Boxcar Coffee Roasters

Love this place! Delicious coffee, service is always extremely friendly. Great little treats to have with your coffee also.

Boxcar is far and away my favorite coffee shop in Boulder. I love the artistry when they make the boilermaker so if you haven’t had one I hope you’ll give it a try. Their food and pastry selection is also unlike most shops around and higher end in quality and selection. Great place to work for an hour or socialize.

I decided to check this place out after seeing it on Gear Patrol’s «Top Coffee Shops In The U.S.» list, and they didn’t disappoint. Aside from the rad downtown location, they had a great selection of baked goods and both of the baristas were super nice (and skillful). When I was there, they were offering both their regular espresso blend and a single origin from El Salvador on espresso. I got the single origin in a cappuccino, and most Central American coffees, it was light and balanced, with a medium acidity. Pretty much a solid crowd pleaser as far as single origins go. All in all, my experience here was very good and I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a specialty shop in the Boulder area.

Delicious coffee — probably one of the best decaf lattes I’ve ever had.
Very cute inside. The baristas that were crafting beverages — you can tell they really take the job seriously. I wish they had more pastries — just a few when I was there. The biscotti was super fresh and tasted homemade. Very nice coffee place within walking distance of all the shops on Pearl St.

Their cappuccinos were not strong. Normally a cap is a good wake-​me-​up (to gauge my caffeine sensitivity), but here, we did not feel anything from one cup and needed to order some more coffee.

Boxcar is an amazing experience. Basically everything you’re looking for under one roof: a great cup of coffee, unique treats like chocolates and candies, a meat and cheese deli bar, and so much more!
I always go for the almond milk latte which is consistently made PERFECTLY with great foam art as well :). The espressos are always uniquely flavored and come from a variety of countries. Even the way they brew tea is sophisticated and interesting.
An awesome space to hang out and work, browse, or just grab a quick cup of (strong!!) coffee to go. Would recommend Boxcar to anyone and everyone!

Now they get their decaf from somewhere else, and the quality dropped. Allegro from Whole Foods is better and – get this – less expensive.
I’ll come back to see if they’ve resumed the Guatemala decaf. Otherwise, we had a really good run, and it’s on to find a new «Best Coffee in the USA».
A moment of silence for a place that went unchallenged for the better part of two years though. Then slow, earnest clapping.

We found this place on Unilocal and decided to grab a coffee, after hiking. It’s such a cozy spot; an immediate «warmth» when you walk in the door. We grabbed coffees/​lattes, which were delicious and made with love! We also ordered a cheese platter, as a snack… it was amazing! The almonds were out of this world!
I highly recommend this place; a great spot to gather with a couple friends or just «cop a spot» and read a book.

This is what I’m talking about! Places like this are hard to find these days since everywhere that claims to do latte art claims to have good coffee but that’s not actually the case.
Luckily, Boxcar is of the other sort where they actually care about their coffee enough to make a great latte regardless of how much art is on it. The staff was friendly, the coffee was great and the whole atmosphere of this place is awesome.
They’re in the same space as CURED and cured has awesome meats, cheeses, sandwiches and custom «picnic baskets» that they will put together for you from their wide range of offerings. Totally A+!

This is a special place to come for coffee. The people who work their really care about their «craft» of brewing a perfect cup of whatever coffee drink you want. I wish there was more seating, but the five stars are for their amazing coffee beverages.

Walking in you can tell this is the place to be seen at. Even with a line to the door the employees have the routine down to a science and move you in quickly. I ordered a dirty chai and it is by far the best I’ve ever tasted. Beautiful presentation and the flavor is full of spice with a slight heat which makes it wonderful to drink.

