Boxcar Coffee | Pearl Cafe and Bakery

Coffee shop · Whittier ·

Boxcar Coffee | Pearl Cafe and Bakery

Coffee shop · Whittier ·

House-roasted javas, juices, and pastries in a sunny cafe

Information

1825 Pearl St ste b, Boulder, CO 80302 Get directions

$1–10

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,992 Cities

20 Top-Tier Denver Coffee Shops

"This roastery supplies plenty of Denver establishments, but its Boulder cafe is worth a visit. Sip some single-origin espresso or a cardamom-rose latte, enjoy a fresh-baked croissant or peach fritter from the onsite bakery, and take the time to browse — Boxcar shares its cozy Pearl Street space with wine and gourmet shop Dedalus. (A second location is set to open in the Table Mesa Shopping Center soon.)" - Ruth Tobias, Eater Staff

https://denver.eater.com/maps/denver-best-coffee-shops

Boxcar Coffee | Pearl Cafe and Bakery

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,992 Cities

20 Top-Tier Denver Coffee Shops

https://denver.eater.com/maps/fifteen-hottest-best-coffee-places-in-denver-and-beyond

Boxcar Coffee | Pearl Cafe and Bakery

@postcardnews

22,027 Postcards · 1,950 Cities

The East Pearl stalwart where baristas brew with Boxcar’s altitude-specific Boilermakr method. Recognized by Bon Appétit and profiled by Sprudge, and named Best Coffee Shop in Boulder Weekly’s 2025 readers’ poll, it remains the city’s precision cup.

https://boulderweekly.com/special-editions/best-of-boulder/best-of-boulder-drink-2025/

Best Coffee Shops in Boulder (2025)

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Boxcar Coffee | Pearl Cafe and Bakery

Allie C.

Google

Boxcar is hands-down the best coffee shop ever. Everything on the menu is phenomenal—crafted with care and full of flavor. The canele are a show stopper - from my 6 yr old that has been obsessed with them since he was 2 yrs old. The service is always exceptional; the staff make every visit feel special. Highly recommend to anyone who loves truly unparalleled service, remarkable pastries and outstanding coffee and matcha.

Charles G.

Google

Boxcar is so delicious, that we started a run group every Tuesday to go pastry pace. One of my favorite places in boulder. The seasonal Black Velvet is one of the best drinks ever made.

Javier Bruno (.

Google

Great atmosphere. Awesome crew working there. Wifi was great too. The only thing is that they almost had no outlet, so my friend with a PC was worried about his battery all the time (I use mac.)

Bonnie G.

Google

Delicious coffee and bakery, friendly staff, and quaint atmosphere rightly describes Boxcar Coffee. I enjoy everything on the menu and frequently indulge in a mocha, brown butter oatmeal raisin cookie, and frittatas. The coffee is excellent and the food items are always fresh, quality and delicious. Clean and comfortable atmosphere. Street parking. Boxcar Coffee is definitely a must when in Boulder.

Dawn F.

Google

My drink was really good. The coffee was strong and fresh. My colleague purchased the tea, which is brewed to order. They were a bit busy in the morning but that is expected. However, they did move pretty quickly. The staff wasn’t the friendliest, but I would return for the coffee when in town.

Noel S.

Google

Best espresso in town. Tried their single origin and it was perfectly pulled. Staff was courteous. And great place to hang if you need to get some work done.

Migo

Google

Bomb coffee and baked goods, convinced this is probably best cafe in boulder. Baked goods were super fresh and nice and punchy with the flavors. Coffee was made really well. Nice and fluffy like I like my cappuccino.

Bella G.

Google

Boxcar is by far the best coffee shop in Boulder! I’ve never been met with such hospitality. I used to work on Pearl street and would come in often and even months later baristas still remember my name and order. The pastries and matcha are so yummy. I’d recommend this place a million times

Alana Z.

Yelp

Cute little coffee shop located in a less busy area of Pearl Street. It's bright and has plenty of seating. The tables are very small though, so not a ton of room for all the books if you're using those. I ordered the pour over and it was delightful. It was really smooth and flavorful. Their cold brew is also very refreshing. Lovely little shop!

