The Best Coffee Shops in Auburn-Opelika

Blog updated in May of 2024.

One of the things I LOVE about college towns? Their coffee shop GAME.

It’s always good. And a good cup of coffee (at any time of day) is ranked at the top of my list of “Favorite Things.” The smell of coffee, the whizz of the milk frother, and the satisfying clinking of coffee mugs. *Sigh*

After many a visit to local coffee shops around the Auburn-Opelika area, I’ve decided to compile a list of my favorite spots.

Botanic. Botanic is a DESTINATION. A literal garden oasis in Opelika. You can arrive in the morning for a freshly-baked pastry and cup of coffee, sit on their beautiful patio until lunch, enjoy lunch (the brussels are AMAZING), take a break to peruse their Garden Shoppe and wander the gardens, then sip on a cocktail in the Bourbon Bar before dinner at The Grille. You could literally spend all day here. It’s one of my favorite spots in East Alabama.

Sidetrack Coffee. Let’s just go ahead and list this as one of Auburn-Opelika’s most "Instagrammable”spots. I. Love. This. Place. Located in downtown Opelika, Sidetrack Coffee has become of my favorite places in the Auburn area. You could Instagram an outlet plug in this coffee shop and it would look amazing. All of the furniture is mid-century modern and their messaging leads me to believe that the owners and staff have an incredible sense of humor. Their coffee creations are a little bit unique for a coffee shop – I had the pleasure of trying a tea (+ cream) that tasted like liquid mint chocolate chip ice-cream. It was liquid heaven.

Well Red. A coffee shop + book store by day and a wine bar by night. COULD IT GET ANY BETTER?! Coffee, books and wine all in the same place?! One of the newer coffee shops on the Auburn block, the owners of Well Red remodeled/designed their space in an old home, so it has an incredibly cozy feel. I also LOVE that they have a front AND back patio area for their guests to study, work, lounge. I’d love their classic cappuccino - it’s served with sparkling water and a sliver of dark chocolate. It’s a great place to be!

Auburn Oil Booksellers. Books and coffee just go hand-in-hand. Auburn Oil is primarily a book + gift store located in downtown Auburn, but they also make a great cup of coffee. If you’re mid-shop and in need of a jolt, pop in and order one of their seasonal drinks!

UniQ Coffee. This coffee shop offers a cool, minimalist coffee connoisseur vibe with it’s decor. It’s close to downtown Auburn, so it’s easily accessible but has a better parking situation. Their toffee coffee is AMAZING.

One Bike Coffee. This place holds a special place in my heart because they DONATE their profits to local charities, with a special focus on multiple sclerosis research organizations. Located in the Moore’s Mill area of Auburn, it’s a bit further off the beaten path (which I like). The baristas can make a mean brown sugar latte and they’re always adding something fun + new to their menu. PLUS - they have the BEST baked goods in town. Their crack cake is to DIE FOR and you can’t go wrong with any of their muffins or scones.

The Fox (formerly Coffee Cat). The Fox is a sister coffee shop to Well Red and located right in downtown Auburn (they share a wall with The Hound). High ceilings and loads of natural lighting seem to keep the creative juices flowing, which is why I love this coffee shop so much. They’ve also scattered stacks of books around their shop, so any book lover would enjoy (I feel like coffee and books go together like salt and pepper #classic). Also – their selection of teas is impressive, so if you’re not really a coffee drinker – they have you covered.

And ta dah! This is a list of coffee shops I frequent in the area. Happy caffeinating!

The Best Coffee Shops in Auburn-Opelika

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