Black-owned business that is also one of the best coffee shops in Columbus. Come by here to support the 2020 revolution in deleting police brutality from America. Our fellow Americans have suffered far too long during these modern times. read more

Great welcoming vibe when I walked in & Iced Caramel Latte delicious!!! Will be back again highly recommend read more

Upper Cup Coffee - Location & Iced Caramel Latte!!!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

When I go for good cup of coffee in the mornings, I always want to have a good breakfast as well. And this is one of a few places that serve good coffee and good variety of sandwiches. I'd say the coffee was good and the sandwich is decent. I had the ham with habanero The barista seems knowledgeable and friendly and the girl that served our order was very nice too. The place was comfortably spacious although the seating and tables are few and small button they have couch if you want to relax with friends while enjoying coffee. I cannot believe that I have not been here before when my wife used to work close by. read more

Upper Cup Coffee - Ham with habanero - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

First off, brick walls always catch my eye - for the good. This small coffee shop has been in Olde Town for about six years. Ask any driver, nearby worker, or foot traffic from the surrounding area, and they'll definitely admit that the road construction happening on Parsons Ave. is putting somewhat of a strain on Upper Cup, but the baristas working were happy to add that they have a pretty loyal local customer base, so they're not scrapping the couch for spare change just to get by. Winter hasn't picked up on the mass disdain for it's annoying lingering, so since it was 30-something degrees outside I opted to chill with a Hot Chocolate with almond milk. Not the best I've had, but still sweet and hot. The dollop off whip cream? Kinda an Americana necessity. Several places to sit, also a table lining the front windows, so you can work while glancing outside, or just relax and people watch. The anticipated conclusion of this road work will be great, come the warmer months. read more

I love stopping here on my days off! The weekend can get crowded but worth it! Everyone that works here is always really nice and efficient. They have about 7-9 different coffees you can choose from. I love the pour over option, I like trying a new one everyday. The turkey breakfast sandwich is pretty tasty.. Also served all day!! Prices are better than the average coffee shop downtown which is nice. read more

Upper Cup Coffee - Great turkey and egg sandwich served all day! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I've sampled Upper Cup Coffee at the North Market Coffee Roast the last two years, but I've never had occasion to visit until this week. I took my kids to the Columbus Museum of Art (surprisingly fun with young kids) and found myself near the Near East Side on the wrong side of a caffeine crash. Out came my handy Yelp app and I realized I was a quarter mile from Upper Cup! The store space is pretty cozy and the store itself is located on what appears to be an up and coming/gentrifying street with several newer looking shops. About a quarter of the floor space is given over to beans for roasting and a really impressive looking roasting set up, which my kids were particularly interested in. Regarding the coffee, I went basic and got a mocha with a calorie splurge of whole milk. Fantastic stuff. There are lots of other options including iced coffee and the now ubiquitous pour over. Should I ever be back on this side of town, I know exactly where I'm going for my coffee. read more

Upper Cup Coffee - Mocha. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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This review is following my first visit to Upper Cup. In fact, I'm sitting here by the window writing this. Today is a stereotypical overcast Ohio winter day, and I really had trouble shaking off the blanket of grogginess. I decided to walk to Upper Cup from my house in King-Lincoln; it took about 10 minutes. It was a great decision. I can handle ten minutes of brisk winds and a light drizzle for a hot cup of coffee. I ordered a latte and a muffin, and both are superior quality. That's the first thing (of many) that Upper Cup gets right. The interior is nice and open, which lets in a lot of natural light. If you sit in the back of the shop and have a short memory (like me), you'd almost forget that it's so dreary today. The "vibe" is very relaxed and casual. Excellent. I don't need pep and enthusiasm before I'm fully awake. The location is great, and so is the service. With some return visits, I could see myself bumping my review up to five stars. The product is certainly there. But for now, Upper Cup gets a solid four. read more

Upper Cup Coffee - Latte and a chocolate muffin - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I really like this coffee shop and don't get to go enough. The coffee is always fantastic, its always busy, yet cozy, and the staff seems to know how to handle a good cup of joe. They have a small food menu, its pretty decent, the artwork rotates and features different artists. They also roast the coffee in house, which makes for some pretty amazing smells. Bottom line: Upper Cup- go get some read more

Great service, food and coffee! My favorite place for Sunday breakfast. Spicy turkey sandwich is the best. read more

