PennyCup at the YMI

great atmosphere, nice shop, got a ymi iced latte it was mediocre for $7. but the real kicker is the barista finishing the drink and not calling out a name or the order or saying anything, just putting it on the counter and leaving it as she sees us sitting on the other side of the room, after 10 minutes of us looking up to see if she’s finished she just says your order is ready and we said oh we didn’t know how long has it been ready and she said a hot minute rudely, and then she proceeds to leave the store as we are sitting in there with seemingly no one else in there, there might have been but we wouldn’t know it’s empty, but yeah not a bad store but definitely didn’t have a good experience

Nice local chain without the chain feeling. The breakfast sandwich was fantastic. The espresso is good. I had a cortado, really focusing on the espresso and bitterness. Not as much complexity as I’d like but still good. The cappuccino was appropriately dry although the espresso didn’t take center stage. The atmosphere is great and the baristas knew what they were doing.

From the moment I walked in, this coffee shop felt like a warm hug in mug form. The atmosphere is cozy without feeling cramped, with just the right blend of background music and that comforting aroma of freshly ground beans. The staff are genuinely friendly—no fake smiles here—and they clearly care about making each drink perfect. The coffee? Absolutely phenomenal. Rich, smooth, and full of flavor without any bitterness. You can tell they use high-quality beans and know exactly how to brew them. My latte was silky with the most beautiful foam art, and the pastries were fresh, flaky, and irresistible. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to slow down, savor every sip, and maybe even stay for “just one more” cup. Whether you’re here to work, catch up with friends, or simply treat yourself, you’ll leave happier than when you arrived. Highly recommend—you’ll be hooked after your first visit!

we went twice while in town and it was the same lady was working. Both times she wouldn’t even make eye contact or talk at all. Should definitely work on friendlier staff. The drinks are decent though.

Super adorable, artsy shop! I loved how inclusive this coffee shop was and their encouragement/love towards other local shops and artists. While visiting out of state from Tennessee, we were planning on trying some coffee shops around the Asheville area. My experience at PennyCup was wonderful! I ordered a “spicy” mocha with cayenne & cinnamon latte. Although I don’t enjoy spice, I ordered this out of curiosity. It was delicious, but very spicy the more I drank it! This is a great pick for those who want a little kick to their drink. I’m just a wimp, ha!

Tried PennyCup this morning and ordered a lox bagel on everything, granola with yogurt, and a extra hot dirty chai. Chai was spicy and flavorful, homemade granola and bagel were great. I think the only area of improvement I would suggest is friendlier service. Felt a little unwelcomed (my own opinion), but food and drink came out quickly. Super convenient location next to The Foundry.

Pennycup is hands-down my favorite coffee shop in Asheville. The downtown location is perfect for meeting a friend, or having a space to work. I especially love their motif and commitment to equality and social justice.

I wondered where my drink was before noticing it was just made and left at the counter. Very different experience than the River Arts location, which was awesome!

Beautiful neighborhood coffee and bagel shop. Had a delicious spicy mocha latte and perfect bagel with homemade local jam. Vibe was friendly and relaxed, quiet yet inviting, abundant plants and art tucked into nooks.

Nice spicy mocha latte, I love any and all spicy options. Barista was alone and non too warm or happy to be there, but got the job done.

I stopped in for a coffee, as it is located near the Foundry Hotel. Cut shop with lots of sitting room. They only had one person working when I visited so the line was long.

Opens really early on a Sunday. Got a 20oz coffee and $1 refill! The homemade granola yogurt bowl was good, but not enough yogurt! Ratio was a bit off. The vegetarian bagel was refreshing! There is ample seating indoors and the menu has a good selection of items to choose from.

Ginger Ginseng Tea Ahhhh so good. In town visiting for a lovely long weekend when Hurricane Ian swirled close by. Fortunately it didn't swamp town directly but did leave cold, damp, grey weather- perfect for coffee house hopping. After some other stops we found our favorite spot here at PennyCup. There is roomy seating and an all gender rest room thoughtfully stocked with personal care items. I got to chatting with a DJ barista who was kind enough to share on some local color about the Asheville Full Moon Gatherings, featuring some really great beats on SoundCloud. The Mr. got a yummy chai and I had a warming ginger ginseng tea, just what we were looking for- a comfy, tasty port in the storm.

