisfied with a Cheese Danish and coffee for a late breakfast. However, again, the coffee smelled good but tasted French roasted style or something like it. I did buy an 1893 bean blend to take back home. My husband theorized (and rightly so, as I prepared it later and better at home) that it may have something to do with the water rather than how the barista brews it. I feel it may be a combo of both. Here in the K.C. area we are known for excellent drinking water, and we did enjoy the blend when brewed back home. One thing to note about Old City Coffee and the beans they sell. They aren't cryovaced or sealed and must be ground and brewed within a few weeks. I have heard that you can freeze beans but am not sure, but will try it. The barista informed me that so long as the bag is firmly closed and away from any light source. Another thing that I noticed at this store is that they have beans you can serve yourself in bags and have them ground at the store. If I lived in Philly, I would try their other beans in small bag amounts. The aroma was wonderful here.

Outside
Amber K.

I came on a Friday afternoon for a nice place to sit down and work. The coffee shop looks really small when you walk in but in the back there's a bunch of seating with a couple of outlets and free WiFi. I got an iced oat milk latte, and it was VERY strong. I should've gotten a small because I already had my morning coffee today! The cashier was very friendly and the coffee came out quick. I will definitely be returning

Joseph T.

The big draw of this coffee shop is the location. Right in a very central location of the Old City, you're just a hop skip & a jump from many of Philadelphia's biggest attractions. Elfreth's Alley, Mac's Tavern, US Mint, Betsy Ross, Independence Hall, Liberty Bell... It's all just right there. As coffee shops go, it's pretty decent! A little on the expensive end, but one of the very few locally owned coffee shops I've ever seen that offers an XL option. This is important for me personally because I drink a lot of coffee and sometimes wish I had something larger than a 20oz cup. Plenty of food and pastry options that I didn't try, because I'm one of them there resolutioners trying to lose weight. Seemed to be popular amongst the other patrons, however. Coffee was not bad! I am not big on fruity notes in my coffee, and that seems to be the trend amongst smaller, local shops, Old City not withstanding. Bitter enough - robust, chestnut and chocolate notes. The drip coffee was pretty dern hot tho. Took a while to cool. Once it cooled, I was a happy camper. The seating area seemed to be an afterthought. Had the coziness of a high school math classroom. Probably won't be dining in again. Probably the only thing keeping it from the illustrious 5* rating. Verdict? Visit if you're in the area, but perhaps takeaway is the best option.

Self service kiosk for cookies
Brittney W.

Beautiful coffee shop nestled in the Old City with hands down the best service. The barista was amazing to provide her favorite coffee-- Blackberry Mocha coffee and paired it with their homemade blueberry muffin. Let me say, when it's recommended to slow down and enjoy the muffin, you do it. The blueberries were perfectly folded into the batter with the soothing taste of the butter. Yes, I said butter. As a southerner, a moist muffin is hard to do, but goodness my heart melted eating each bite. This muffin didn't lack with flavor, rich flavor and still maintained being light and fluffy with a simple crispy sugary top. Call me traditional, but this muffin needs to be a part of my breakfast routine just got the top. You can sneak a couple of views of the kitchen in the back with the pastries being made. It's a must try place for the cute esthetic, but the friendliest staff. It felt like an enchanted adventure to be a part of and you immediately forget you are in downtown Philadelphia. Run don't walk.

Miche

Busy , cozy and sweet. Lovely speedy service . Great coffee and blueberry muffin. We enjoyed sitting in the back, and then we came to the front and sat outside . I can see why this is a local favorite !!

Shane B.

Nestled among the old city brick streets is this delicious coffee shop! Great variety of seasonal flavors, and do-it-yourself coffee! Staff is very nice and there's so much to choose... including some beans to bring home with you. With all of the coffee shops around Philly, this is a nice gem that's a bit different than the rest. Try it for yourself!

Oat milk Matcha
Micaelly A.

Visited with my friends while on a coffee hop morning around the city. I ordered an Iced Oat milk Matcha and it was yummy, although I would probably order a coffee next time to try out. The place was lovely but it did have very few tables for sitting, might be more of a grab and go kind of coffee shop. The baristas were nice.

Tammy C.

Nice place to do a bit of study or work (however when I was there the WiFi was not working well but it might've just been that day). Good selection of coffee products and ample seating inside!

