A guide to coffee and tea shops in Beacon, NY
A latte with oat milk from Big Mouth Coffee Roasters
Whether you’re a local or a visitor, you’ve probably been struck by the large number of coffee houses and tea shops along Beacon’s lengthy Main Street and beyond. And all of them seem to be busy, which is excellent news for coffee and tea lovers who like to switch it up whenever the mood takes them.
And whether you’re a grab-and-goer or prefer to lounge with a good book while sipping, this feature should be helpful for you. What’s made our job easy is all the coffee and tea we’ve enjoyed here is excellent, so there’s no need to review or rate; it’s really a matter of taste and the type of vibe you’re looking for.
Watching the world go by
Bank Square Coffee House at the west end of Main Street
Bank Square (129 Main Street)
Bank Square is the first coffee house you’ll encounter as you come up the hill from the train station and step onto Main Street. This old-school coffee house is filled with comfy couches and decorated with art made by local artists. The counters along the Main Street-facing windows are great spots for people watching, and the large outdoor patio allows patrons to sit under the shade trees, listen to live music performances, or just watch a beautiful sunset, weather permitting.
Trax (Two locations: 1 East Main Street and 469 Fishkill Avenue)
The Trax in the storied 1 East Main Street building and the one on Fishkill Avenue both serve the same coffees and teas as their sister coffee house Bank Square, though each with a different yet equally good vibe. The Trax at 1 East Main Street has plenty of tables for those writing novels on their laptops, and two couches for those who prefer to read or scroll rather than write. The two large picture windows afford magnificent views of the eastern end of Main Street and Mount Beacon. The Trax on Fishkill Avenue is the roastery and command center for the Bank Square/Trax coffee empire. There’s nothing better than sitting in this quiet, rustic space with a cup of Joe and the smell of freshly roasting coffee beans teasing your nostrils.
A vintage coffee experience
Beacon Coffee Co. & Mercantile, 344 Main Street.
Beacon Coffee Co.& Mercantile (344 Main Street, entrance on Eliza Street)
This Beacon outpost of Cornwall Coffee Co. & Mercantile opened in June 2023 and has been popular from day one. Beacon Coffee Co. & Mercantile has the look and feel of an Italian coffee house, perhaps because it uses a vintage Victoria Arduino espresso machine imported from Naples, Italy. Plush couches, super-friendly service, eclectic merchandise for sale, and first-class pastries from Balthazar in NYC, make this a welcome addition to Beacon’s coffee house repertoire.
Big Mouth Coffee Roasters (387 Main Street)
Big Mouth Coffee Roasters is aptly named because you can see and smell its coffee roasting in an open area at the back of this spacious and busy coffee house. Big Mouth features coffees from all over the world and seems to be a favorite of Beacon writers and artists, some of whom have their works featured on Big Mouth’s walls. Try to snag a spot on the leather couch in front of the big coffee roaster. It just might be the most comfortable seat in town! This popular spot just opened its second location at 35 S. Lander Street, Newburgh, NY.
Kitchen & Coffee (382 Main Street)
Kitchen & Coffee is a 100% gluten free and vegetarian café. Besides good coffee and skillfully baked goods which include a wide variety of vegan options, Kitchen & Coffee is always buzzing with young moms and dads trading parenting tips or chatting over a cup of coffee (or tea) and a muffin. If it’s a sunny day, make the most of their front and back patios for some tip top people watching.
Old Dhaka Coffee House (288 Main Street, Hudson Valley Food Hall)
Who says coffee houses need to be in a store? Named after the Bangladeshi city where its founder, Vic Alam, was born, Old Dhaka Coffee House is actually a tastefully decorated stall in the Hudson Valley Food Hall. It’s a great place to grab a cup of coffee or tea and a pastry on the go, or to drink and eat while resting at one of the food hall tables after wandering up and down Main Street. Old Dhaka serves regular coffee, but also espresso, chai tea, and it’s likely the only place in town where one can get a Nutella Latte, the perfect drink to warm and fill you up on a cold fall or winter day!
Anyone for tea?
Miss Tea at the east end of Main Street
Miss Tea (520-A Main Street)
If coffee’s not your thing, then Miss Tea is for you. Here you’ll find organic teas, herbal infusions, exclusive blends, and tea accessories. Blends include Immunitea (Verbena Echinacea), Vitalitea (Raspberry Hibiscus), Infinitea (Ginger Elderberry), and Femininitea (Chamomile Rose) to name just a few. Have a cup or two in the wonderfully tranquil and serene shop toward the eastern end of Main Street, sit at one of the outside tables overlooking the Roundhouse and Mount Beacon, or buy some tea to make at home.
Matcha Thomas (179 Main Street)
Be prepared to wait in line at Matcha Thomas, which opened in May 2021 at 259 Main Street before moving west to its current, larger location. It’s worth it, we promise. The reason for the wait is the all-vegan drinks served here are made to order and they’re amazingly good. Owned by the Thomas family, and primarily run by sisters Haille and Nia Thomas, Matcha Thomas specializes in hot and cold drinks made with finely ground green tea leaves, otherwise known as matcha.
Pop into this spare but roomy and comfortable shop and order a matcha latte, drinks made with hojicha (roasted green tea), midnight cha (Japanese black tea prepared matcha style with plant milk), or the namesake Matcha Thomas (plant milk, matcha, coconut and vanilla crème, and agave).
There’s much more on the menu here, plus a soothing, dimly lit lounge in back where you can sit on a fluffy pillow and watch arthouse cartoons while sipping your delicious drink.
Elixxir Café (304 Main Street)
Elixxir Café opened at this location after moving from the Hudson Valley Food Hall, and we’re glad it did. Occupying what was once a real estate office, Elixxir Café offers an extensive selection of tea-based drinks including ones made with matcha, cardamom, turmeric, ginger, cacao, and even traditional Earl Grey.
Anything ordered here will not only be tasty, but also healthy and energizing. With seating along one side of the shop and in the large window looking onto Main Street, Elixxir is a great place to rejuvenate the body and soul while watching the world go by.
Asahi Poke & Tea (338 Main Street)
Newcomer Asahi Poke & Tea is mainly known for it’s fresh, tasty poke bowls. But you might also want to order one of its teas to wash down that poke. There’s bubble tea, various fruit milk teas, jasmine green milk tea, matcha latte, and more. Poke and tea! We can’t think of a better combination.
And a cat café, too!
Beans Cat Café (325 Main Street)
If you like cats and coffee, then you’ll love Beans Cat Café. Grab a cup of Bean’s rich, aromatic brew when you pay your admission fee. Then bring your coffee into the cat room where you can sip and pet, sip and scritch, and sip and play with some of the cutest critters in Beacon. All cats here are up for adoption, coming from HVARS (Hudson Valley Animal Rescue Shelter), and can’t wait to find a fur-ever home.
Not only will you enjoy some feel good feline fun, you’ll help teach them social skills that can help them get adopted.
Häkan Chocolatier for chocolate, coffee, and more.
Håkan Chocolatier (462 Main Street)
You likely have chocolate rather than coffee in mind when entering Håkan Chocolatier. And although the chocolates and hot chocolate here are outstanding, so is the coffee. Grab some, sit in one of the window seats, and take in the ornate Howland Cultural Center across the street, the Tabernacle of Christ Church further east, and Mount Beacon beyond it. And no need to buy a whole box of chocolates if you feel the urge for something sweet. Håkan sells them individually, too.
Looking for somewhere to eat, shop, stay, or play? See our Directories covering Main Street and beyond for the full picture.
Until next time…
The Beacon Beacon 🧡