With freshers just around the corner and students returning, I wanted to create a list of the best places to grab a coffee with friends in Plymouth. It can be pretty daunting moving away from home for the first time, especially if it’s a brand-new town or city and you don’t know where anything is or where you can hang out with your new friends and grab a coffee together.

So here are my favourite places to grab a coffee and have a catch up in Plymouth.

The Ground Coffee House

Beckley Point 192 Armada Way, Plymouth PL1 1LD

The Ground Coffee House is an independent coffee shop selling artisan coffee, speciality tea, local cakes and lunch. The staff are super friendly and welcoming, the atmosphere and décor is lovely and has a great space to chill, catch up with friends and enjoy they’re AMAZING cakes (They even do gluten free for those with a gluten intolerance).

The shop is on the bigger side with a superb upstairs area with great views into town; it’s a great place for families and students, being only down the road from Plymouth University. It’s an absolute pleasure to go to, especially when comparing them to your run of the mill coffee chain.

Their food is delicious and will happily tailor anything they can to dietary needs.

The opening times are:
Monday-Friday: 8 am – 5.30 pm
Saturday: 9 am – 5.30 om
Sunday: Closed

Koffiehuis

9 Vauxhall Quay, Plymouth PL4 0EZ

Koffiehuis is an independent coffee shop serving Butterworth’s speciality coffee, tea, milkshakes and plenty more, located at Plymouth’s Sutton Harbour, it’s a great hidden gem of Plymouth. They’re in a great place to sit, relax, and watch the world go by, with incredible views to enjoy out across the water. The shop itself is built into a renovated garage which gives it a lovely cosy atmosphere.

It was established in 2017 by three friends who went to Plymouth University together. It has a great atmosphere, wonderful customer service and lots of character. Perfect for catching up with friends.

If you’re looking for somewhere with a chilled atmosphere, great location, great coffee and milkshakes, then Koffiehuis is a must!

Their opening times are:
Monday-Friday: 9 am – 4 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday: Closed

The Canadian Muffin Co

172 Armada Way, Plymouth PL1 1LB, England

The Canadian Muffin Co is a lovely little cafe right in the heart of Plymouth City Centre. It serves drinks and AMAZING freshly baked muffins that are just divine! They even do bran fat-free muffins, so you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging!

That’s not all, as well as sweet muffins they also do savoury ones for the people without a sweet tooth, they will even do them warm which I think just makes them better!

It’s a small shop, but has big personality and friendly faces, it’s very welcoming and in the perfect location to stop off while shopping in Plymouth City Centre.

Their opening times are:
Monday-Saturday: 8.30 am – 5 pm
Sunday: Closed

Barista Brothers

135-137 Armada Way, Plymouth, PL1 1HX

Barista Brothers is an authentic boutique coffee bar, serving traditional Italian food and finely crafted drinks. Their coffee is delightful, and they still use the same original recipe for their milkshakes using real Italian ice cream, blended with both classic Italian flavours and contemporary confectioneries, they really are the ideal indulgent!

It a great place to visit with friends and family, with great staff and lovely locals to help you feel welcome. The decor is awesome and has that retro Italian vibe about it. It’s in a great location near the city centre, so not far from Plymouth University to stop off after lectures or after a day of shopping.

The food is delicious and super filling, with lots to chose from on their vast menu. The coffee is really smooth and still made with the same coffee as the original Barista Brothers used when it first opened. If coffee isn’t your thing then why not try one of their milkshakes?

Their opening times are:
Monday-Saturday: 8 am – 6 pm
Sunday: 9 am – 5 pm

The Gorge

72 Royal Parade, Plymouth, PL1 1EW

The Gorge is a fun and quirky cafe well positioned in the town centre on Royal Parade. The layout is bright and cheerful with rows of seating, and the best part about it… It looks like a cave inside, they’ve done some really cool decor that makes it feel like you’re inside a lovely cave with great lighting, it’s a really unusual and fun atmosphere!

You order food at the till and after a short wait they bring it to your table. The menu is great, it doesn’t break the bank and it’s perfect for anyone shopping in the town centre and is super close to bus routes.

The food is always cooked to perfection and really filling; they offer a great variety including cooked breakfasts, hot dogs, burgers and milkshakes.

Their opening times:
Monday-Friday: 7.15 am – 5 pm
Saturday: 7.15 am – 5.30 pm
Sunday: 9.30 am – 4 pm

Coffee #1

25-27 Cornwall St, Plymouth PL1 1NW

Coffee #1 is a chain coffee shop serving gourmet coffees and snacks. It’s more than just your typical chain coffee shop though, although usually filled with people, it still has a lovely chilled atmosphere with sofas and soft seating to help create some creature comforts.

The staff are friendly and helpful, and they have a great menu with a huge range of both hot and cold drinks like teas, speciality coffees, smoothies and frappes. Their food menu offers a great selection of savoury snacks, pastries, toast, breakfast food and kid’s toasties.

Their opening times are:
Monday-Saturday: 8 am – 6 pm
Sunday: 8.30 am – 5 pm

The Pig

133 Armada Way, Plymouth, PL1 1HX

The pig is a great place to hang out and relax over coffee with friends and family and right in the city centre so easy to find. The decor and atmosphere here are pretty cool, it’s modern yet old school, with a mix match of everything that just seems to look and feel great together.

The coffee is great, and the food is freshly made and wholesome which tastes SO good. New dishes get added from time to time which is great for mixing things up and keeps the menu fresh. If you want to do something a little different then why not go up to their upstairs area for a few games of pool?

Their opening times are:
Monday-Wednesday: 9 am – 6 pm
Thursday-Saturday: 9 am – 9.30 pm
Sunday: 10 am – 4.30 pm

The Americano Coffee House

2 Cornwall Street, Plymouth, PL1 1LP

The Americano Coffee House is uniquely styled in a way that screams old school jazz club, with soft seating and booths, it truly is a fab place to hang out with friends and have a good natter and catch up.

It was one of the first boutique coffee houses in the South West, serving fresh food and delicious coffee which is ethically sourced. Their food is hand prepared every day and their snacks and meals are a perfect break-time companion.

Their opening times are:
Monday-Friday: 7 am – 5.30 pm
Saturday: 7 am – 6 pm
Sunday 9 am – 5.30 pm

Plymouth really is a unique city full of wonderful, quirky and friendly places to visit, hopefully, this list of the best coffee shops in Plymouth will help you get to know Britain’s Ocean City a bit better.