Which shop serves the best cup of coffee in Lexington? You can vote now in our bracket

The weather is crisp, the holidays have almost wrapped up and if you’re thinking of reaching for a hot drink to warm your bones, you might consider a cup of coffee from a Lexington business.

We’d like to know which cup of joe Lexington residents prefer, so we’ve pulled together a bracket of the best, featuring some massive chains and some local-only offerings. Whether you’re after a seasonally inspired peppermint treat or want to grab an iced option year-round, we’d like to know where you stop when you need your morning fix.

First, here’s a few things to know about our brackets.

How does the bracket competition work?

Below you’ll find 29 coffee offerings in Lexington or nearby. To kick off, we’ve included not only local businesses but a few large chains, because we know you stop there. That said, we’re looking to highlight local businesses and have a bit of fun.

You’ll find a list and link to all the coffee shops featured at the bottom. We didn’t include any gas station coffee stops, but if you’re looking for one, one reader recommends Speedway’s coffee, because, “who needs to spend $4 for a cup of coffee?”

The competition isn’t scientific; you can vote as many times as you’d like and share this with your coffee-loving friends.

This first round of the bracket will remain open until midday Thursday, Jan. 4, at which time the top 14 picks will move on to round two.

You can find information about each coffee shop featured below, and if you’d like to see some of the community’s previous top picks, readers have selected the best craft brewery, the best tattoo shop and more in the past.

If we’ve forgotten any coffee shops, please feel free to shoot us an email at ask@herald-leader.com. And if you have a die-hard gas station coffee pick, we’d like to hear that, too.

You can use the polling feature below to cast your ballot, but note emailed responses will not be tallied.

Coffee shops and offerings in Lexington

Old School Coffee: This shop has two locations, 380 S. Mill St. and inside the Fayette Mall near Coach. Old School gets its beans from a Cincinnati roaster, the company says on its website, and focuses on robust support of local enterprise. Hours vary by location.

A Cup of Commonwealth: You can find A Cup of Commonwealth at 105 Eastern Ave., where it offers caffeinated treats alongside a selection of food. A second, weekday-only location can be found in the Commonwealth Exchange building at 401 S. Limestone.

HIGH on Art Coffee: Located at 523 E. High St., HIGH on Art combines its food and coffee menu with the opportunity to shop artisans. Its hours are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii: This shop has two Lexington franchise locations, 685 S. Limestone and 3070 Lakecrest Circle. Its “Winter Wanderlust” seasonal menu is available weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Nate’s Coffee: This Lexington business offers it roasts at several locations, including a standalone location at 125 Cheapside from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. They also offer a subscription if you’d like to brew Nate’s at home.

Coffee Times Coffee House: This coffee house has been in business since 1983, according to its website, and offers a tea selection as well. It’s located at 2571 Regency Road and open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Brevede Coffee Co.: Offering drinks, baked treats and an event space, this business opened in 2020, according to its website. Its two locations include the Distillery District at 1170 Manchester St., Suite 110, and 859 E. High St. Hours vary by location.

Common Grounds Coffee Co. and Roaster: In town since 1992, Common Grounds has two coffee houses. Hours vary by location, but one is at 4772 Hartland Pkwy., while the other is at 3100 Old Todds Road, No. 100.

Leestown Coffee House: Offering organic and fair trade ingredients, Leestown Coffee House has been open since the onset of the pandemic, its website says. It’s open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1416 Leestown Road.

The Human Bean: This chain has two Lexington locations, one at 2644 Richmond Road and another at 1946 Harrodsburg Road. It opens at 5 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays. The drive-thru only coffee shop was started in southern Oregon.

Manchester Coffee Co.: Manchester Coffee is down to one location at 576 E. Third St., Suite 110, and offers a full menu of craft coffee and wholesale, its website indicates. The hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.

North Lime Coffee and Donuts: Offering seasonal beverages and subscriptions, North Lime has two Lexington locations. The Greyline Station shop is at 101 W. Loudon Ave., Suite 160, and there’s also a shop at 3101 Clays Mill Road, No. 300 A. Hours vary by location.

The Creatures’ Cauldron Cafe: Open to business for wizards and muggles alike, Creatures Cauldron offers themed magical coffee options. It is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 128 N. Broadway.

Dunkin’: Declaring itself “America’s favorite coffee,” this chain started in Massachusetts. There are several area locations including 1306 S. Broadway, 316 E. New Circle Road and 2213 Versailles Road. You can also grab a cup at the Bluegrass Airport.

Third Street Stuff and Coffee: Whether you want to browse or get a cup of joe, Third Street opens seven days a week from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. You can find the coffee house at 257 N. Limestone.

Starbucks Coffee: Nearly synonymous with takeout coffee across the U.S., this Seattle-born chain offers several locations in Lexington. You can find the complete list of locations and hours online.

Dutch Bros Coffee: This rapidly expanding chain coffee option recently opened in Lexington. You can find it at 234 E. New Circle Road starting at 5 a.m. every day.

7 Brew: This drive-thru only chain has two Lexington locations, 4265 Harrodsburg Road and 2895 Richmond Road. Its hours vary by day, but the locations are selling coffee by 5:30 a.m. each morning.

Scooter’s Coffee: Another chain, Scooter’s area location is at 120 Hope Court in Nicholasville. Scooter’s brewed drip coffee is on its “Dollar Delights” menu. It is open 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.

Lussi Brown Coffee Bar: Lussi Brown offers coffee, tea, food and a selection of cocktails and beer at its 114 Church St. location. Its hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and alcohol sales start after noon.

Far Out Espresso: This shop offers a variety of caffeinated beverages, bagged coffee and a hefty food menu. Far Out is located at 497 E. High St. and open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day except Friday ad Saturday, when it remains open until 1 a.m.

McLeod’s Coffee House: Those close to Southland Drive can check out McLeod’s, a nonprofit, which has a small food menu in addition to coffee offerings. Located at 376 Southland Drive, it is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. most days.

Kenwick Table: This spot offers crafted coffee drinks, alcohol, charcuterie and more from 201 Owsley Ave. It also has events and live music. Kenwick Table is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

PJ’s Coffee: Located in Gatton Business School on the University of Kentucky’s campus, PJ’s is open weekdays starting at 8 a.m.

Chaotic Good Coffee, Comics and Games: Chaotic Good serves Roadmap CoffeeWorks at its 545 S. Broadway location. You can bring friends to take advantage of on-site games or bring your own. It is open 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Genesis Coffee House & Eatery: Serving coffee and tea, along with breakfast and lunch, Genesis is located at 1403 N. Forbes Road, Suite 130. It is open Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Java Jukebox: Located at 640 W. Maxwell St., No. 130, Java Jukebox advertises locally roasted coffee and a breakfast menu. The business also has a food truck. Hours for the Maxwell Street location are 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m on weekends.

Grounded All Day Cafe: This shop, advertised as a “gathering spot,” offers caffeinated treats alongside breakfast menu items from its location at 106 Burke Road. Its hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Luna’s Coffee, Wine & Butterfly Cafe: This spot near Lexington offers your coffee fix, along with alcoholic beverages and food. The owners have a passion for nature, according to its website, and Luna’s butterfly house is home to species native to Kentucky. Luna’s is located at 109 Springdale Drive in Nicholasville and is open beginning at 7:30 a.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

4th Level Roasters:

Note: This article was last updated at 11:22 a.m. Friday, Dec. 29 with more coffee shops suggested by our readers.