Nothing kick starts your day like a great cup of coffee. While coffee houses line almost every street in America, some have a cooler vibe than others - and I think we can all admit it, coffee shops are the one place where you can hang out alone and not feel lonely.

 Americans love their coffee. Each day, U.S. citizens consume a total of 400 million cups of java. Sixty-three percent of us start our day with a mug of coffee, averaging three cups per person, per day. According to the National Coffee Association of America, coffee is the second most frequently consumed beverage in the United States, a close second to water. 

 Galveston’s emerging coffee scene is growing to meet our ever-increasing need for caffeine. Several specialty coffee roasters have joined the dozens of coffee houses that populate the island. Some are ideal for a ‘grab and go,’ while others work better for weekly group get togethers. 

 Whether you’re looking for a quiet place to kick back and check your e-mails or need a quick respite from holiday shopping, there is a java joint for everyone. Offerings include the most popular items you would normally expect on coffee menus like espressos, cappuccinos, and lattes and others have specialty drinks that include alcohol, holiday cheer, or bites of coffee cuisine. Some have added seasonal specialties for the winter season, and most of them offer free Wi-Fi in comfy, cozy environs. 

 The following is a list of island favorites compiled by our staff and readers. If you don’t see your favorite, please let us know, we will be sure to include them in any updates on Galveston’s growing coffee scene.

 Corduroy Coffee and Clay, 2521 Winnie Street 

A micro coffee roastery that operates out of a charming camper on Winnie Street during the week and pulls out to sell and serve at Galveston’s Own Farmers Market on Sundays, Corduroy Coffee and Clay has a fun and relaxed outdoor seating area that is as welcoming as your own porch. 

Owner Kevin Lopata has been roasting coffee for seven years, the last four on Galveston Island. His grandparents were BOIs (born on island) and Lopata spent every summer and weekends on the island while attending school in Houston, becoming a full-time resident himself in 2019. 

 He micromanages the process of coffee making from bean to cup: he is the green buyer, roaster, and barista. He is also a ceramicist, selling unique coffee-ware along with his specialty roasted coffees. He also makes unique blends for customers like the new Hotel Lucine, 1002 Seawall Blvd., which serves his coffee exclusively. 

“Everything is made with intention, including the cup,” said Lopata who sources beans from all over the world including Costa Rica and Ethiopia. 

Lopata serves organic milks and products without preservatives. Customers are encouraged to “come as they are” and hang at his site where “shoes are optional, but good music is not.” 

Look for an expansion into the bottom floor of the building behind the trailer sometime early next year. For more information, call 713.584.5119 or visit corduroycoffeeandclay.com. 

Freckleberry Teahouse, 2724 Market Street
Don’t let the name fool you, Freckleberry Teahouse serves up a great beaker of brew. Located in the heart of downtown’s west Market Street neighborhood, this coffee and tea café offers a casual and comfy atmosphere in both indoor and outdoor seating areas. 

 Guests are greeted by an open and bright space surrounded with plants. Big windows showcase the lush outdoor patio. Guests can crash on a couch or step into the outdoor garden where monthly parties include live music, pop up shops, or making s’mores around a fire. Or maybe you just want to visit with the chickens. 

 Owner and islander Kahla Bankston brings a decade of experience to the coffee table as the former manager of Evia’s Sugar Bean Coffee & Cream. 

 Freckleberry’s menu is extensive, from a full espresso bar and teas of all kinds, to snacking options like overnight oats, charcuterie boxes, and pastries. Their menu has a seasonal rotation; the best-selling item on the winter menu is the cookie butter coffee, which is a mug of Texas pecan drip coffee with a scoop of cookie butter and topped with house-made cold foam and crushed cookies. 

 For more information, call 409.457.5490 or visit them on Facebook or Instagram.