Good coffee, nice atmosphere if you like a trendy busy place. The staff is very friendly and seems to know about their craft.
Boxcar is picky about the process in making the coffee, which is nice (and seems to be a trend in upscale coffee shops in the area). But as expected in such a place, prices are on the high side.
It always amuses me slightly though to see all that fuss about the technique of brewing coffee. After all in Europe, the process of making coffee is quite simple (unchanged for what seems forever) but they usually deliver a very good coffee for quite cheap (France and Italy especially.)
Boxcar also offers a limited selection of good pastries to enjoy with your cup of coffee (or tea if you are not a coffee drinker.)
They share a common space with Cured that sells very good but also very expensive cured meet and cheese.
A nice place for lunch or just a coffee break and to enjoy the Boulder scene.

This is the second or third time I’ve been in to Boxcar and I’m kind of meh on the place due to some of the pricing, but I still think it’s tops in Boulder. I love that they roast their own beans, but the prices are a bit on the high side.
The coffee drinks are pretty good. So is the tea. I would say that the latte milk was kind of okay, not the best I’ve ever had. For that price I would expect barista competition level work and it was close but not there. Non-​milk drinks are interesting, including the immersion brewers that create a strong brew. I think I would prefer a traditional pour over, but pushing the envelope is critical for a top coffee joint.
The barista bar line is slow. So if there is a line, well, sucks to be you because you’re going to wait a lot. While you wait you can look at the other stuff they sell. There’s a bakery area across from the coffee counter and this bakery area includes chocolates, pretzels, bottled drinks, some breads, and a bunch of high priced spreads for the bread. For some reason it also uses a different cash register, which is super annoying if you want to grab a bread item after waiting in line for a billion years to get coffee.
The cheese and meats area is likewise super expensive, with markups being around 120% versus prices I’ve seen on the same cheeses elsewhere. That doesn’t mean it’s not good, just that it’s expensive.
I didn’t venture into the wine shop at all.
There are several tables for people to sit around, but it’s generally crowded and not a great place to setup and work or study.
Parking is all street, and it can be challenging to find a spot within the two blocks. However I have always gotten lucky on the street right in front.

The coffee here is great, five stars for that! It’s almost always packed, which seems to be a trend in Boulder the last couple of years. More than once, I’ve planned on meeting someone here, and we had to go elsewhere as there was no place to sit. However, once you’ve had a latte here, you’ll understand why.
Do check this place out, although some persistence may be required…

All hype?
I’ve gone to Boxcar once or twice every year on the rare occasion that I’m actually in Boulder and I’ve never really figured this place out. It was so hyped the first time I went with a colleague and neither of us left happy. In fact, he quoted it as, «the worst cup of coffee he has ever had.»
I’m definitely not going that far, but I’ve given it a few more chances. I get that they make all their drip coffee on the spot in front of you, nice gimmick, but that doesn’t mean it’s any more enjoyable. Both the latte and drip were definitely not as good as advertised. Maybe that’s a result of high expectations?
There are quite a few coffee shops in Boulder. I’m definitely going to skip this one next time I’m there.

After sampling many of Colorado’s coffee shops and their offerings, I’ve decided that Boxcar Coffee Roasters is, thus far, my favorite. After touring Left Hand Brewery in Longmont, we decided to swing by Boulder on the way back to Denver for some lunch and coffee. My first run in with Boxcar was trying their fantastic root beer milk latte at their Denver location inside The Source. Unfortunately, they didn’t have this latte available at the Boulder location. But, on the plus side, they were featuring three different beans today including the Peru La Fortuna as well as a couple of Costa Rican roasts.
I was fascinated by this new brewing technique that is unique to Boxcar. Aptly named, the Boilermakr, this type of altitude brewing utilizes large siphon-​type flasks that immerses the grounds with boiling water at around 205 degrees. The grounds are then filtered out, which leaves many of the oils in your cup — somewhat similar to a French press. The result is a great extraction full of flavor and balance.
This location is great for both perusing the marketplace and sitting for a nice cup of coffee. The baristas are nice and knowledgeable. Although the seating is a bit of a challenge, I love the eclectic offerings of wine, cheese, meat, and chocolate. It’s a foodie’s paradise!

