It’s never “just coffee”—here are our Traverse City indie coffee shop picks to fit your sun sign’s personality.
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Aries: Espresso Bay
Optimistic, passionate Aries will love the vibe at Espresso Bay, set in the heart of the Front Street/downtown scene. The bustling crowd, colorful gelato offerings and a cheery fireplace seating area match Aries’ bold, straightforward energy.
Taurus: Third Coast Bakery
With their grounded nature, love of beauty and a finer-things palette, our Taurus friends will feel at home at Third Coast Bakery. The vegan, gluten-free bakery/café delights with scratch-made treats, a cozy fireplace indoors and children’s butterfly garden outside.
Gemini: Horizon Café
Whimsical, cerebral and people-centered Gemini knows that heaven is coffee, treats and books—Horizon Book’s in-store café lets you thumb through your new purchases at the coffee bar while you enjoy the people watching on Front Street.
Cancer: Good Harbor Coffee and Bakery
This OG of the TC coffee shop scene has a cozy cluster of tables, devoted clientele and a soul-warming pastry case (the scones!!!) that make for a natural fit for homebody Cancer’s sensitive and nurturing nature.
Photo by Dave Weidner
Leo: Mundos 305
Leo’s big energy requires a big stage for look-at-me meetups; Mundos’ Front Street location, with soaring windows and minimalist décor, is expansive, “scene-y” and stylish—perfect for a morning meeting.
Virgo: Higher Grounds Coffee Bar and Roastery
The exacting pour-overs, flawless house-made syrups and quality roasts at Higher Grounds’ roastery café will delight detail-oriented Virgo. The indoor seating is no-nonsense, but that suits Virgo’s practicality fine—and the outdoor patio is perfection in warmer months.
Libra: NoBo Mrkt
The setting and concept behind NoBo Mrkt café appeals to Libra’s sense of balance, harmony and justice. The café, which serves locally roasted coffee and farm-to-table fare, lives in the co-operative Commongrounds building, home to gallery and co-working spaces, teaching kitchens and community housing.
Scorpio: Cuppa Joe Westside
Bold art, playful music, and a way-more-than-nibbles menu are a fit for Scorpio’s emotional energy. But bonus: Cuppa Joe’s setting, in the revitalized former mental hospital at The Commons, dovetails with Scorpio’s planetary energy (Pluto) that governs transformation.
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Photo by Dave Weidner
Photo by Dave Weidner
Sagittarius: Hexenbelle
Tucked in the Warehouse MRKT, Hexenbelle is a welcome escape, especially if you pair your coffee with the Arabic-inspired comfort food menu—an irresistible match to Sagittarius’ curiosity, passion and wanderlust.
Capricorn: Mundos West
Our goat friends are patient, dedicated and ruled by time, living by the motto life is short: too short to skip coffee, but also too short to wait in line or hang out endlessly. Mundos West’s tiny storefront caters to walk-up orders and gets you in and out fast. If you want to linger a bit, grab a seat at the window or head to the inviting outdoor table down by Kids Creek.
Aquarius: Water Bearer Coffee
With their love of all things unconventional, creative, community-minded and intellectual, Aquarians will be drawn toward their namesake Water Bearer Coffee (formerly Rough Pony). How so? Credit the astrological vibe, rich blue décor and its walk-through connection to Darling Botanical, a boutique plant shop filled with unexpected and witty offerings.
Pisces: Outpost Coffee
Kind, creative and adaptable Pisces craves experiences that create a mood and appeal to the senses. The newly imagined Outpost Coffee (formerly Brew) is a sister biz to The Mill in Glen Arbor, known for its soothing and sophisticated environment. The sustainably sourced coffee from Brooklyn’s Parlor is legendarily smooth and delish, plus breads and treats by a former Zingerman’s baker crackle with goodness.
Photo by Allison Acosta