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Best Coffee Roasters in New England

If you’re a java hound, you know that there’s nothing quite like going straight to the source for a fine cup of joe. In this day and age, coffee — like small batch tea and craft alcohols — is often treated more like an alchemic art than a regular old beverage. Looking to try this new batch of brews? Luckily, New England's fair share of independent coffee roasteries means a fresh pour is never too far away.

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Coffee beans about to roasted
Flickr/Allagash Brewing/(CC BY 2.0)

Massachusetts: George Howell

With a factory 30 minutes from downtown Boston, the George Howell roasterie in Acton, Mass., is right in the action. The factory isn’t currently open to tours, but you can pick up your online order there. And, if you’re dying to try their delicious blends or specialty espresso you can stop in at one of their four Massachusetts cafes which happen to have coffee tourism in New England on a major upswing. [run-on]

Maine: Rock City

Stack of coffee cups
Flickr/ErikHersman/(CC BY 2.0)

Rock City Coffee Roasters in Rockland, Maine, have won many awards for their roasting, but what customers will tell you is that they’re real winners for their sense of community. Adept at making specialty blends for local restaurants and B&Bs, they’re all about using their roasterie to support small business.

Rhode Island: New Harvest

New Harvest Roasters, based out of the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket, RI is another New England coffee roaster with a social mission: educate the industry about sustainable coffee. With a second cafe in downtown Providence (conveniently also serving whiskey and other spirits), New Harvest is spicing up the Rhode Island caffeine scene.

New Hampshire: Breaking New Grounds

Set up right in downtown Portsmouth, N.H., this cafe and roasterie offers an unbeatable sidewalk spot for your caffeine indulgence. Talk about small batch, the roasting at Breaking New all happens in-store on one machine. In summer, you will catch customers showing off their iced drinks all over Instagram.

An Americano
Flickr/Jeremiah Andrick/ (CC BY 2.0)

Vermont: Mocha Joe’s

With Mocha Joe’s we’ve come full circle in our journey through coffee roasters in New England. Founded by a protégé of the original George of George Howell, Mocha Joe’s is now another superb small roaster and distributor of New England. With one subterranean cafe on Main St in Brattleboro, Joe’s is a Southern Vermont staple for the boho and blue collar alike.

Connecticut: Ashlawn Farms

Foamy espresso drink
Flickr/EverymanEspresso/(CC BY 2.0)

A family dairy farm for almost a hundred years, Ashlawn is no longer making milk, but now roasts all their beans in those same old heritage barns in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Stop in at one of their two Connecticut locations for the thickest, creamiest affogato served in a petite glass cup. There you have it: That concludes our top coffee roasters in New England to visit today for a tasty jolt. When the caffeine buzz wears off, head to one of our favorite hotels for foodies to balance out your palette with a fresh plate, fine wine, and restful night.  

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