I ordered an oatmilk latte and thought the coffee was very smooth. I felt like you could also appreciate some of the more subtle notes which was lovely. My partner and I went in on a Tuesday morning and it was a very calm atmosphere with only a few people sitting, and we also noticed that they offer a selection of locally baked bagels for anyone who is wanting to grab some breakfast in addition to their coffee.

Extremely disappointing and unwelcoming experience. The barista was working alone, which I understand can be stressful, but her attitude was unacceptable. She was rude and unwelcoming, making our visit uncomfortable. It seemed like she didn't want to work, and each additional order only seemed to annoy her more. Several people left with a bad impression, and overall, it was not an enjoyable experience for my family. Visited at 1pm on 5/13/24.

Homemade granola, and excellent coffee served ip by a friendly staff. What better way to start your day? Visit this gem!

This was the perfect shop. Everything was top tier. Smoothies made with real fruit, blended perfectly. Espresso smooth and perfectly roasted, lattes perfect balanced and to top it all off the bagels are fresh a fulfilling with decadent cream cheese. Highly recommend!

Great coffee choices and quick service. Nice ambiance! Comfortable seats inside and cool photos on wall to check out while enjoying your coffee.

Great food, great coffee, great ambiance, and most importantly, GREAT service! We came in on a Saturday morning, after a night at the Foundry on a family micro-vacation. My wife had the lox bagel sandwich, I had a black coffee, and my daughter had an iced decaf latte with almond milk. Everything was delicious! When we got back home to Greensboro, my daughter realized that she had forgotten her prized Tamagotchi Smart watch at the café! We called on Sunday morning, and they still had it! So, I drove back to get it, enjoying some alone time in the car while listening to Neko Case and trying not to think about my carbon footprint. The people behind the counter were super friendly and kind, and I took the opportunity to try the lox sandwich myself, which was amazing! I don't recommend driving 340 miles for a coffee and a sandwich, but if you're gonna do it, this is the spot!

Great coffee shop with delicious lattes and great bagels! If you love cream cheese they load it up here!

Hubby and I stopped for some coffee and a quick bite to eat before we drove the 6.5 hour ride home. This little gem in Asheville is in the YMI Cultural Center. There are beautiful photographs displayed on the wall inside along with Art Deco decor. Outside you'll find colorful painted picnic tables for dining. I ordered a YMI latte (mocha, white chocolate and cinnamon & 2 shots of espresso) and an Asiago bagel with black peppered bacon and maple cream cheese. This. Was. Amazing! Hubby ordered a bagel and lox sandwich and a spicy mocha latte. He loved it! This place is great. Everyone was super friendly. Perfect place for a pit stop!!

Love the coffee and spicy mocha cookies! Yes! Yes! The employees are always nice and friendly!

Strolling by and decided to give this spot a try. Tried the London fog with oat milk. It was very soothing and delish had subtle hints of lavender.

This cute little coffee shop is aesthetically pleasing! Their coffee is amazing! I had a pumpkin spice latte with oat milk and it was so smooth! I also had their homemade granola with yogurt and honey! Both were beyond delicious! The two guys working were working their butts off and were so kind! Highly recommend checking this spot out if you are visiting Asheville

One of my two "Best Coffee Downtown" places! The banana bread (regular and gluten-free) is truly spectacular (sorry mom.) The service is great too. As far as ambiance goes take a gander at the bathroom. It's worth stepping into because as bathrooms go it's pretty spectacular. There are outside tables usually but construction on the building has temporarily ended that. The overall atmosphere is warm, welcoming. Take a few moments to reflect on the many photos and the mural on the wall. Penny Cup is THE spot for downtown employees and tourists for great coffee!

Only place open on a Sunday morning!!! So glad we stopped! Total kitschy vibe with great coffee choices, super friendly service, and an eye to the environment!