 Harbor’s Edge Coffee and Goods, 2326 The Strand
Harbor’s Edge Coffee and Goods is a charming and inviting full-service coffee shop nestled along The Strand, in the stunning Hutchings, Sealy & Company Building. They offer a warm and welcoming atmosphere where locals and visitors can savor the finest coffee and artisanal treats while taking in the charming downtown district. The shop is located just behind the elevator down the hall on the first floor. 

 Owner and islander Jenni Nigro is a Realtor who also owns Mercantile on The Strand and Moxie’s Lifestyle Lingerie and Resort Wear. Nigro opened the coffee shop earlier this year in late summer and is excited to be housed in this stunning location that is “steeped in Galveston tradition and beautifully decorated for the holiday season.”

 

Indoor café seating is ideal for those who need a respite from shopping and the outdoor patio overlooks the cruise ship terminal where ships sail in and out of port. A new lounge and student study hall have recently been added on the third floor to accommodate Galveston’s growing population of students attending UTMB, Texas A&M at Galveston, and Galveston College.

Harbor’s Edge boasts a top-of-the-line Italian expresso machine made by La Marzocco and purchases their pastries exclusively from locally owned Coastal Bakeshop. 

 Try one of their holiday specials like gingerbread and snickerdoodle coffees. There is free street parking in front of and to the side of the shop until 9 a.m. For more information, follow them on social media.

MarMo Café & Lounge, 2121 Market Street
MarMo Café & Lounge offers a wide variety of food and beverages and is one of the few establishments that sells coffee drinks laced with alcohol. 

 Owner Iaroslav “Yarik” Golobokov is a Ukrainian ex-pat who emigrated to the U.S. in 2011 and has made Galveston his home with wife Dasha for more than a decade. He earned a hospitality and culinary degree from Galveston College and loves to integrate hints of European culture and traditions into his menu. Golobokov makes all of his coffee syrups daily and in-house. 

 Special holiday-themed coffee cocktails have been added to their seasonal menu. Enjoy your hot and spirited cup of joe in front of an outdoor fire pit on the patio with live music on weekends. 

 For more information, call 409.888.1832 or follow them on Facebook.

 

 MOD Coffeehouse, 2126 Postoffice Street
This island favorite has been serving coffee connoisseurs for more than 20 years, making them the longest-running coffee house on Galveston Island. Fun, funky, and comfortable furnishings and décor are set in a light and open environment. Ample seating is offered in the main and community rooms inside, as well as on the beautiful jasmine-covered, outdoor patio. 

 Owner Holly Hopkins takes pride as “steward of this coffee community” that has survived island hardships such as Hurricane Ike and the pandemic. 

 Hopkins and her staff of highly trained baristas, many of whom have been part of the MOD squad for 10 years, continually deliver the highest quality, hand-crafted specialty coffees. They have a wide range of lattes that offer something for every palate; each of which was developed by team members over the years. 

 Hopkins is dedicated to continuing the tradition of supporting all things local. The tables are made by local crafts people, the walls are filled with the work of Galveston artists, and the food cases are brimming with scratch-made cakes and pastries baked in-house and kolaches supplied by Good Dough by Mary Bass. 

 Houston-based Katz Coffee worked closely with MOD to develop their signature house blend and super smooth velvet espresso, and they work closely with farmers to ensure all beans are ethically sourced in a manner that also promotes sustainability. 

 MOD offers a tried-and-true coffee menu along with new and unique options. Several holiday favorites have been added to the winter menu. Customers can enjoy live music on the patio on Friday and Saturday nights, weather permitting. 

 For more information, call 409.765.5659 or visit them at modcoffeehouse.com.

Red Light Coffee Roasters, 2728 Market Street
Expect a warm welcome along with your warm beverage at this intimate coffee house owned by islanders Steve and Annette Frank. Camp out in the cozy indoor seating or relax in one of the outdoor swing chairs.