Upper Cup Coffee - Spicy turkey sandwich - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I stumbled upon this cafe looking for coffee on a cold and rainy day. There's construction out front, but I was able to find parking easily. I absolutely loved the vibes of this place. It was very homey, historic and just a neat little place to hang out. There were guys playing chess in the back which made me so happy. I ordered a veggie sandwich that never came out and I asked the guy I ordered from and he said his cook must have left. That was kind of strange, but I didn't mind because I had time to kill. He threw on some extra veggies and was very apologetic. The prices were very reasonable and the coffee was great. This place is a great local spot in Old Towne. I will definitely be visiting again. Even with the construction it was a great way to spend a rainy day! read more

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Awesome place!! Parking is simple and the quality of coffee is impressive. Great vibe. It only has a few tables so plan on taking it to go.

Great place. First time here. My son owns several bar restaurants in cbus, so I know what it takes to make a go of the restaurant business Staff was friendly and I will definitely recommend Upper Cup to my friends read more

This place is a diamond in the rough (the whole street is under construction), but worth the work to get here. Their coffees are solid and they roast beans in house so it smells extra good. They offer a small pastry selection as well as some fresh fruit. I like their soymilk lattes here! read more

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Upper Cup is in my old neighborhood. It's really good & extremely affordable. The baristas are nice, but the service is a little slow. The system they have seems a little inefficient, so I only stop in when I'm going to use their wifi or I'm not in a hurry. Since it's the only coffee shop in the neighborhood, it gets a lot of traffic. They roast their own beans and source their coffee consciously and sustainably, so you can feel secure in the cup your purchasing doesn't come at the cost of oppression. Their lattes are pretty good. They're regular coffee is great and usually doesn't cost more than a cup you'd get at the gas station. Such a great deal. They also have sandwiches and muffins for sale. The sandwiches are standard and do the job, but nothing special. I really like the muffins they carry. Another nice feature is that they have a parking lot and bike racks so there's almost always a spot for your car or bike. Nice laid back local atmosphere, usually great music playing, good baristas, a bit slow service, very affordable as far as single pour coffee goes, and really good coffee...a place I will go out of my way to support and enjoy! read more

Upper Cup Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Great drinks, great snacks, very affordable and a cool vibe in there. Love upper cup! read more

Upper Cup Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The Eclectic experience reminds me of and takes me away to some large city where neighborhoods are critical people are accepting and vibrant! Upper cup has always been and will continue to be a gem! Every single employee that has ever been behind the counter A. Works their butt off B. Seems to know exactly what they're doing C. They are so focused on every single person walking in that front door. I'll bet you that they can describe who's in that coffee shop; they may not know your name but they'll describe you, they'll know something about you. Whether it's what you were doing, where you were sitting, how long you were there, were you getting something to go...your experience will be very personalized and very inclusive. COFFEE BEANS.... Coffee Beans Coffee Beans Coffee Beans they know their coffee beans I like the fact that they are roasting and grinding and it smells so good. Location and parking...location..you have access since location is just between Town and Broad on Parsons. You've got great access and parking. You've got a very specific parking lot right at the door and catty corner you've got another large lot. So never think that getting to Upper Cup because of location or parking is an issue because it is not! Check the local art that is hanging in there. Learn about the local artists. Talk to the locals that really Thrive be in there among all the others whether they are business folks college students neighbors it is absolutely everybody! This is not some major corporate location coffee shop. You'll not find that here...you're going to find a very specific local experience. Cheers! read more

Good coffee but 3 stars because they don't offer oat milk as a dairy alternative! I like that they roast the beans in house but can be cluttered at times read more

Coffee is good but the cashier lady was NOT friendly. Maybe she needs coffee

Super cute & cozy shop! We got the iced oat milk lattes & they were delicious! Service was good too

Customer service was terrible on my first visit and then terrible on my FINAL visit. I observed their interactions with regulars seems to be the focus... if I want rude service, I might as well go to Tim Hortons or McDonalds... read more

Great cup of coffee great prices , awesome crossaint donuts and awesome staff! I did a pour over and my wife had an iced almond milk mocha

I really loved my time at this shop and will visit again. It's everything you want a local small business to be! I loved the vibe, the simple decor, the wait staff and of course, best of all, the coffee! The price points were unusually low for the quality of the food and drink you get. read more