Apparently there are a few locations around town. Got lucky as my hotel was right behind this spot. I actually loved my first visit so much, went back the following morning. Had an iced latte, which tasted smoother than usual, even though I typically like stronger brews. The barista told me their beans are a little lighter than what other cafes use for espresso drinks. As great as the coffee was, my highlight was the bagel! I am a simple man, give me butter and jam on the right bread and I am happy. This could possibly be my favorite presentation of that ever. The toasted bagel was perfect, the right ratio of jam to butter without being too fatty or too sweet. I love PennyCup, and will always make a pit stop when I'm in Asheville.

Calling all spicy food lovers!!!! (But don't be deterred if you're a plain jane, plenty of great options for you too!) I worked from here on a Friday (which was awesome considering most places in the area weren't allowing that due to covid), and I loved it! As a lover of cayenne pepper, I'm so glad I found this spot. I ordered the RAD with oat milk (latte with cayenne, cinnamon, and raw sugar), and it was awesome. It wasn't overly sweet at all and was the perfect kick of cayenne without being too much spice. Highly recommend if you like lattes but nothing too sweet. They also make homemade cream cheeses and were offering one called 4 berry fire. It was a berry cream cheese with jalapeños and cayenne pepper, and MAN, it was one of the best things I've eaten. Not too sweet, not overly spicy, and not too many chunks of jalapeños or anything. The best breakfast. WiFi was also pretty steady most of the morning (a few glitches here and there, but pretty consistent for the most part) and the service was great. I even got to watch the guy who was working make homemade pumpkin chocolate chip muffins while I was working. Such a great little shop!! Highly recommend!

Enjoyed a really good latte here after visiting the nearby Lexington Glass Factory. Very smooth taste. High quality espresso. The service was friendly and it had lots of comfy seats.

Good coffee, eclectic vibe, fast wifi. What more could I need? There was a bit of a queue to order coffee and bagels when I arrived. So to avoid that, I took a seat and did some Yelping until there was no one waiting. Wifi worked well, there was a power outlet nearby and the coffee was great. A neat spot to laptop and socialize! [Review 12696 overall, 8 of 2020.]

It's a nice spot to take a breather. A wide open space with multiple types of sitting area and a great blend of coffee. I had a cafe au lait (~$2.50) for a 12 oz which is your typical tall size from Starbucks. For this price, and the care that goes into brewing the cup, it's so worth it. If you need a place to wind down and taste a good cup of caffeine, PennyCup is it if you're in Asheville Downtown.

We stayed at the Foundry right next door. The coffee was excellent. They have an amazing bagel with lox that is almost as good as NYC. The coffee shop has a nice vibe, good service, and is very comfortable

Great place for coffee and bagels. Tried their chai latte and a bagel. Husband loved his everything bagel and hummus - had some heat. Thank you for making our last morning in Asheville great!

PennyCup has really figured it out! I absolutely love this location! Although PennyCup Haw Creek is my ultimate favorite coffee shop in town and I go there several times a week to eat, drink coffee and do work, I decided to be crazy (haha) and try somewhere new. I'm so glad I did! First off, I can walk to this location from my home in about 15 minutes, which is awesome. They're located right downtown off Eagle Street and next to The Block Off Biltmore. The space is bigger than their RAD location and smaller than their HawCreek location. The cafe is super inviting with it's casual seating and a large colorful mural! I absolutely love the artwork and would love to have a mural like this in my home someday. I just came in for coffee and to do some work. Although the barista wasn't overly friendly, he did fine at his job and I noticed that he was super chatty with some of the other customers. I love checking out bathrooms when I first visit an establishment and although their bathroom is small and was a bit stinky, I love their penny floor so much! I've seen a number of other penny floors but theirs is really unique because it is patterned. How cool! I'll definitely be back, it's a great spot and a great addition to the downtown coffee world.

It's an amazing spot. They have plenty of options. Try the homemade bagels ans home cream cheese. The yummy drink is great with oat milk. The chai tea latte is better at Starbucks because it has more sugar. I should have stated less sweatener. They personally take their time to make drink. It's awesome spot. COVID-19 safe

Food excellent! Service excellent! Ambiance excellent! Loved the artwork and overall vibe. We stayed at The Foundry right around the corner. The yogurt parfait was so delicious. The oatbar and banana bread too. We are definitely heading back.