 Red Light roasts all of their own coffee in-house, makes their own syrups, and offers Grade A specialty coffee from all over the world including Costa Rica, Peru, and Ethiopia, among others. Expect a friendly and knowledgeable staff to eagerly answer all of your coffee questions. 

 Seasonal specials include the spooky spice, hazelnut foam cold brew, and shaken pecan and macadamia nut latte. Or get their customer favorite: the Hive Five made with local organic honey, cinnamon, and oat milk. 

 For more information, call 409.220.3189 or visit RedLightCoffeeRoasters.com.

 Seawall Coffee Company, 3802 Cove View Blvd., Suite R
This west end java joint is owned and operated by sisters and business partners Meghan Billiot and Paula Kovach. The former originally moved to the beach to start a fishing charter, and the latter moved to be near family during the COVID pandemic. Together they created a comfortable environment that offers great coffee and an inviting atmosphere to eat and drink, relax, or work remotely. 

 The sisters credit their life-long obsession with coffee and their quest for the perfect brew for the success of their coffee café. That and their special blends roasted exclusively for them by Fika Java Coffee, which is now owned by Segundo Coffee Lab. The house blend has a bold flavor with no tangy aftertaste.

Seawall Coffee Company offers a wide selection of sweet and savory food with vegan and gluten-free items. Billiot and Kovach have taken over the space next door and will open a kitchen early next year with a focus on breakfast items and possibly light lunch selections. 

 Free Wi-Fi and comfortable seating are available to customers all day in a relaxed environment. The custom mural on the wall was inspired by Meghan’s late son, Sgt. James Johnston, who died in the line of duty and was an avid coffee connoisseur. 

 For more information, call 409.632.7508 or visit seawallcoffeecompany.com.

Segundo Coffee Lab, 1110 23rd Street
Who doesn’t like a fresh-roasted cup of coffee with their bagel or baked goods? And that is why husband and wife team, Martha and Manuel Gil, opened their newest location inside the same space as the Galveston Bagel Company, a little over three months ago. 

 They are one of the island’s premier coffee roasters, supplying several local restaurants, coffee shops, and groceries with specialty-crafted blends.

 The duo always wanted to open a local roastery with a Hispanic flare, and they realized their dreams when they purchased Fika Java Coffee earlier this year. 

 The Gils source their green beans from Guatemala, through Fika Java in Houston, which is where they roast their coffee and create one-of-a-kind blends for BLVD Seafood, Seawall Coffee Company, Seven Seas Grocery, and Arlan’s Market. 

 “We create specific blends with different profiles for each of our clients,” Martha said. “We take their specific requests and deliver a unique product to each one of them.” 

 The Gils have locations in downtown Houston and Galveston, selling coffee drinks and Mexican snacks like tamales, barbacoa tacos, and more. Their house-made blends are also available for retail sale. They share accommodations with Galveston Bagel Company so there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. 

 For more information, call 832.341.8700 or visit fikajava.com.

 Sugar Bean Coffee & Cream, 11 Evia Main
This neighborhood escape, nestled at the gateway to the beautiful west end community of Evia, has been serving Galveston Island for 16 years. 

 Whether you’re in search of a quick caffeine fix or a comfortable nook for remote work, their space is as inviting as a warm embrace. Evia is fast-becoming a commercial and social hub, a place that has captured the hearts of locals and tourists - from students seeking a study haven to friends and groups gathering for weekly meet and greets. 

 “Folks may come for the coffee, but they stay for the ambience,” said owner Jocelyn Sullivan who shadowed the original MOD coffeehouse owners for a full year before opening her coffee café. 

 “MOD is the OG of coffee houses in Galveston, who better to learn the craft from?” Sullivan said. Sugar Bean sources their coffee from Sunbelt Imports in Houston, and they get their baked goods from island bakeries. Sullivan suggests trying their most popular brew, made with Texas pecans, and the fun, seasonal items that have been added to the winter menu. 

 For more information, call 409.974.4473 or visit sugarbeancoffee.com.