Sean T.

Yelp

Still one of my favorite coffee spots in Boulder! Update: While I appreciate that they are trying to make up for Daedalus closing with lunch options, they just do not make as good of a sandwich in my / my friends' opinion. Hope a separate lunch shop opens in the space eventually. Pastries/baked goods are some of my favorite in town.

Zachary K.

Yelp

Holy smokes. There was a line. The line is worth it. The baked goods are top notch. So is the coffee. Plenty of seating. Just a great great spot overall

J L.

Yelp

I ended up at Boxcar after a negative experience at Loving Cup down the street and this place turned my mood right back around. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming from start to finish. The coffee is wonderful and the baked goods were so good I ended up getting more to take home. The environment is exactly what I was looking for in terms of a small business with a good esthetic. Even though I live in Denver, I'm excited to make this a regular stop on weekend adventures. My only feedback is that one of the baked goods I ordered, the spinach and feta danish, also had ham in it. I'm not sure if I got the wrong item or if the danish was simply not labeled correctly, but I am vegetarian so I was not able to enjoy it regardless. It wasn't a big deal at the time, but definitely something to pay attention to. Although I didn't notice until I was back in Denver, given the friendliness of the staff, I have absolute confidence that the issue would have been resolved with respect and kindness had I been able to address it in person.

Minh D.

Yelp

Good variety of flaky croissanrs variation (viennoiserie) and espresso drinks and pour over. Staffs were pleasant, and it was nice/cool/spacious inside. The smell of freshly baked goods are wonderful. I had a cinnamon swirl with vanilla cream cheese frosting that was tasty. There are some vanilla bean flakes on there and it seems like they used flaky pastries for the cinnamon roll unlike the normal dough. Makes it super flaky. Bf likes their kouign amann. Busy on a Saturday morning but wait wasnt bad, overall a good place to check out.

Varun S.

Yelp

Super cute coffee shop in my favorite mountain town - Boulder!!! Seasonal lattes keep changing- I treated myself to the cardamom rose latte before heading up to the Rocky Mountains.

Gabriela Z.

Yelp

Kronut was decent and coffee was good. Atmosphere is great to work or study. People working were a little rude and impatient.

Женя П.

Yelp

The place is super busy but it worth to wait in a line! Fresh baked goods and great coffee

Rupali K.

Yelp

There is good space inside and a couple of tables outside. They do allow dog outside. Service was good and fast. Cold lavender latte with oat milk - 5/5

Lauren L.

Yelp

Tasty lattes and cortados. Really nice place to sit and work. They always have great music!

Erica S.

Yelp

Stopped here this afternoon. We had a great experience. The staff are lovely! My matcha latte... Yum! And the pastries flakey, tasty and a perfect amount of sweet (for us this means not too sweet ). We sat outside and soaked up the sun and people watched. A perfect Boulder moment.

Sisi C.

Yelp

Not sure why this coffee shop has such high reviews. I guess their interior decor is not bad and they have a decent amount of seating. But their drinks and baked goods (at least what I got) were incredibly underwhelming. - Iced matcha latte (1/5): barely any matcha flavor, just tasted like milk. I couldn't finish my drink - Iced oat milk latte (3/5): not bad but not great - Pain de Chocolate (2/5): not flaky at all and the inside was chewy. I saw they had a toaster oven so I asked them to heat it up but they wouldn't. - Brownie (4/5): this was not bad imo because it was not too sweet

Kendall R.

Yelp

We stopped here on vacation at 10am on a Monday and they had already sold out of over half of the baked goods in their case, which was disappointing! I ended up getting a Béchamel potato danish which I wasn't super excited about, but it was actually delicious & far exceeded my expectations! However, the rosemary hot chocolate clearly sat for a while and was barely warm. I should have said something but I thought it was just the foam on top had cooled, then realized after about 10 minutes the drink was never hot. Not a ton of seating, but it was a cool place!

