The Best Hidden Coffee Shops in Medellin
Beyond the famous chains, Medellin has a thriving specialty coffee scene rooted in Colombian culture. We visited 12 independent cafes to find the ones truly worth your time.
Medellin's Coffee Renaissance
Colombia is the world's third-largest coffee producer, and Medellin has become the epicenter of its third-wave movement. Unlike Bogota, where roasters tend toward the academic, Medellin's cafe culture is warm, neighborhood-driven, and fiercely independent.
Our Top Picks
Cafe Pergamino in El Poblado remains the standard-bearer — single-origin pour-overs with tasting notes that actually make sense. But the real discoveries are further afield: Velvet Cafe in Laureles draws a local creative crowd, while Urbania in Envigado roasts its own beans and runs weekend tastings. If you only have one coffee in the city, make it a washed Huila at any of these three.
A note on price: expect to pay 8,000-14,000 COP for a specialty drink. Worth every peso.