Indulge the coffee snob (and foodie) within us all!
The coffee is AMAZING!!! These people know how to brew some beans. It’s easy to loose the art of coffee when your morning routine is comprised of Keurig or Starbucks, but when you taste an espresso from Boxcar you’re reminded about the craft coffee really is and the flavor it really can offer. I had a Macchiato and it was amazing. My fiancé got a hot chocolate and said it was equally as good.
Another cool feature is the deli called Cured that shares the same space (and I’m assuming owned by the same person???). It gives Boxcar a mini foodie market feel, and gives you more options than just some pastries if your looking for a little bit more of a substantial meal. Also, all of the food is minimally processed and very high quality.
There are two reasons I wasn’t able to give Boxcar a 5 star.
1. The first is the staff. While the staff is far from horrible, they seemed extremely disinterested in me being there. I tried to talk to the guy making my coffee and all he offered in return was a blank stare that made me feel embarrassed for offering a «hows your day going?»
2. It’s a very small space with tight, cramped seating and no electric outlets. Now, I’m not gonna bash them for the tight space. It’s décor is awesome and sometimes you have to make due with what you have, however most of the electrical outlets have been covered and sealed in the walls, giving off a vibe that feels like they don’t want you sticking around. My fiancée’s computer died and we spotted 1 outlet that was already taken.
Overall I think Boxcar Coffee Roaster is one of the best café’s I’ve been to. Amazing espresso, great food, and a really cool building. If you’re coming to get some work done make sure you’re laptop is fully charged. Besides that, I’ll be sure to visit again!

Colorado hasn’t exactly been known for quality coffee, but these guys have the best beans in Boulder. Many of the baristas have worked out in the Pacific Northwest and they have a palette for a good grind. Ultimately, these guys made it okay for me to move away from Seattle and back to Boulder.
I really like their cold brew. It has a lot of presence, but isn’t bitter or acidic. Their standard brew (on the Bunsen burners) is also a favourite. I still order beans from Seattle and Oregon, but really enjoy their seasonal blends like the Whiskeygrin.
The pastries are really tasty; never had a less than amazing experience with them. Their espresso is pretty good, too, but I rarely order it — nothing jumps out as special, but it’s totally fine.
If you’re in a rush, forget it. Come in, take your time, and choose an off-​hour when people aren’t trying to run businesses out of the café. (They even capped the power outlets to discourage people setting up shop at tables, but to no avail.) You’ll want to account for time to hunt for a seat, or try the bar. After the first visit, you’ll get over the awkward hawking that’s required to sit somewhere.
These guys are inside with Cured, which is its own kind of treat.

Precious is as Boulder does. It’s really silly maybe, but that the barista is wearing a vest and tie makes me smile.
Barista’s choice was a cappuccino, two shots. I prefer to let artists call the shots whenever I can. If it was a little earlier in the day, I’d be going back for a couple more.
The rest of the place is just as delightful. Tons of different artisanal meats and cheese (is it a charcuterie? My French is rusty.)
Def worth the walk from the tourista miasma of pedestrian Pearl St.
The next day: Damn but I love this place. Donut holes with Earl Grey sugar glaze. It is sooooo good!!! Good thing my wife doesn’t read these reviews. Supposed to be gluten free-​ish but hey, if she leaves me alone to pay for my coffee, what’s a foodie to do?

Coffee not only involves the taste but the entire experience. Box car has so much going for it in this quaint little meat/​chocolate/​artisan/​coffee establishment — except it’s missing something. In this case it’s one star for the thing you can’t quite put a finger on.
One things for sure, it’s small and they do not want you to stay camping out with your computers (which is an easy tell because the outlets are all covered up).
It’s brother location is rocking out in a similar concept at the source in Denver. Boxcar, I think your name says it — go build it and do it for yourself. Your coffee is great — your baristas obviously know coffee. Throw them some swag and start your own shop. You don’t need the other startups to hold you up by your boot straps.
Oh what do I know? A lot honestly — I worked in the coffee industry for years. Box car, my $.02 is this — build it and they will come.