For the past three years I have lived in Columbus, Upper Cup has been one of my favorite places. There are so many things I love about the establishment. The people are incredibly friendly and familial. It feels they make it their mission to truly know you. The coffee is always so fresh and the smell of them roasting every morning is so inviting. And the art is always so inspiring. They always showcase a local artist and allow for them to curate the space. I make it a mission to stop in atleast once a month so I can support the current artist. Upper Cup is an Old Towne staple and has made living there such a pleasure. Please go! read more

I only have a few reviews on here so far, and honestly, I've only taken time for 5 star experiences so far, but this review should carry no less, and perhaps more weight than any other thus far. When I started getting into coffee, it was about the taste, the smell, the body, that space-cadet glow of a fine cuppa. Along with it came that jazz and city feel, that combination of grit and beauty like a Beat poet bleeding his heart out to the audience in a warm dark corner of the enlightened world. I'd go and read great books, listen to authors, perform at open mics. Over the course of the years, that experience has slowly been replaced with the iTunes Song of the Day, 3 key strokes, a 2 minute wait and a slap on the ass to send me off to work. And *no one* talks any more. They're lost in their own digital microcosmos, oblivious, though they aren't missing anything in this cookie-cutter cappuccino hysteria either. What's the point you ask? I had given up, until I walked into Upper Cup. They choose, roast, grind, and brew every ounce of coffee that runs through the place. From the art on the walls, the great music, the lounge-like atmosphere, it is intimate, inviting, and full of life and conversation. It is the heart of my favorite local spots, pumping its hot, bold coffee goodness into the veins of Old Town East, stirring it awake from its broken down lethargy and opening its eyes for its bright future. This is not a chain, this is not fast food coffee with a flash frozen bagel and a packet of Smuckers, and I never walk in in a hurry. It would be like asking Michaelangelo to "just paint the damn ceiling". These two brothers have the kind of passion and dedication to quality, service, and satisfaction American business used to sport proudly, what made it worth a buck or two away from the chain to go to Aldrich''s garage, or Sister's Diner, when I grew up. This is what we all need to get back to, and just like we have for centuries, it all starts with a good cup of coffee. There are no automated buttons on this espresso machine, no weigh and drop built in grinder. They draw the hot water with a hand lever, they tamp by hand, they would probably grind by hand if it wouldn't take them forever and a day. Leave a couple minutes early, grab anything you see or are offered, and you will be happy. Take a minute to sit someplace, drink it, and enjoy it. Take the fuel factor out of it, and start enjoying one of life's pleasures again, with a cup from Upper cup. read more

I spied this new shop while cutting through OTE one day and made it a point to go back! This place is not for grabbing a quick cup of coffee. They take their time and make every single cup fresh (from what I saw). I consider myself a serious coffee lover, but these people are REALLY serious about their coffee. They seem really educated on what they serve and how to serve it. I loved the space and staff. There are only a few munchie type things in the shop, so I'm thinking my next visit will include stopping at Angry Baker first and then getting my coffee :) read more

Been going here on and off for years, probably time to write a review. It's super basic. Nothing fancy, no frills. They roast the beans on site - right in the middle of the cafe area. So sometimes it smells wicked awesome. Others have failed to note the lunch options. They are easily overlooked on the menu and I doubt they're anything fancy, but they do exist. The main perks of upper cup are proximity and price. It's uber cheap. But there's an extreme lack of decent seating and variety to the menu. Staff is great. Not overbearing and just let you do your thing. Hours could be better as well. The best thing about upper cup isn't even available at upper cup. It's the OTE Stout brewed with their beans by elevator brewing and served exclusively at carabar. read more

One of the many hidden gems in Columbus, Uppercup is a great spot for your caffeine fix. There is a parking lot and street parking so you don't have to worry about meters. The interior is uniquely designed, coffee barrels here, nice leather couch there and wooden tables by the windows. A friend and I arrived to try the place out. We got the iced chai and egg sandwiches with turkey. It was delicious, the drink had a nice mix of chai and milk. One of the best iced chais in the city, and I'm talking really good iced chais which is hard to find. Stop by, relax and enjoy the scene! read more

