"Coffee for doin' mountain stuff," reads the Mountain Folk Coffee website.

"Mountain Folk Coffee provides fresh, locally roasted coffee to folks who work and play here in the beautiful Appalachian mountains."

Based out of Lewisburg, this coffee roaster carries beans from: Brazil, Colombia, Tanzania and Ethiopia in various forms. They have pods, ground coffee, whole beans, etc.

Some area cafés also serve this local coffee at their shops. I love the smell of it and I can't wait to try it out. Have you tried it yet?

It wasn't long ago when I could count the number of good coffee shops in Morgantown on one hand. Now, it likely takes two between Stone Tower Brews, Mountaineer Roasting Co., Quantum Bean, The Grind, Blue Moose, Annie's Coffee & Creamery and Coffee Tree Roasters.



Coffee Tree Roasters is originally a Pittsburgh-based shop that has expanded to Morgantown.

"Pittsburgh’s original coffee shop, specializing in fresh-roasted coffee, specialty espresso beverages paired with premium products like 1883 syrups and Hollander sauces, local sweets, and treats. A certified woman-owned business focusing on the community through partnerships like our “Brewing Success” program and collaborations with other small businesses like Mindful Brewing. We provide a warm and welcoming environment to meet with friends and colleagues or to set up your laptop and focus on work."



The interior is like a slick rustic vibe with the wood paneling, Edison bulbs, faux greenery, fairy lights - the whole nine yards.



The menu festures cappuccinos, lattes, cold brew, "frozaccinos," and specialty drinks. A dessert case features sweet treats like donuts, danishes, cinnamon rolls, biscotti and more.



I ordered a rozen caramel latte, a slice of blueberry loaf and a pepperoni roll with asiago.



I enjoyed each one of these. The drink was full of caramel, which is my preference. I could still taste the strength of those roasted coffee beans, but without any bitterness. The blueberry loaf is a fun, creative cousin to a banana bread. The pepperoni roll was a bit dry for my preference, but I did enjoy the flavor of the asiago.



Grade: A

Roasted Ice Cafe opened in the Bridgeport mall in 2022 before moving locations this past February. After just a month in the new location it closed permanently. Before they shuttered, I stopped by their mall location.



They had a large menu, which included everything from espresso and matcha to frappes and Italian soda. The ladder is not something I have seen very often in West Virginia, so it piqued my curiosity.



So, I ordered an Italian soda with strawberry and peach. They added whipped cream and a cherry on top, which made it feel extra special. but, I was handed a bit of a sticky mess. though, it was still pretty tasty. It's kinda like a soda, but it definitely feels lighter and fruitier. It was smooth and sweet.



Grade: B

Kuya Union Coffee is a new coffee roaster based in the mid-Ohio Valley. From their social profiles:

"Kuya Union Coffee sources it's premium beans from around the world. Our bags of ORGANIC COFFEE is one bean source and not a blend so providing maximum flavor. The beans are roasted right before we bag and shipped to you immediately in order to give you ultimate freshness. This is not stale, blended coffee that has been sitting on a store shelf for several weeks. Each cup of coffee is a fresh and flavorful event of your day."

"Be the Dragon of your own story. What’s the Dream? Kuya means eldest brother in the Tagalog language. (Filipino). A title that is bestowed to those to lead by example and look out for the younger ones and commit to helping take care of the elders.

Fighting suicide and mental illness begins with caring enough to recognize when a brother or sister may need someone to talk to who genuinely cares. What a great thing to do over a cup of awesome coffee with your favorite cigar."

"In the Filipino language (Tagalog), Kuya is a way to address an older or eldest brother or even an older male relative. “Hi Kuya Joe, how are you today?” Often times the title comes with a feeling of responsibility of not only looking out for those younger than you but also serving and respecting your elders.

One of the hopes of KUYA Union Coffee is to inspire and encourage leaders to work together in improving the well being of those around them. Whether it’s bringing hope to someone who is feeling lost or helping another go after their dream.

Coffee not only gives you the energy to start a new day but it also can be the reason for people to get together and share what’s going on in their lives."

Before Kuya Union Coffee, the brand was "Dragonetti Coffee," which donated a portion of its proceeds to suicide prevention.

Wild Roots Coffeehouse in Princeton is a new-to-me local shop on Mercer Street that is half coffee and half art.



Walking inside, Wild Roots has a casual coffee shop vibe with funky art hanging on the walls. The room toward the back is more of a lounge vibe with even more artistic flair.



The menu features coffee, smoothies, pastries, soups and sandwiches. On this day, I chose the Sweet Falls Mocha, which had caramel of course.