D K.

Yelp

Right away, we realized this was the place to be since the line was really long which is probably the norm for a Saturday morning. Those ahead of us were ordering their coffee and various home made pastries as they were delightfully displayed on the counter. A simple menu with choices of espresso, cold brews, drip and pour over coffees were being made left and right. I'm normally a matcha type of gal but opted for a latte while my husband ordered a mocha which he described as creamy, smooth and flavorful. We tried the Pistachio Orange Croissant although we found it hard to decide which pastry to get as there were so many! We enjoyed it all and thought the wait was worth it. Service was quick they used their space well to create areas to sit, hang out enjoy your morning.

Ezen C.

Yelp

We came from out of town and wanted to explore downtown Boulder like a local would. We came on a Tuesday morning and there was a line of about 5 people deep. Pros - unique drinks - drinks are delicious. I got the black velvet which is supposed to have black sesame. I couldn't tell it had any black sesame, but it tasted good - tries a brownie and it was also delicious. Not overly sweet, made with care - baristas all had strong barista vibes Cons - posted menu is teeny tiny. Maybe I missed something, but I had to squeeze my face to the front of the line and squint to read the tiny menu.

Kristyn V.

Yelp

We visited a coffee shop a day on our week long stay in Colorado. This was by far the best one we went to. The drinks were creative and delicious. The staff were talented and really cared about the experience. And I will truly dream of those pastries. Great experience. Highly recommend.

Emily L.

Yelp

The location and interior of this coffee shop are a big appeal. There's a TON of seating indoor, and a few tables outside. The line was ridiculously long on a Monday late morning, but it moves fast. The service is great. They have a ton of pastries. They also have a fridge with carafes of cold brew and premade lattes, which I would buy if I weren't traveling. I got a cold brew, which was just okay, but I like how they have cups for-here instead of just plastic. They forgot my drink and I had to wait a while but once I asked they gave it to me right away. I would come back if I were in the area, but would probably try one of the other coffee shops around here first to see if there's anything better for my order.

Cherie C.

Yelp

Boxcar is a short walk from Basecamp Boulder. It was a great way to start the day. I'd missed Boxcar since the location in The Source in Denver closed years ago. So much so that I waited in the 40-minute-long line for coffee. Staff were friendly and kind while still keeping things moving. The root beer milk latte my husband loved is long gone, but their coffee drinks are still excellent. I got the cardamom rose latte two days in a row. Pastries sold out before I got to the front of the line a couple of times (go early!) but I was able to find a delicious alternative. The coffee and espresso is excellent. Worth the wait.

Devon H.

Yelp

Line was long and didn't move at all for 10 minutes. Gave up and went to another coffee shop juts up the street.

Michael M.

Yelp

You gotta get the heirloom tomato & pimento pastry, that thing is a gift from God. Great space, good coffee, good sunlight. Can get busy, but that's anywhere that's good.

Matthew M.

Yelp

Croissants are truly amazing as the reviews mentioned before going here. So light, flaky, and delicious. Tried the Sandwich, spinach, pistachio, and chocolate croissants...all so good. Will be back tomorrow for the ham and cheese one. Coffee good to. Fast casual venue, order at the counter, contactless pay available. Friendly staff, cool venue with seating indoor and outdoor. Highly recommend stopping by here if you are in Boulder!

Andrew J.

Yelp

Boxcar has such a unique assortment of coffee drinks to try, which is so refreshing with everyone else just having basic menus. Please keep up the rotating seasonal menu, the drinks are delectable, and the food selection was equally tasty. Relaxing ambiance, music isn't overdone and the selection is great I'd imagine this place to be the go to study spot for CU students. The baristas are dope too

Jillian L.

Yelp

Pastries and coffee at Boxcar were top notch. We visited a few times while on vacation. Pro-tip - we got one of their bottled lattes to share in the early AM before embarking on the drive to Rocky Mountain and it was such a nice way to start the day. My only complaint is the long line. Every time we visited, there was a 8-10person line and the employee checking people out just wasn't hustling to help the wait. Minor gripe, but a long wait for coffee can be a buzz kill in the AM

Britney C.

