Three Ships Coffee Roasters

Best coffee ever! Super friendly staff. Great atmosphere. Simply one of my favorite local places!

So I’ve never been to original but this place was just starting up. I will say, I was amazed at how the line was out the door, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I like the rustic layout this place has, I just wish there were more places to sit. I got the espresso drink with strawberry. it was pretty fan-​damn-​tastic. I ordered another shot of espresso thinking the standard two wasn’t enough. Boy… that extra shot was too much of a boost, and my barista warned me! Besides that, the espresso was crafted well, very smooth, never overpowering. And I NEVER would have been so genius to add Strawberry to coffee. Big Thumbs up for that.
The homemade pop tarts were to die for! Plus sprinkles and Nutella!
Unless I’m blind (which could be the case, considering I was there earlier than I expect myself to be on a Saturday Morning), I couldn’t find an area where you could add the usual fixings to your drink… boo. (Maybe because this was a soft opening?)

OH MY GOSH!!! BEST PLACE EVER — you MUST MUST visit!!! Coffee options extensive and amazing cold brew! Full blog post review coming soon on my blog,

Had a blueberry latté here and it was by far one of the best lattés ever. Price is super high for the amount you get, but it’s all made fresh and that’s worth it in many ways to pay more.

This near-​beach establishment has great interior and exterior seating. It’s modern and coastal all in one without being kitschy. Their cold brew is fantastically smooth and delicious.

This place was AWESOME!!! So glad I found it while visiting the area. I had their cold brew, and fell in love with it. The people I was with got some other pretty amazing drinks as well. The ambiance and set up of the place was great too. Definitely worth checking out!

Came in three times as it is a convenient location right next to the VA beach convention center.
Great selection of coffee drinks. My favorite is the strawberry espresso tonic. Drinks do take longer than your starbucks but are way more well crafted.

By far the best coffee –any way you want it– in Virginia beach… no wait anywhere in southeast Virginia. The real deal. A short walk from the beach on 19^th street. There is a lot of passion and attention to detail going on here. And the staff and owner were super nice as well. Nothing better than getting a few nice rides at the beach and then a sweet espresso… ah heaven!

First time here and the place seems great. I’ve been in the Hampton Roads area for two and a half years now and have never seen a place that puts this much care into their brew. Foods great and the place has a very quaint atmosphere.

So I finally got around to getting coffee from the source! I have had it at various local restaurants but had not had the opportunity to go there in person-​or visit their old location for that matter.
The new location has their portable trailer chilling outside and that is how they have been serving people. I grabbed a pour over to get he best of their coffee flavor and a Nutella Pop Tart and Pimento Cheese Biscuit for my girlfriend.
The coffee was fantastic! The biscuit and «pop tart» were demolished without so much as a negative peep or look. I will definitely be back once the renovation is done but for now I am reserving full judgement.

I still like their coffee a lot, but I worry about the new location that they chose. They really better knock it out of the park with the interior because the exterior is looking pretty shabby right now. Also, they are now just a stone’s throw from Java Surf, which has amazing visual appeal, tons of natural light inside, and amazing artwork too.
I’m really crossing my fingers that 3-​ships made some good decisions with this move.

High quality coffee. The coffee is everything you’d except from an establishment that sells specialty coffee. I love that it’s a local business that roasts their own beans and does it with delicious integrity. Seriously this place needs to get more buzz. The atmosphere is nice. I love the «horchatte” — a latte, or mocha, made with horchata. That’s just smart and creative. I think it’s great and yummy. A great alternative too for people that can’t drink nut milks or dairy. I got my coffee quickly, deliciously, and the barista was really approachable and hospitable. I felt at home. I really highly recommend giving this little gem a chance.

This place looks great and has so much potential to be a quaint, local coffee shop. The baristas are helpful and very kind. But the tiny menu carries few options and at least two of them don’t support a high rating: the horchatta latte is awful and the salty ham biscuit is no longer available.
The latte was weak in both coffee and horchatta so that it just really had no taste, just disappointment. And the menu only has four choices for something to eat with your coffee. There are only two tiny menus in the whole place. When the biscuit maker «burned to the ground,» a quick edit of the tiny menu should have been fairly easy — just a line through the salty ham biscuit. Two, short lines on the two tiny menus.
I gave this place two stars in the hope that there must be something else about it worth going back for. I imagine that someone probably needs the nutella poptarts to satisfy a fix they can’t get anywhere else. Which is reasonable. I mean, nutella poptarts! That is pretty awesome. But a menu with more options and all of those actually worth ordering and available would be pretty good, too.

Latte was just okay. Pastries are okay too. When I first walked in, I felt like I was the awkward intruder to a party.
I wasn’t even sure the guys sitting at the bar to the right even worked there. The girl who served me was helpful enough once I asked if I could order. Guys were nice once I struck up a little convo.
Their drinks are fine, their service needs some work. I know the hipster vibe is cool but you still need to make your customers feel like you’re actually open.

Really unassuming when you first pull up but the coffee is great and the guy who helped me was super nice! I was going to have the sweet potato latte but they were short on milk so he made me a sweet potato cappuccino for s reduced price. It was super good, strong, and not overly sweet. I also bought a bag of beans to bring home and he was kind enough to grind them in store for me! Can’t wait to come back!

