January Coffee — Restaurant in Boulder

If you’re the casual coffee, latte- consumer, you won’t find a better café in Boulder to work remotely, study, or simply read a book in one of the best atmospheres in the area. I loved the vibrant energy the space gives and warm laughs of the staff, that leaves me wanting to come back.

That said, I’m not your typical coffee consumer, I’m more of a nightmare for barista’s, as I seek out pour overs, and pour overs only. I believed I spoke to the owner, or manager, who was friendly, but very defensive when I questioned why they don’t have pour over as an option. While the reasons he listed were legitimate from a business perspective, I disagreed at the idea drip coffee could extract a better cup of coffee than a pour over or the idea that just because Boulder is not a sea level, it should not keep you from making simple adjustments to your brew process.

After all my years of ritually brewing pour over daily has taught me, in the end, it’s all subjective anyhow. While pour over may be more of a pain for baristas to brew, you ultimately have more control over the brew. I personally love when coffee is slightly more sour, or tea-like, so why can’t I suggest to a barista to prepare the pour over with water a degree or two colder to my preference? Or suggest a finer grind size? People who go to cocktail bars give the bartender their preferences, why can’t cafes be the same? I would tip the barista more for that freedom!

If I sound mad, that is not my intent, I just have a hard time justifying spending $4-$7 on coffee at a cafe, when I can make it to my preference at home.

All that said, out of all the cafés in Boulder that only offer drip, I give this one top marks for at least offering a variety of different drips — rather than just a single...

January Coffee is a true gem, located in the heart of Boulder. As a coffee aficionado, I was delighted by the quality of their drinks and the dedication of the baristas. On my first visit, I had an excellent cortado, both in taste and presentation, as well as a sparkling iced Americano, which the barista kindly crafted for me.

January's owners John and Kristi started their careers in LA and have three decades of combined experience in the coffee industry. January is a dream come true and a labor of love, it's the result of their knowledge, passion, commitment and hard work. They surely didn't take the easy road. They created the shop interior with their own hands, making the loft space feel like one's cozy living room; they choose to be a multi-roaster, a rare find in the area, and have the much acclaimed Onyx as their house roaster.

January offers two espresso (Onyx & featured SOE), two drip (comfort vs. adventure), and a small but well crafted menu of seasonal drinks. Summer drink Tangerine Dream is a rich, dreamy lightly sweet cold brew; Fairly OddMatcha plays fun with the classic strawberry and matcha combo; lately the delicious Sweater Weather proves PSL doesn't rule the fall season by itself. By the way I love these names.

The baristas at January are a friendly and talented team. I've always felt welcome at the shop, and it's clear that they all share a love of coffee and a sense of camaraderie. It's no surprise that January has quickly gained a devoted following in the community and even received a Best New Cafe nomination in the...

I found this place while looking for places to get good espresso in Boulder. I ended up visiting 5 shops during my time in Boulder and this was by far my favorite. My main criteria is always the espresso and they really hit the nail on the head. They offered a blend and a single origin and the single origin rotated during the few days I was visiting. I tried all of the coffees in various forms and every single one was great.

I also sampled some of the batch brew they had on offer which was delicious. Aside from the espresso, they also have an amazing food program. The breakfast sandwich, breakfast burrito, and pastries were all excellent.

The final piece which really sealed the deal was the service, atmosphere, and friendliness of the staff. The owners Kristi and John were working most of the days I went in and chatted with me about the coffee on offer, the things they were excited about, and the other shops in the area worth going to. If I was in the area and only had time to go to a single coffee shop I would choose this...