I miss this place. I'm a frequent coffee drinker who spent a lot of time in Columbus this fall. I actually found these guys through a recommendation from *another* Columbus coffee shop; I'd told the owner of another place that I was on an informal coffee survey of Columbus' finest brews, and he said "then you have to go to Upper Cup." This is a small, locally owned place. It's not Starbucks, and you should expect that it might take a little bit longer than Starbucks to get your brew Take a deep breath and remember that they call it a coffee *break*. Upper Cup has wi-fi and a few places to sit and chill, or work, but this is about the coffee. Rich, dark, smoky... full of flavor, and I'm damned if I know how I can never replicate it, even using the same beans. And, it's also about the people who run this place -- these Eritrean guys who are friendly, curious, and deserve to succeed. I turned on my co-workers to this place, and they came to know all of us and what each of us drank. They also serve food too, but I have limited knowledge on that: I like their muffins (made by someone else) and I had a good bean dish there once (foul mudammas, made by them). Really, this is worth the trip. These guys have been in business for a little more than a year and helping to anchor Old Town East. We all want to support local businesses that are run by good people who do good work. OK, here's your chance: go to Upper Cup. read more

This place has such a great vibe. From the sunflowers outside to the music inside, it's a place you just WANT TO BE. Everyone was super friendly from patrons to workers and I got my drink quickly. It was delicious and had a great amount of foam (too often with soy they aren't able to do it right). I will definitely be back! read more

Upper Cup Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Before coming here my homie said they have the best coffee in the city. I thought he was being extra but it seems to me that it might be true. I had a drip with a flavor shot and it tasted like perfection which might encourage me to not add the shot next time! Anywho, dope spot, great music, strong wifi, dope staff, and they let me order an eggless egg sandwich (I'll explain some other time). Thanks UC! read more

Very fun and colorful coffee shop with an interesting blend of clientele, saw everything from yuppie business people to cleaning ladies who just got off work. The vibe from the staff is super friendly and the music is nice. Drinks are yummy too! Not the best place to get work done though, there's a lot of chit chat going on at all times- but that makes for a nice community meeting spot read more

Best local coffee house in Olde Towne hands down. Amazing selection with in house roasting makes this a unique spot. I miss the days of walking into a coffee shop and being able to sit down and talk instead of putting in head phones, listening to iPods and surfing the internet. Upper Cup has that atmosphere and is a welcome addition to Olde Towne! read more

Upper Cup Coffee - Waffles and Wax Sundays! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I enjoy a good cup of coffee. In fact, I try to enjoy a good cup of coffee 2-4 times per day (NO SLEEP NO REGRETS). I was in the neighborhood and wanted a hot cup of energy, so I searched yelp for what was near me, and found Upper Cup. I like that it was easy to park (difficult parking situations give me flop sweats) and that the shop was busy but not mobbed. There were many tables of people working, chatting, reading, or just sitting with their drinks. There is art (some of it for sale) on the wall and shelves of board games in case your group gets bored. The staff seemed knowledgeable and appropriately disdainful and friendly simultaneously (it's very hip there), and most importantly they made a beautiful pour over. I didn't try any food nor did I linger, so my 5 star review is for a great cup of coffee, a cozy and inviting atmosphere, in house roasting, and ethical sourcing of beans. These are all enough to keep me coming back. read more

I came because it's black owned and I wanted to support :) Baristas were amazing!! They were friendly. My vanilla latte was made to perfection! The vibe and music playing were amazing! Brought my son's so they could see their first ever black owned business & they were pleasantly excited. read more

As a former barista, I am always on the lookout for local coffee shops that roast on premises and make excellent coffee. This is one such place. Being a five minute walk from my apartment, i find it hard to resist coming to Upper Cup every day. The owners are kind and SUPER talented, and the baristas all have their own unique charms. The first few times, the seemingly flippant attitude from the barista put me off, but the coffee kept me coming back. Their espresso is perfect--not too acidic, not burned to a crisp, and delicious over ice (though i wish they would pull the shots right into my cup to preserve the crema). My advice: become a regular, bring treats, and relish the local art, local people, and off-the-cuff vibe of this place over a cup of delicious coffee. read more

I love this addition to Olde Towne East! You walk in and you are greeted by an uncluttered, open, bright shop. Interesting artwork complements the brick walls. An amazing sketch of a coffee pot, cup, and spoon is matted and framed behind the counter. I don't think it's for sale. I stare at it while I wait for my coffee. I covet it. I (almost) wish I could Mosby it like the blue French horn from How I Met Your Mother because I love it so much, but then I A.) would be a criminal and B.) wouldn't be able to visit Upper Cup ever again, so no way. :) Anyway. I have had the pleasure of meeting Micael, one of the owners, during my trips to the shop. Micael always has a genuine smile on his face, is cheerful, and makes small talk with you, but isn't one of those types who is overly chatty when all you want is your cup of coffee. I enjoy him. The counter setup is minimalist, clean, and efficient. The shop itself emits a comforting vibe that you only get with locally owned, locally nurtured businesses. I'm not a coffee expert and I won't pretend to be. I've been drinking coffee most of my life but I don't know how to dissect and describe the quality, so I'll simply say that it's excellent. I often find myself at work craving their coffee and the sunny milieu of their shop. read more