Amazing! We ended up here after a failed breakfast and sad coffee from Java Surf (side note: just don’t), and I’m kind of glad that the coffee over there was so watery that we ended up here.
Great ambiance, loved the décor — little hanging plants, nautical, rustic ship themed, and the wood over the counter was a nice touch. The people there were so friendly and great.
Coffee was equally amazing and smooth. Got a pour-​over with a friend, they brought us two mugs (cute, diner mugs!), and the rest in a little pot. Enough for almost 2 cups each so for $ 8 it was great.
On the weekends they have pop-​ups with food places, when we were there they had a waffle place making little waffle sandwiches. Too bad we were too full to try!
Definitely will be back next time I’m in the area! Love this place!

Best latte I have had on vacation this week! I drove over from Sandbridge Island to get the best rated Coffee on Unilocal and I was NOT disappointed. They toast their own beans and the little hole in the wall shop is awesome. Also enjoyed a pecan tart which was delicious. Mostly a coffee menu with a few little munchables. This place is worth searching out.

Errmerrgersh. OMG. Totes amaze. Totes adorbs. The coffee is AMAZING. Took a bag of Columbian beans home. Ground some up. Put them grinds into the aeropress. Amazing.
Parking? Limited.
Atmosphere? Awesome — hand crafted wood adorns.
Music? jazz at the time I went.
Staff? Knowledgeable and they CARE
KKBYE
I’m back because I forgot to tell you that they give you a free cup with your whole bean purchase.

This place is the real deal. A quality roaster with respect for coffee the way it’s meant to be. I got a pour over of the Alka farm Ethiopian coffee and it was excellent. A real tea like body with floral notes and melon undertones. The staff and owner were friendly as well. Great atmosphere and great coffee. Check this place out fer sure!

In my opinion there is only one true coffee shop in the Hampton Roads area. Quite a bold statement granted, however one that in my opinion is correct. Owners of Three Ships Coffee Roasters Brad and Amy Ewing from day one have made the business about only one thing… coffee. Not just coffee, specialty roasted coffee that will blow your mind with it incredible popping flavors. The passion that these two have is authentic. Product first, profits will follow philosophy that is a foreign concept in this day. They aim to make a world class brew and this is not lost on their loyal following. They are currently the only Unilocal 5 star rated coffee shop in HRVA.
The business is really still in it’s infancy of a few years. They started out literally in their garage roasting beans. They pair bought a 1970’s trailer to attend farmers markets and do «pop up cafes» at businesses host them. The idea to build a brand, expand locally and secure a brick and mortar building. In early 2015 they accomplished the goal of a space they can call home to roast and sell coffee. But the goal of continuing to reach out to the community with retail partnerships is expanding everyday too! Brad and Amy are zealous about all aspects the business. From the beans they purchase to the shops that sell their brand, they are involved in all facets.
So what is so special about their coffee any way? Well let’s discuss a few things they have going on that make them quite unique in the world of coffee shops. First they do complete in house roasting of 100% of their coffee. Second, the beans which Brad and Amy meticulously researched for quality and varietal. Third, roasting temperatures, they roast at a lighter level than most and stay pure to the varietal of bean. That cannot be said of other shops in our area. They roast so you can taste the beautiful and brilliant notes much like a fine wine. Which leads me to my last point. The lethal weapon in the business is the taster Amy Ewing. You could call Amy the Brewmaster. She has a pedigree of tasting wine in her previous career. She holds a WSET certificate and was taught the trade by a wine master. This would prove extremely valuable to the business. Priority number one will always be delivering an awesome cup to customers, sacrificing quality is not in the pairs vocabulary.
So let’s talk about the business as it relates to the dream of a headquarters for Three Ships. They are located a few blocks from the Virginia Beach Ocean front in a small retail space. To them it’s paradise, to me the location is challenged. They share space with Bluebirds Garage. Signage is not the best, but they do have it marked on the window and a pull out sign closer to the road. The pull out is really necessary because you will swear you can’t see them as I did my first time. Parking may offer a challenge since there are a few spaces and other small shops in the warehouse type strip. However, it has never been an issue for me with around five visits. Each visit II have found the parking lots clean and the storefront attractive.
The indoor décor offers a trendy hip feel with concrete floors a few tables up front. A small counter by the window offers a street view. The coffee bar is to your left as you enter and where the action is. Pour overs, cold brews and growler refills are king and ready to be served up by the awesome staff. I have enjoyed their signature ham biscuit on several occasions. They are up front for grab and go. Just this past two weeks a small sandwich lunch menu is being offered. My last visit was a great pour over by Steven aka Scuba matched up with a delicious ham biscuit. Amy was in the back working the bean machine, which is a gorgeous IR Series Diedrich. Not just an average machine, the Cadillac of the industry. I found Brad doing some paper work and when he recognized my face came up front and said hello.
While enjoying coffee and biscuit Brad discussed the continued exciting new of the businesses expansion into retail. There brand is being served in popular Norfolk restaurants Handsome Biscuit, Field Guide and the TOAST that all share the same owner and I love. But one of there latest is in my neck of the woods in Virginia Beach off Shore at Simple Eats. There are other locations and smart expansion opportunities are being weighed. The latest cue is a DC shop carrying them.
In just a few short years out of the garage they are well on there way gradually growing the business. I know Brad & Amy will only talk about keeping it local which is marvelous. However, I see them out growing current space and expanding in coming years. How big do they want to become is something only they can decide. There is something incredibly special happening right before our eyes if you enjoy coffee as much as I do. The recipe for success in my book has been written for Three Ships. The ride will be what they now choose. However, you get the opportunity to triumph with them with each sip along the way.