Macon’s independent coffee scene has grown directly alongside the city’s downtown revitalization, with several locally owned shops opening in formerly vacant storefronts along Poplar Street, Cotton Avenue, and the College Hill Corridor. Mercer University has been a catalyst: Z Beans Coffee, founded by a 2018 Mercer graduate through the Mercer Innovation Center, now operates a roasting facility and multiple locations in downtown Macon. That entrepreneurial energy, combined with a steady customer base of Mercer students, Wesleyan College students, and Middle Georgia State University commuters, gives Macon’s coffee shops a built-in weekday crowd that many mid-sized Georgia cities lack.
The demand shifts with the calendar. Macon’s long, humid summers (average highs above 90°F from June through September) push cold brew and iced drinks to the top of most menus for nearly half the year. Several shops, including Cathedral Coffee on Zebulon Road, have added drive-thrus to serve commuters along the I-475 corridor without forcing them out of air-conditioned cars. In cooler months, foot traffic picks up downtown, especially during events like the International Cherry Blossom Festival in March, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to Macon and fills nearby cafes.
Pricing in Macon stays well below Atlanta. A specialty latte at most local Macon shops runs between $4 and $6, while a basic drip coffee typically costs $2 to $4. Several Macon roasters source their own beans directly, and the city’s lower commercial rents compared to Atlanta’s Intown neighborhoods allow independent operators to compete on both price and quality.
Top-Rated Coffee Shops in Macon, Georgia
Taste and See Coffee Shop and Gallery
Adres: 546 Poplar St, Macon, GA 31201
Website: rootsandrefugecoffee.com
Operating since 2013 on downtown Macon’s Poplar Street, Taste and See combines a full coffee and espresso menu with a rotating gallery of local photography and art. The shop roasts under its own Roots & Refuge Coffee Roasters brand and serves organic coffees, teas, and house-made pastries alongside a lunch menu of sandwiches and soups. Its signature “Liquid Gold” latte (caramel and honey-vanilla) appears frequently in customer reviews. The interior expands well beyond its narrow storefront, with a wood-accented seating area and an outdoor alleyway patio. Taste and See holds a 100/100 health inspection score from the Bibb County health department.
Cathedral Coffee
Adres: 5915 Zebulon Rd, Macon, GA 31210
Website: cathedralcoffee.org
Located inside Northway Church in North Macon, Cathedral Coffee is built around a distinctive interior with cathedral archways and vaulted ceilings. The shop sources beans from Batdorf and Bronson Coffee Roasters in Atlanta and offers espresso drinks, blended beverages, soups, sandwiches, and pastries. Every table has power and USB outlets, and free Wi-Fi makes it a popular remote-work spot. A drive-thru window serves commuters on Zebulon Road near the I-475 interchange. Cathedral Coffee is open Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Village Coffee
Adres: 2391 Ingleside Ave, Macon, GA 31204
Website: vcmacon.com
Situated in Macon’s historic Ingleside Village neighborhood, Village Coffee uses a custom espresso roast developed with Rev Coffee Roasters out of Smyrna, Georgia. The shop bakes its own pastries, scones, muffins, and cookies in-house and keeps at least one gluten-free option in the case. A breakfast grill serves burritos, biscuits, and croissants until 1 p.m. daily. Village Coffee also carries a rotating selection of craft beers, including a “Flat Black” made with Guinness and an espresso shot, available after 11 a.m. The cafe is open seven days a week.
Coffee Shops in Macon: Common Questions
How much does a latte typically cost at a Macon, GA coffee shop?
At most independent Macon coffee shops, a specialty latte runs between $4 and $6 depending on size and added flavors. A standard drip coffee is usually $2 to $4. These prices sit noticeably below what you would pay at comparable independent shops in Atlanta’s Midtown or Decatur neighborhoods, largely because of Macon’s lower commercial rent and operating costs.
What licenses are needed to open a coffee shop in Macon-Bibb County?
Any food-service business in Macon-Bibb County needs a Zoning Compliance form from the Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning Commission, a fire inspection, and a Food Service Permit from the Georgia Department of Public Health. You must also obtain an Occupation Tax Certificate (business license) through the Macon-Bibb County Tax Commissioner’s office. If your shop falls within a downtown Design Review District (zones marked “H” or “CBD”), exterior modifications may also require a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Design Review Board.
How does Macon’s summer heat affect what local coffee shops serve?
With average highs above 90°F from June through September, cold brew, iced lattes, and blended drinks dominate Macon coffee shop menus for roughly five months of the year. Several shops report that cold beverages outsell hot ones during the summer. This is one reason multiple Macon cafes have invested in drive-thru windows, since customers often prefer not to leave their air-conditioned cars during peak heat.
Are there locally roasted coffee beans available in Macon, GA?
Macon has at least two roasting operations within city limits. Roots & Refuge Coffee Roasters, connected to Taste and See Coffee Shop on Poplar Street, roasts on-site in downtown Macon. Z Beans Coffee, founded by a Mercer University graduate, imports micro-lots directly from Ecuador and roasts at its downtown facility on Third Street. Both sell retail bags alongside their cafe offerings.
Which Macon neighborhoods have the highest concentration of independent coffee shops?
Downtown Macon along Poplar Street, Cotton Avenue, and Second Street has the densest cluster, with Taste and See, Z Beans, and Reckon Coffee and Wine Bar all within walking distance of each other near the Mercer University campus. Ingleside Village, about two miles west of downtown, is home to Village Coffee. North Macon along Zebulon Road and Thomaston Road offers Cathedral Coffee and Red Owl Coffee Company, both convenient to the I-475 commuter corridor.