My drink was decent - like a chunky coffee milkshake. I think I've been a bit spoiled by places that add an extra caramel swirl in the cup to be *fancy.*



Next time, I'll need to add on a baked good.



Grade: B

I love the Crab Orchard location of Hilltop Coffee, so I was excited to see them expand to Oak Hill. If you haven't read my experience at Crab Orchard, let me catch you up: beautiful, delicious, cool. Let's see if Oak Hill lives up to the standard that Crab Orchard has set.



It's lovely inside - clean, sleek, modern - which is not always the norm in West Virginia. More often, I see country chic vibes or an amalgamation of decor. So I love seeing the vision.



I ordered the "Butterscotch Blessing" frozen coffee drink. I love those rich almost burnt caramel-ly notes and it totally neutralized any bitterness that would have come through from the espresso. It was delicious, like every drink I've had from here. Now, they also have a mobile coffee truck that is next on my list to try!



Grade: A

Lux Central in Phoenix is known for their coffee, but they don't skimp on breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or cocktails. Or beer. Or wine. Or...



There's a lot going on. And that translates to the physical space, which I think The Phoenix New Times summarized nicely: "For a first-time visitor to Lux Central, the experience upon entering the unmarked concrete building can be jarring. The room is bright, the electronica booming, and weaving one's way through rooms of funky and reclaimed furniture, such eclectic items as vintage typewriters and burlap sacks, and dressed-to-impress people drinking coffee, chatting with friends, and doing whatever it is they do on their laptops (Mac only, of course), can be tricky. My first thought was: People eat here?"



It was a bit chaotic waiting to see the menu and then hurriedly making a choice. But I went with a cappuccino, a slice of quiche and another savory bake.



Cappuccino was strong, but the milk foam helped temper it for me. Dark, roasty notes dominated, which would be ideal for true coffee fiends.



The quiche was tasty, but for my money, I want it to be cheesier. If I can avoid the actual egg flavor in the quiche, that's the sweet spot for me.



Finally, a spinach and feta dough wrap-up that was a tasty little treat.



Grade: B

Rost Coffee Roastery & Cafe is a cool spot my boyfriend and I stumbled upon while in Chillicothe, Ohio.



It's located in a shared space with some other stores, which could be a fun way to spend an afternoon.



The coffee shop has a limited food menu, but a solid variety of drinks: espresso, tea, smoothies, hot chocolate.



I settled with a berry basic smoothie and a white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookie. Both were pleasant.



Grade: B

There is a bright teal food truck making an appearance in Kanawha City lately. It is dishing out the unlikely duo of coffee and hotdogs, but the name pulls it all together: The Beanie Weenie.



Beanie options include a peanut butter coffee with strawberry drizzle, a mocha coffee with peanut butter drizzle, and the one that caught my eye was The Dudded Milk: caramel coffee with chocolate and caramel syrup. (Side note: Milk duds are one of my favorite candies).



My coffee was quite tasty. Sweet, milky, and no hint of bitterness. Just well-rounded satisfaction.



I ordered the Country Roads hot dog, which is a deep-fried hot dog with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. I don't know that I noticed a big difference with the deep-fried hotdog, and I wish the slaw was a little bit more cohesive and had something to hold it more together. It was a bit piecey, rather than a paste consistency.



Overall, not a bad meal if you are in the mood for brunch: breakfast - coffee and lunch - hotdog.



Grade: B

There's another teal-tinted business that opened up in South Charleston. This one is doling out coffee and breakfast food.



Cocoa Coffee offers the standard coffee and espresso drinks, like lattes, cappuccinos and mochas. They also have a few bubble tea options, which I thought was exciting so I ordered the strawberry one.



Food options include bagels, muffins, and oatmeal. I went with a bagel sandwich with egg and bacon.



The drink was eye-catching and bright, which stood out amongst the neon interior. Lightly sweet with the popping boba makes for a fun experience. The bagel may have been the tiniest I've ever seen, and I could've easily housed three of them. But I do think they've upgraded since my last visit.



Grade: B

CupLux Coffee Drove-Thru in Charlotte boasts THE BEST drive-through coffee AND cold brew. So, let's check it out.



"Our dream is pretty simple: make the best drive-thru coffee possible. We combine handcrafted coffees, and southern hospitality with the convenience of drive-thru. The result is a one of a kind experience."



Lattes, drip coffee, loose leaf tea, cold brew slushie, drafts, breakfast and baked goods are all on their menu. I, of course, went with the "CARAMEL LATTE (best seller) - latte + housemade caramel sauce" iced. Pretty tasty - not super sweet, but sweet enough. I also add a buttermilk blueberry muffin, which was lovely, but just a titch dry. Nothing a coffee couldn't fix.



Grade: B