After enjoying these folks coffee at Yellow Brick, I decided to stop in and give them a try. Not living in the Olde town area, I had not heard much about his shop. Upper Cup is a very small place with only about 5 tables in a couch. They do their own roasting in house, which always speaks to the quality you are going to get in a cup. Upper cup does not have 15 different blends, but rather a few fresh ever-changing flavors. You can get a drip, a pour over, or a French press. I had an Ethiopian Sidamo that was bright with a floral aroma and chocolate notes, and it was only $1.75 for a pour over! Having visited a lot of different shops in Columbus, this has to be the best value for the quality. If you are looking to get beans to take home, they have a fixed price of $6 for half pound and $12 for a full pound. Again, you are able to get whatever is fresh, and it will vary with each visit. I don't want to knock some of the other great spots, but I have found that some of the better shops in Columbus lack in cultural diversity. Much of this might be attributed to the location of the shops. The shop is owned by a kind Eritrean gentleman who has managed to inject some non-European ambiance into this place. While the Olde Town East area may not be the most aesthetically pleasing neighborhood, I applaud the communities' commitment to developing some very unique and excellent spots. Uppercut is one of those awesome businesses, and I will continue to visit here to ensure that this and other places in the community continue to thrive. read more

When I visited Upper Cup, I was super excited. Small coffee shop in my neighborhood that roasts its own coffee?!?!?! Eff yeah, coffee shop! Sadly, it just wasn't as awesome as I anticipated. The service was got was, while not incredibly horrible, slow and kind of not-awesome. Let me take you through the experience, as I found it unusual. We arrive. We scope out the menu, wait patiently for someone to serve us. We put in our order. Rather, hubs puts in his order--an iced coffee. They get to work brewing his coffee, which requires them to freshly-grind the coffee and brew it right there on the spot. It takes roughly forever. At some point, they remember that I'm standing there, and take my order for a doppio con panna. After several minutes and what seemed to be a search for more espresso, my shots are pulled. (Having worked in a coffee shop for over three years, here's a benchmark for reference: espresso shots take 20 - 30 seconds to brew, so my whole order could have/should have been completed in less than a minute.) Oh, in all this time? They're still working on hubs' iced coffee. We finally get to pay for our order. In the meanwhile, we have been browsing just about everything in the immediate area (because, seriously, it probably took over ten minutes from the time we indicated we were ready until we had coffee in-hand); I pick up a packaged bag of coffee just to look at it, and I'm hurriedly told that's just display coffee. There's a whole shelf of packaged coffee in front of the bar, and it's all just for display. That is wicked confusing to me--why set up that many bags of coffee and put them on a shelf like they're for sale if they're not for sale? Weird. We finally get our coffee. I am not impressed by it. The espresso tasted quite bitter--overextracted or under-roasted, maybe. Meh. Now, you can imagine one of my primary gripes about this experience is the ridiculous amount of time that it took to make our order. I can dig their "each cup from scratch" philosophy, except that they don't seem to be at all streamlined enough so that this doesn't take forever. (I mean, really--really--you're a coffee shop and you have to go hunt down espresso beans??!) Also, for something like iced coffee, you actually might not get the best results if you hot brew it right before you serve it--in fact, you're almost certainly going to get not-so-good results, because it's hot and it's getting watered down when it melts the ice. So, as much as I admire their commitment to trying to make the best coffee, I feel that they might be missing the forest for the trees. At any rate, it boiled down to: it wasn't AWFUL, but we waited forever for coffee that just wasn't terribly impressive. The guys working honestly seemed like they were more concerned about the roasting side of the business than the serving side; maybe they should close the cafe portion and concentrate on roasting? Either that, or streamline it a LOT. (Edit: I have since been to One Line, which has a similar setup, but is way faster and more efficient--so I know it can be done.) read more

Simply fantastic coffee and staff! Very knowledgable about all things coffee! A hidden gem! Support local business

Best coffee in Columbus! A definite must try for any coffee lover. Once you try their beans you won't be able to buy coffee beans from anywhere else read more