To most, I’m Sriyutha. To the world of coffee baristas, I’m Sam. Spelling out my 8-letter, hard-to-pronounce name isn’t something I’d inflict on a kind barista already battling my needlessly specific order. So, I’ve become Sam. I never expected to become a “regular” at my local coffee shops; I never expected to hear  “Have a good night, Sam!,” as I grab a coffee at 7:25 PM. I don’t have the heart to tell them my name isn’t Sam, so I just smile and wave, and bring them bags of cookies every time I bake. It’s my alternate persona.

I wouldn’t call myself a caffeine addict—I prefer to think of coffee as my strategic advantage. I don’t need it to survive the quotidian, only to do my best work. Unless I’ve truly gotten less than 4 hours of sleep, I avoid coffee in the mornings, I don’t drink coffee like I eat breakfast everyday, and I only grab a cup if I’ve got something important to do. Over my four years at Maggie Walker, I’ve perfected the most economically and practically efficient Starbucks coffee order, a double shot espresso that costs only $3.13. When poring over my college essays in the fall, working late-ish nights at my mentorship, and studying for We The People the night before States, my $3.13 powers me through.

But four years of the same coffee order starts to get boring. With just a semester and a summer before I move 544 miles north, I figured it was time to break out of my Starbucks rut and pay homage to the local coffee scene. So, over the past few months, I’ve embarked on a mission: testing every coffee shop on this list, one cup at a time. The goal? Not to rank or disparage but to celebrate the art of a good brew. I’m a firm believer in supporting small businesses, and through all my trials, I’ve yet to meet an objectively bad cup of coffee. To keep things fair, I ordered the same thing at each spot: a latte with oat milk—sometimes a pastry or a specialty drink, if the barista seemed especially nice.

Here’s my honest review of some of the best caffeine-fixers around:

Ironclad Coffee Roaster’s

1805 E Grace St, Richmond

2100 John Rolfe Parkway, Henrico

My friend Ella introduced me to this gem over the summer. This past summer, I worked 9-5, five days a week. On some mornings, Ella would meet me at Ironclad bright and early before I had to get to work, and we always snagged the best pastries before they ran out (get there super duper early if you want the crookie croissant!). I’m a huge fan of this place, with locations in Short Pump and Shockoe Bottom. They have the best honey syrup and AMAZING pastries, and the baristas are the sweetest humans. They’ve also got bread! For my mom’s birthday, I got her focaccia, and she loved it.

Blanchard’s

3121 W Broad St, Richmond

This is a classic. I’ve gone here countless times, and the only time I’ve been disappointed is when I got the matcha. (I don’t even know why I did that because I don’t even like matcha) According to most of my friends, this is their favorite spot, and I can’t argue with that; they do coffee well.

Stir Crazy Cafe RVA

4015 MacArthur Avenue, Richmond

Stir Crazy is one of my favorites. I went on a day that wasn't too busy, so I got a lot of work done. The coffee is really good, and the vibes are calming. I would even go so far to say that it’s the Northside coffee spot. Try it!

Whisk 

2100 E. Main Street, Richmond

Their pastries are so good, such an impressive selection. The vibes are nice, but I found myself not being able to focus because everyone around me looked like they were having too much fun! I got an iced latte here, which was good!

Paix Coffee

407 Cleveland St, Richmond

This place felt like the manifestation of Richmond in coffee-form. It’s connected to a fun vintage shop, giving it the quintessential RVA vibe. They specialize in espresso, so I got that instead of a latte, and I loved it. It was great coffee, cool vibes, and a sunny day.

Roastology Cafe

3015 W Clay St, Richmond

I feel like I remember this place being in Cary, so I was a bit surprised when my GPS took me to Scott’s Addition. The vibe is almost minimalistic, perhaps industrialist, which my brother liked, but honestly, I just felt cold. It was a great latte though! One of the best on this list. 

Lamplighter Coffee Roasters

116 S. Addison St., Richmond

Super underrated! I feel like Lamplighter doesn’t get talked about too often, but it deserves to! They’ve got phenomenal coffee, and so many gluten-free food options. It’s always warm in there (which I love), and there’s more seating than you’d expect this little gem to have. A must-try!

Sugar & Twine

2928 W. Cary Street, Richmond

I tried this spot with my two best friends on one of our Sunday morning brunches. We had brunch at Can Can, and walked over in the frigid cold. The space was small, the pastries were alright, the latte tasted like a latte. Solid choice.

Crossroads Coffee & Ice Cream

3600 Forest Hill Avenue, Richmond

I don’t know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t this. The spot was chaotic, fun, energetic. Definitely not a study spot. They have lots of tables (only outdoors), and the spot gives off almost a “quirky” vibe. I’d go again if I just wanted to have some fun on a Sunday morning (not so much if I have a Chemistry test the next day).

Reviresco Coffee Company

710 Lafayette St, Richmond

I may be slightly biased because my 5th grade teacher Mrs. Dalton owns this spot. As she and her husband labored with love to manifest their dream of owning a coffee shop, I followed along on Mrs. Dalton’s Instagram, liking stories when they got their first coffee beans and when they first opened the shop. This spot is adorable, and the coffee truly is amazing—I’d expect nothing less from the best 5th grade teacher who let us build blanket forts in her classroom.

Lift Coffee Shop & Cafe

18 W Broad St Richmond

This place was cute! It was colorful and fun, and my latte tasted like a latte. I went on a rainy day, and the pop of color from the interior brightened my mood. It was good!

Foxtail Coffee Co.

2240 Old Brick Rd suite a1

I live 10 minutes from West Broad Village, and Short Pump and I really needed a good coffee spot. The interior is gorgeous, they’ve got gelato, and during the fall, the place is open until 9pm (which is very convenient when I've got lots of work to do). On weekends and Fridays, it gets too packed, and you can’t hear yourself talk, but Wednesdays and Thursdays are ideal.

Black Hand Coffee Company

3101 Patterson Ave, Richmond

Tucked away in the Fan, Black Hand roasts their own beans daily, so their coffee was great. It’s super small, so there really isn’t much room for meandering. In my opinion, it’s more of a grab-and-go type of place, but I still enjoyed the ambiance!

Afterglow Coffee Cooperative

1719 Summit Ave, Richmond

Afterglow is worker-owned, and I love that. The staff is super friendly, and the coffee was great. There were tables of different sizes, and they host a ton of local events as well. I went with my cousin and her husband, who actually got a beer instead of a coffee. They also sold wine too, which my cousin (who is in her peak Millennial, asleep by 9PM after a glass of wine era) absolutely loved.

Abi’s Books & Brews

1212 1/2 W Cary St, Richmond

The vibe of this spot is super cool: Gilmore Girls-esque bookshelves lined with novels. The coffee was good, but the ambiance was better. I went when there were a ton of people there, so I definitely didn’t have the peace or quiet to read my book, but I’m excited to try this place again when it’s less crowded.