Yelp

I always love this place. It's such a vibe, and their seasonal menu + fresh baked pastries are my fave!! Also the people who work here are always amazing too.

Nancy A.

Yelp

The coffee here is awesome!! There is always a line to get in. They also have fresh pastries and some savoury items. You can sit inside or outside. The people behind the counter are always friendly. Overall, it's a great place to start the day with a great cappuccino!!

Adrian M.

Yelp

Great food Service was nice Ambiance was lovely. Line sucks I would come again and again

Grace R.

Yelp

Long lines on weekday mornings but they move fast. Lots of seating options and great pastries when they haven't run out!

Chandana K.

Yelp

Cute happy coffee shop on Pearl street. The place has a great vibe and staff are fun and friendly. I only tried the cappuccino this time and I liked it. They also have separate counter to sample cheese options and order sandwiches.

Kacey B.

Yelp

If you're a matcha person trying to find a good matcha latte in Boulder, this isn't it. Wish there were better options, but this place was recommended. I disagree. Also I noticed everyone else got latte art, I didn't. Just a big white blob on top. Thumbs down to that too

Emily W.

Yelp

Great atmosphere. Delicious drinks and friendly staff. I got a matcha latte special. It had cold foam and a complexity of delicious flavors including vanilla, lemon, and blackberry. Wow, the best matcha I have ever had. Also got a delicious pour over. Yum!

Russell C.

Yelp

Savory danish is the best. Pastries overall are fantastic. Good tears as well although more of a coffee shop.

Alisa J.

Yelp

Amazing coffee shop and market! The drinks are amazing and I loved my turmeric latte. It was spicy and super flavorful and frothy. The pastries are also so delicious! I had the pecan sticky bun. The market sells awesome international goods and the fridge has amazing dolmas and hummus! It's a bit off the main path of the mall but so worth the visit!

Erica H.

Yelp

Boxcar is a great place to stop for coffee when visiting downtown Boulder! It gets fairly busy/noisy, especially on the weekends, and outdoor seating is limited. We enjoy the baked goods and coffee!

David D.

Yelp

When visiting from DC, Boxcar is my favorite coffe spot in Boulder. When indoors, the coffee drinks are served in ceramic mugs, not cardboard. The drinks and service are outstanding. The atmosphere has a homey feel. Just a great place to relax, read a bit and enjoy outstanding coffee and croissants.

Dan M.

Yelp

Stopped in on a Sunday morning before walking around the CU campus for a college tour. Not too many people in line it moved pretty quick. Hostess (Annie) was super polite. Olivia was pretty busy but still took the time to weigh out each order really dial in the brew. I had a basic Americana that had great depth of flavor. Plenty of seating inside and a few tables outside, perfect.

Raquel A.

Yelp

If I could give this place zero stars, I would do so. They took my order knowing their power was to go out in a few minutes and never made my drink. Basically, they charged me several bucks to shrug their shoulders over something they knew would be happening. Extremely poor service - I will be charging this back through my credit card company. Very dishonest and inconsiderate of everyone left with no service provided despite having paid.

Melissa C.

Yelp

Had a pumpkin spice latte and ham and cheese croissant. That croissant was amazing! Highly recommend this place.

Jamie S.

Yelp

Boxcar coffee. You have a special place in our hearts. As real life box eaters, we were impressed with the quality we found behind those alluring glass doors. I ordered an oatmilk latte with lavender. they said they have rosemary syrup but not lavender. another of Gods little tests. my "partner" ordered a chai w/ vanilla and wh*le m*lk (we are working on it). Both treats were delectable and a fun addition to our morning skip. we will back for more box in the future.

Cheryl C.

Yelp

I just ordered an iced matcha latte, which there appeared to be black floating balls similar to small boba pearls in it. They were actually balls of the matcha powder. They did not mix it well and as each little ball of powder dissolved in my mouth, it was overwhelming bitter and unpleasant. My husband got an iced latte and that was fine.