Iced Oat Milk Matcha Latte (with an extra shot of espresso)
Colleen M.

What a cute place! It's slightly hidden since it's located on a cobblestone street but it was still pretty busy. They had a nice area to hang out inside and a set up out front with two elevated platforms for a table each. It's a nice little set up outside and the street seemed somewhat quiet, mostly just people cutting through or visiting the cigar shop next door. Decent prices and they make a delish iced matcha latte. They do also have a restroom with a key that the staff can provide upon request (I assume you have to buy something but it didn't come up since I was purchasing a drink).

Nicole E.

Ordered a mint mocha and a fresh squeezed orange juice. The orange juice was prepared and in the cooler. There's only three people allowed inside. It's a super small spot and there's absolutely no sitting inside. There doesn't need a spot outside to keep for social distancing. The mint mocha tastes old world good. The OJ isn't bad, not super sweet, but a good source of easy vitamin C.

Cranberry Walnut Muffin with a yummy latte
Margery B.

The ambiance is great for such a small place. It smells like pure goodness of coffee. Their walnut cranberry muffin did not disappoint and the girl at the counter was welcoming and her patience was great.

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5 months ago

Tucked away coffee shop where the coffee is quite good, and the staff were friendly. Enjoyed and would go back!

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Menagerie Coffee - Cafe au lait

Menagerie Coffee

4.4(468 reviews)
0.1 mi•Old City
•$$

I tried a pour over and a cold brew. The handpour menu rotates through interesting single-origin…read morepicks with fun tasting notes (the Colombian's "Grapey!" description made me smile), and the cup was bright and clean. The cold brew was smooth and easy to drink without any bitterness. Prices are fair for Philly, with drip at $2.75 and handpours running about $4-6. The pastry case is a highlight. Croissants, almond and ham & cheese options, morning buns, cookies, and a blueberry jam beignet were all calling my name. There's also a small food menu with breakfast sandwiches and a smashed chickpea salad, plus bags of beans and merch if you want to take some home. Relaxed vibe, thoughtful coffee, great pastries. I'd happily come back.

Cute little eatery with a few tables inside. They offer some baked goods and delicious coffee…read more I ordered a cappuccino with oat milk -- it was really good, but I didn't realize how small the size was and was surprised by the additional $1.25 charge for what seemed like just a few splashes of oat milk. The sandwiches were tasty, although the bread was a bit too crispy. I usually love crispy bread, but this was very, very crispy and slightly overdone for my preference. The biggest disappointment was the egg -- it had that pre-made/frozen egg texture and appearance, which I didn't expect from this type of establishment. Overall, I'd still return for the coffee and the cute atmosphere.

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Menagerie Coffee - Easy to find

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Eggcellent Cafe - Brekkie Bahn Mi

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4.4(518 reviews)
0.2 mi•Old City
•$$

We love finding fun breakfast spots when exploring a new city, and this one did not disappoint! The…read morebright yellow interior was cheerful and made for a welcoming atmosphere. We visited on a Friday morning and were seated right away, though the restaurant filled up quickly. The menu is large, with plenty of options to choose from. We ordered the avocado toast, the Green Goddess, and the Eggxplorer Cheesesteak. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and delicious. Between the great food, excellent service, and fun atmosphere, this is a breakfast spot I'd highly recommend!

Food Taste & Quality- 3.5/5 This is a classic brunch…read morerestaurant, and the food was solid. The Garden Veggie Hash was good. It was a little watery on the bottom of the skillet, so that wasn't great. The Waffle was quite dry, but the pancakes were great! I ate almost the whole dish! Service- 3/5 Service was fine. It appears one server was taking care of the whole restaurant. He was quick and really helpful, but the service was quite slow. Atmosphere- 3/5 This is a classic café kind of feel. I actually loved the brunch décor and signs. And the music was a really nice touch! Value- 4/5 The prices were very reasonable! The lower prices would encourage me to go back for a standard brunch in the future. Opportunities for Learning- 3/5 Again, this is a classic diner. There are some cool dishes and ingredients, but nothing that would drive a lot of learning.

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Eggcellent Cafe - Philly Benny

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Old City Coffee - coffee - Updated October 2026

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