Dec 12, 2025 - Food and Drink

Pittsburgh's 2025 coffee boom brewed new cafes

Alexis Johnson

Illustrated collage of one hand holding a take out coffee cup and one holding a mug — Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Pittsburgh had a latte celebrate this past year as several new cafes popped up in neighborhoods across the city.

Why it matters: Some neighborhoods welcomed new shops while other cafes expanded to more locations, offering fresh flavors and comfortable coworking spaces.

As we look back on 2025, we rounded up a list of coffee shops that we covered during the Steel City java boom.

An iced pistachio latte at Shibam Coffee in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood — Iced pistachio latte in a golden setting. Photo: Ryan Deto/Axios

Shibam - Oakland

Pittsburgh's first Yemeni cafe opened in February, offering coffees bursting with Middle Eastern flavors and decadent desserts. The gold-plated interior design gives an elegant vibe while sipping an iced pistachio latte.

📍 4630 Centre Ave.

⏰ 7am-11pm daily

La Prima is set to open May 12. — A rendering of what will become La Prima's fifth cafe in Oakland. Visual courtesy of La Prima

La Prima - Oakland

The longtime staple continued its dominance in the city, opening its fifth location in May. The North Side-based coffee roaster offers Italian-style espresso drinks, and owners hoped the Oakland location would serve hospital staff and college students.

📍3400 Fifth Ave.
⏰ Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 5:30am-4pm, Wednesday and Friday 5:30am-5:30pm and Saturday-Sunday 6:30am-2:30pm

Sandwich with egg and vegetables on a white plate with blue rim, next to a glass of iced coffee with a straw, on a wooden table in a bright cafe interior. — Breakfast, Vietnamese style at Ineffable's new location. Photo: Ryan Deto/Axios

Ineffable Cà Phê - Point Breeze

Ineffable Cà Phê added a location in June attached to Enson Market. The Vietnamese coffee shop serves "Viet Cold Brews" and "Sunny Banh Mis," staying true to its authentic flavors established at its flagship Lawrenceville location.

📍7511 Thomas Blvd.
⏰ 8am-3pm Monday-Sunday

Iced coffee in a clear plastic cup with a white straw and a chocolate chip cookie resting on a pink salt block on a wooden counter in a cozy café interior. — Spot of Coffee has a cozy interior. Photo: Ryan Deto/Axios

Spot of Coffee - East Liberty

Opened in August in an unlikely location – an alleyway behind Kelly's bar – this new space turned a formerly empty road into a coffee destination, the stylish bar-like counter and comfy seats added a place to hang out in East Liberty and try a banana bread iced latte.

📍 6015 Stevenson Place
⏰ Saturday-Thursday, 8am-3pm, Friday, 8am-1pm

Iced coffee drink with whipped cream and caramel drizzle in plastic cup labeled Arabica Robusta Coffee House, on wooden counter with signs showing tea flavors and pumpkin spice availability. — The iced matcha latte with oat milk at Arabica Robusta. Photo: Alexis Johnson/Axios

Arabica Robusta - Homestead

This new spot became the only local coffee shop on Homestead's main drag after opening in September. The Black- and woman-owned cafe is named after arabica and robusta coffee beans, which the borough-native owners combined for a special "Homestead blend."

📍207 E. 8th Ave.
⏰ Monday-Friday, 6am-4pm, Saturday-Sunday, 8am-4pm

A barista in a yellow apron prepares drinks behind a counter in a cozy coffee shop with wooden ceiling, hanging lights, green plants, and customers seated at the counter. — A coffee bar that lives up to the bar vibe. Photo: Ryan Deto/Axios

Pre Amp Coffee Studio - Squirrel Hill

This music-theme coffee bar opened in November on Forbes Avenue and became an instant hit. Operated by DeShantz Restaurant Group, known for running several stylish and popular restaurants in the city, you can find a bustling crowd on a Saturday afternoon sipping a maple bourbon latte.

📍 5840 Forbes Ave.
⏰ 7am–6pm, Tuesday-Saturday

Mural of a shirtless man reclining with coffee mug labeled "Orange Chemical Company," surrounded by yellow flowers on a brick wall with neon text "Life finds a way in Bloomfield." — The new "Jeff Goldbloomfield" mural at Creative Chem Co. Photo: Chrissy Suttles/Axios

Creative Chem Co. - Bloomfield

Opening Dec. 1, Creative Chem Co. offers a multi-use coworking space decked out in eclectic decor — like a lifesize Jeff Goldblum mural. The cafe's first floor is open to the public, featuring specialty drinks from Commonplace Coffee.

📍4618 Friendship Ave.
⏰ Monday-Friday 7am-7pm, Saturday 9am-5pm

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