Gabby P.

Yelp

Lovely visit at Boxcar. Quite busy with a continuous line of people. Simple and tasteful menu satisfied. All customers seemed happy and just vibing well. Iced Chai latte was good. Their Stella roast was perfect for my Americano. Will be back for sure!

Gemini T.

Yelp

I was honestly disappointed with the coffee. I think people hype up this coffee shop too much. It's not great, I honestly would have preferred Starbucks (which is absolute sh*t). Maybe I should have ordered something else, but I went with two other friends, and they also disliked their drinks. None of us ordered the same drinks, and all of us ended up throwing away the drinks almost immediately. Very burnt coffee. Save your money and go buy some Folgers bc it'll be the same or better.

Stephanie T.

Yelp

The LARGE mocha was a tiny cup and the charge was over 7$. NOT WORTH IT FOR THE AMOUNT and uppity service.

Debra B.

Yelp

Very good lattes! Nice staff. I didn't have any food but have gotten lattes several times. Lovely place with lots of cheese and sandwich options too.

Nicole R.

Yelp

Damn good coffee, and there's a wine shop with gourmet baked goodies and chocolates in the same space. So a huge bonus! Not a fan of the Boulder vibe in general so not a place I'd want to spend time hanging out but the coffee and service gets 10/10. Long wait time but worth it.

Olive O.

Yelp

Unique coffee shop combined charcuterie. The day I visited, The baristas were very cheerful and happy to be making coffee. There's also a small store full of unique gifts!

Aya R.

Yelp

Boxcar is a classy cafe, shared with Cured for cheese and meats. Its cool ambiance had us excited to try the coffee. We were expecting to have an experience as beautiful as the locale. The coffee here is for a particular taste...if that's what you want to call it. The standard espresso used in their drinks is a very tart medium roast. As an avid espresso drinker, it tasted slightly burnt and was difficult to stomach. At a price of over $5 for a small cappuccino with a milk alternative, it certainly was not worth the splurge.

Veronique C.

Yelp

The staff is incredibly nice and the coffee is good. It's worth stopping by when in the area to get an espresso and check out what Cured has to offer.

Tish S.

Yelp

I arrived and the place was popping. A lot of people in line, so you know it must be good. I ordered a iced matcha with almond milk and my dad got a black coffee. The matcha was good and my dad said his coffee was strong and bitter. I noticed they also sold deli meats cheese and sandwiches. They also looked good. Maybe next time.

Luke H.

Yelp

Boxcar gave me my introduction to Natural processed coffees. What a mistake because I have never had a natural brew as good since.

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,992 Cities

20 Top-Tier Denver Coffee Shops

https://denver.eater.com/maps/denver-best-coffee-shops

Boxcar Coffee | Pearl Cafe and Bakery

@eater

391,688 Postcards · 10,992 Cities

20 Top-Tier Denver Coffee Shops

https://denver.eater.com/maps/fifteen-hottest-best-coffee-places-in-denver-and-beyond

Boxcar Coffee | Pearl Cafe and Bakery

@postcardnews

22,027 Postcards · 1,950 Cities

https://boulderweekly.com/special-editions/best-of-boulder/best-of-boulder-drink-2025/

Best Coffee Shops in Boulder (2025)

View this post on Instagram

Boxcar Coffee | Pearl Cafe and Bakery

Allie C.

Google

Charles G.

Google

Boxcar is so delicious, that we started a run group every Tuesday to go pastry pace. One of my favorite places in boulder. The seasonal Black Velvet is one of the best drinks ever made.

Javier Bruno (.

Google

Great atmosphere. Awesome crew working there. Wifi was great too. The only thing is that they almost had no outlet, so my friend with a PC was worried about his battery all the time (I use mac.)

Bonnie G.

Google

Dawn F.

Google

Noel S.

Google

Best espresso in town. Tried their single origin and it was perfectly pulled. Staff was courteous. And great place to hang if you need to get some work done.