Coffee was just ok. Service left much to be desired Really felt the barista did not want to be bothered with serving us even though the place was empty

Strong coffee, lots of options, cool decor and viby music -- what more are you looking for in a coffee shop? Stopped here with my family when we were looking for a caffeine boost when in Asheville and PennyCup did not disappoint. I love this location of PennyCup because it's in the YMI Culture Center of the city. Other things to note: -street parking -lots of seating -baked goods -caffeine free options Ps - there are a few locations, so be sure to tell your friends which location to meet you.

A great place to stop in and grab a coffee. The artwork on the walls is colorful and cheery to give an extra boost to your caffeine hit

Fantastic coffee with a great chill ambience- able to sit down and relax while the bustle of weekend Asheville went by!

Slow on Sunday afternoon. nice, quiet seating in the sidewalk. Coffee was a bit weak and bitter for my taste.

We stopped at PennyCup for a quick afternoon caffeine break, and I'm so glad we did! I had a great iced vanilla latte, and enjoyed the indoor atmosphere to relax before our next activity. Stop by for a nice coffee if you're in the area!

The vibe of this place is right but I wasn't too impressed. Bitter coffee. Bagel was mostly cream cheese, trust me, not in a good way. I wanted to love it, but it just didn't hit.

Seeking fresh roasted coffee brew done and pour over fashion, nothing fancy. I couldn't have been more disappointed. The servers attitude, like it was too much to ask ( there were only two other customers at the shop), The ambience or lack of with both customers setting up shop and talking and laughing loudly, and finally, the coffee!! A medium roast Colombian that was by far the worst I've ever tasted. This place is definitely a no for me. There are other places to choose from in Asheville

Lovely coffee shop in a really cool restored building. safely distanced and around the corner from lots of breakfast spots and a parking garage. We parked across in the garage then grabbed a fabulous latte and walked through downtown.

We went in search of good coffee and found that and so much more. My daughter and I had an iced mocha and a cappuccino. Both were great but I was even more blown away by the historic photos and mural.

Bagels and coffee Large selection of breakfast bagel sandwiches and coffee We grabbed a fruit bar and latte Quiet area next to hotel

Not only was the atmosphere here relaxing, but the food and in house roasted coffee was great! I especially loved my lox bagel! And we loved the coffee so much we bought a bag to go!

I was having a hard day and this perfect cup of coffee brought me great comfort and joy. Comfy spot, cool baristas and delicious latte. Snuggled up in the window seat with my kid and healing up with some coffee!

Cool little spot, always love coming to new coffee shops that I haven't been too before. Coffee is good, staff could be friendlier.

I don't review a lot of places but this place was excellent! Coffee was very good, fairly priced, and served by a friendly barista. There is a lovely backyard with picnic tables that is off the street away from the hustle and bustle.

Nice cozy coffee shop with a great vibe. Hot chocolate was pretty good. Banana bread was ok.

Wonderful spot! Their bagel sandwiches are out of this world. I can't eat dairy so I ordered the turkey bagel sandwich and substituted the cheese and cream cheese for hummus and it was so unique and delicious. The atmosphere is very calming and comfortable and the staff is friendly. Came here during a visit to the city and want to come back next time we're in town to sample the coffee offerings!

Good coffee, well done no matter the style we ordered. Nice selection of breakfast food when we were there (pastries, bagels, yogurt, etc). Nice neighborhood vibe. If you're staying in this part of town, a good place for your morning joe!

Best cup of coffee in Asheville! Nice cafe and great latte and cappuccino. Enjoyed and will be back

My favorite coffee shop in downtown Asheville. This was very convenient to where we were staying so walking over was super easy. Loved the vibe at this shop. I really think I could sit in this place all day and hang out. The coffee tasted fantastic which I am going to miss. Bagels were a great complement to the coffee.

Nice place with in/outdoor seating. Great cappuccino, coffee, green tea, toasted bagels (cream cheese and jelly toppings were both enjoyed in my group) along with quick, friendly service - thanks!

Stopped in to grab a latte and ended up with a R.A.D. latte with cinnamon & cayenne. 10/10