Reno, Nevada, calls itself the ‘biggest little city in the world,’ so I shouldn’t have been surprised during a recent road trip to find not one, but two specialty coffee roasters had set up shop – Hub Coffee Roasters, and Magpie Coffee Roasters. Better known for its gambling industry, I came to town expecting what I remembered from childhood visits – massive casino buffets, diner food, and my aunt’s home cooking. Great coffee is a welcome addition to this mix!
Hub Coffee Roasters
This shop is located in what used to be a two car garage in Midtown Reno, just off a strip of Virginia street dotted by shops selling recycled furniture and clothes, liquor stores, tattoo parlors, and bars. The cafe itself is small and easy to miss, but comfortable inside, and has a large patio area outside as well. While I was there I had a single origin Burundi espresso, as well as their blend. They were training a new barista that day, and she was doing great – both espresso shots were balanced, delicious, and I really enjoyed them! They also offer a variety of teas from Intelligentsia, and a mocha that has locals swooning on Yelp.
They recently opened up their roastery, which I didn’t get a chance to see when I was visiting. The roastery hosts a slow bar with breakfast snacks every Saturday from 8am to 1pm.
The Hub Coffee Roasters – Cafe
32 Cheney St.
Reno, Nevada
The Hub Coffee Roastery
350 Evans St.
Reno, Nevada
See their website for more details.
Magpie Coffee Roasters
Magpie is still a work in progress, but I was happily able to attend a cupping while I was in Reno. They are currently building out a roastery in a shared sort of co-op art space and should be opening a retail cafe later on. They were roasting on a small batch Franciscan roaster and pulling shots on a La Marzocco Strada when I visited, but I hear they’re currently installing a Probat L12 that will really increase their output. The space looks like it has potential to be amazing, and the coffee ain’t bad either. I recently tried a few samples and really enjoyed them. I’ll look forward to seeing how Magpie grows after they open – for now they are only open by appointment, so watch their Twitter feed for updates. Keep an eye out for developments on their website where you can also order coffee, and in the mean time check out the space they’re setting up to roast in below.
Here’s a map of Reno’s coffee spots mentioned above:
View FRSHGRND – Global Cafe Guide in a larger map
Roadtrip Photos
I took a lot of pictures on the road and around the area, I’ve picked a few to share below. Hope you enjoy! It really is beautiful driving up the 395 from Los Angeles.
1 comment
Michael says:
May 16, 2013
Great photos. This makes me miss the West. If I’m ever in Reno I’ll be sure to check these spots out. Thanks for the recommendation.