Migo

Google

Bella G.

Google

Alana Z.

Yelp

Sean T.

Yelp

Zachary K.

Yelp

Holy smokes. There was a line. The line is worth it. The baked goods are top notch. So is the coffee. Plenty of seating. Just a great great spot overall

J L.

Yelp

Minh D.

Yelp

Varun S.

Yelp

Super cute coffee shop in my favorite mountain town - Boulder!!! Seasonal lattes keep changing- I treated myself to the cardamom rose latte before heading up to the Rocky Mountains.

Gabriela Z.

Yelp

Kronut was decent and coffee was good. Atmosphere is great to work or study. People working were a little rude and impatient.

Женя П.

Yelp

The place is super busy but it worth to wait in a line! Fresh baked goods and great coffee

Rupali K.

Yelp

There is good space inside and a couple of tables outside. They do allow dog outside. Service was good and fast. Cold lavender latte with oat milk - 5/5

Lauren L.

Yelp

Tasty lattes and cortados. Really nice place to sit and work. They always have great music!

Erica S.

Yelp

Sisi C.

Yelp

Kendall R.

Yelp

D K.

Yelp

Ezen C.

Yelp

Kristyn V.

Yelp

Emily L.

Yelp

Cherie C.

Yelp

Devon H.

Yelp

Line was long and didn't move at all for 10 minutes. Gave up and went to another coffee shop juts up the street.

Michael M.

Yelp

You gotta get the heirloom tomato & pimento pastry, that thing is a gift from God. Great space, good coffee, good sunlight. Can get busy, but that's anywhere that's good.

Matthew M.

Yelp

Andrew J.

Yelp

Jillian L.

Yelp

Britney C.

Yelp

I always love this place. It's such a vibe, and their seasonal menu + fresh baked pastries are my fave!! Also the people who work here are always amazing too.

Nancy A.

Yelp

Adrian M.

Yelp

Great food Service was nice Ambiance was lovely. Line sucks I would come again and again

Grace R.

Yelp

Long lines on weekday mornings but they move fast. Lots of seating options and great pastries when they haven't run out!

Chandana K.

Yelp

Kacey B.

Yelp

Emily W.

Yelp

Russell C.

Yelp

Savory danish is the best. Pastries overall are fantastic. Good tears as well although more of a coffee shop.

Alisa J.

Yelp

Erica H.

Yelp

Boxcar is a great place to stop for coffee when visiting downtown Boulder! It gets fairly busy/noisy, especially on the weekends, and outdoor seating is limited. We enjoy the baked goods and coffee!

David D.

Yelp

Dan M.

Yelp

Raquel A.

Yelp

Melissa C.

Yelp

Had a pumpkin spice latte and ham and cheese croissant. That croissant was amazing! Highly recommend this place.

Jamie S.

Yelp

Cheryl C.

Yelp

Gabby P.

Yelp

Gemini T.

Yelp

Stephanie T.

Yelp

The LARGE mocha was a tiny cup and the charge was over 7$. NOT WORTH IT FOR THE AMOUNT and uppity service.

Debra B.

Yelp

Very good lattes! Nice staff. I didn't have any food but have gotten lattes several times. Lovely place with lots of cheese and sandwich options too.

Nicole R.

Yelp

Olive O.

Yelp

Unique coffee shop combined charcuterie. The day I visited, The baristas were very cheerful and happy to be making coffee. There's also a small store full of unique gifts!

Aya R.

Yelp

Veronique C.

Yelp

The staff is incredibly nice and the coffee is good. It's worth stopping by when in the area to get an espresso and check out what Cured has to offer.

Tish S.

Yelp

Luke H.

Yelp

Boxcar gave me my introduction to Natural processed coffees. What a mistake because I have never had a natural brew as good since.

Boxcar Coffee | Pearl Cafe and Bakery

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20 Top-Tier Denver Coffee Shops

20 Top-Tier Denver Coffee Shops

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20 Top-Tier Denver Coffee Shops

20 Top-Tier Denver Coffee Shops