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The Best Coffee Shops in Middletown, CT (Where Locals Actually Go)

By Erik Hernal, founder & editor

The best coffee shops in Middletown, CT are Klekolo World Coffee (181 Court Street), Perkatory Coffee Roasters (725 Main Street), MOTW Coffee & Pastries (425 Main Street), and Perk on Main (386 Main Street). Middletown does coffee better than a city this size has any right to, and almost all of it is on or just off Main Street. Below is the honest local list, the true coffee shops first, then the bakery-cafes where the coffee rides shotgun. All of it open and checked this month.

The real coffee shops

Klekolo World Coffee (181 Court Street) is the one locals name first, the independent coffee house in Middletown people stay loyal to. It pours organic and fair-trade beans, keeps local art on the walls, and stays open late (until 11 on weekends), which almost nothing else around here does. Order an iced coffee and you'll get coffee ice cubes so it never waters down. It's a real community hub and the heart of Middletown for an evening cup of coffee or a work session.

Perkatory Coffee Roasters (725 Main Street) is the one for people who care where the beans come from, because they roast them right there. It's serious specialty coffee, a rotating selection of single-origin and house blends, in a room that's gritty in the best way with bright artwork on the walls. It opens at 6am, so it's the commuter's pick.

MOTW Coffee & Pastries (425 Main Street) is the newest of the bunch and the latest-open in town (Friday and Saturday until midnight). The hook is specialty lattes paired with Middle Eastern pastries, which nobody else here is doing.

Perk on Main (386 Main Street) pairs artisanal coffee with sweet and savory crepes and runs the place on wind energy with near-zero waste. People go on about the cranberry scones. There's plenty of seating, so it's the one for settling in.

The bakery-cafes (great coffee, plus a reason to stay)

Sweet Harmony Cafe & Bakery (330 Main Street) is a full bakery with specialty lattes and a delicious pastry case (fresh cakes, pies, and pastries made daily), a local favorite with warm staff and a sit-down room for breakfast and lunch. Brew Bakers (169 Main Street) is the spacious one, an upscale-casual cafe with a European-leaning breakfast and lunch menu and room to spread out. Red & Black Cafe (45 Broad Street), run by the WesWings crew near Wesleyan, is the casual students-and-locals spot (it opens late morning, not an early-bird place). And Cohen's Bagel Company (413 Main Street, inside the bookstore) is really a New York-style bagel shop that also pours a good cup, so go for the bagel and let the coffee come along.

Common questions about coffee in Middletown

Which Middletown coffee shop is best for working? We recommend Klekolo (late hours, plenty of corners) and Perk on Main (lots of seating), the two to settle into with a drink and a laptop. Perkatory is better for a quick, serious cup than a long session.

Anywhere open late for coffee? Yes, two. MOTW runs until midnight on Friday and Saturday, and Klekolo until 11 on weekends. After that you're out of luck downtown.

Who actually roasts their own? Perkatory Coffee Roasters, right on Main Street. That's the spot for fresh single-origin and whole beans to take home.

Best grab-and-go? Cohen's Bagel for a bagel and coffee, or Perkatory if you just need a fast, good cup on the way in.

While you're caffeinated and out, here are the local guides to the best restaurants in Middletown, breakfast and brunch, free things to do, a perfect weekend itinerary, and moving to Middletown. See what's on this week on our events page, browse past issues, or subscribe above for the Thursday rundown.