PennyCup Coffee Co.

My first time in as an out of towner, just passing by and wanting a coffee from a local shop! I’m anti “give money to large corporations” so I was really stoked to happen upon this place. House made brown sugar cinnamon syrup was PHENOMENAL and left me feeling so sad I didn’t size up my order. VEGAN CHOCOLATE CROISSANTS??!!!! Had to get one, I didn’t eat it until the next day and it was an absolute experience in all of the best ways. Flaky, moist, soft and crunchy I will dream about this croissant for the rest of my life. I also got a cherry-limeade made by another local small business from their beverage fridge, they had a lot of options. Really rad spot, genuinely nice person working, and a way to support local. I’ll be back - AND IM BRINGING MY FRIENDS!

We took the Asheville Coffee Tour and visited a total of three coffee locations. The coffee selection for our tasting experience was very good. The area and location has a great story to tell. The photos in the coffee location are great.

I was travelling through here 2 years ago on a big road trip. Being from Australia I was struggling to find a good flat white or long mac topped up. These guys delivered. In 5+ trips to usa over 10 years these guys made the best coffee I've ever had in usa. I look forward to returning and also buying some merch next time.

PennyCup is the OG in AVL! Super cool roastery space, great for our community! Atmosphere is amazing. Staff is top notch. Keep it up team! Espresso is rich, drip is amazing. WiFi, work at stool, table. Seriously, hidden gem. 👀 ☕️

This little gem is the perfect spot for your morning coffee, pastry, and great vibes. We got dirty chai lattes that were top notch. It is important to note that every PennyCup location has its own menu. This spot has limited options. They also have a bit of merchandise. We bought two super cute, soft, well made sweaters. Check it out.

I ordered a chai tea latte and it was delicious. The staff were friendly enough and they have free wifi. I ended up working out of here for a couple hours. Wouldn’t be my first choice as a place to study or work as there’s not many seats and the music was really loud. Instead, this seems like a great place to grab a drink and go, or to stay and socialize a little.

PenncyCup has amazing beans. I source the beans for the coworking space I manage from Morgan and her team. The Mexico Chiapas is on point and they have great customer service. And get this, they deliver for free!

BEST FOR THE BULK - Sometimes I wish I could rate places a 6/5, or that 4.5 could still mean "AMAZING." It's cause this place - Penny Cup Coffee, KILLS IT in terms of VALUE, at a level which puts it ABOVE the other places I've reviewed. Let me explain - you're getting coffee the quality of Pollen and Cooperative Coffee but at a fraction of the price - the caveat being you have less single origin options to choose from and whole bean options START at a lb - but consider this - for a lb of Ethiopian Guji(my personal recommendation), you pay the same as you would 12 ounces of Cooperative's Levity or 10 oz of Rowan's Encore. Really, you're not going to get more accessible or affordable "third wave" type coffee than here. It's my go to for buying in Bulk - they pack and seal the coffee right in front of you. But for chilling out and grabbing just a cup - stick with Pollen.

Fantastic coffee joint in the Arts District! Very subtle exterior but a comfy interior. Young lady waiting on us was by herself and worked hard to serve everyone in a timely manner. Our coffee was some of the best we've ever had, and the breakfast bagel sandwiches (egg, lox...) were first rate. We will absolutely return here again!

Great bagels and great coffee! They also have a great vibe and a lot of local art! Love this place!

Best coffee I had in Asheville! I compare everything to Factory Coffee in Michigan, and this came quite close. I prefer cafes that roast their own beans, as it tends to provide richer and more flavorful coffee! Would definitely recommend this to any coffee lover!

Super cute coffee shop on the outskirts of Asheville. Definitely artsy colorful hipster vibes. Dirty iced chai 7/10. New Orleans Cold Brew 10/10. Cold brew 8/10. Average price for a coffee ($4.75 for 16 oz).

Loved this coffee shop. They roast for themselves, which, in my book, makes them legit.

Big fan. Did my research and heard this was the spot for a great coffee. Knowing that I have an earthy, herbal palate, I was excited to hear they had a chicory root house-made flavoring, and added it to my oat milk latte with a splash of honey. Service was quick and staff was very friendly and welcoming. To watch them roast the beans in house while I waited for my coffee was a treat. Ended up chatting with a local on her laptop; was very fortunate to learn about the nearby area which added to the overall exceptional experience. Highly recommended!

Solid dark roast find. Great service and clean bathroom. Glad to try a new shop in town.

Good latte is good service not a lot of places to sit though at this location. Parking can be difficult on a busy day as well but the Barista was very good and helpful

The coffee is so smooth I don't even need creamer which is rare for me. I like to get one to drink immediately and buy some fresh ground to take with me!

Great cold brew coffee! Smooth and delicious. Loved my beverage. Interior is industrial with cool artwork (pin up cats!) that is fun to look at. Overall, a cool space with a super nice barista in the arts district. Perfect for a caffeine bump or a quick sit as you explore all the great galleries nearby.

I had read about this coffee shop and when I saw it on my way to a shop I decided to stop in. I got an iced chai. I think 90% of it was milk. It was weak but cold and did refresh me. It wasn't what I hoped it would be which was more tea based.

Great bagels and coffee for a great price! Can't beat it while in town. Will definitely be stopping back by when in Asheville!

Very good coffee roaster with great selection of options. This location has an on-site roaster so it is nice to see it in action. The pourover option is not readily available but overall not bad of a place to check out!

Cute vibe, cuter barista. Great coffee, better service. This location is the bees knees

Came here to grab a quick cup. I ordered an iced Super Rad latter with almond milk $4. It was bold, smooth, and had great flavor. The service was fast and friendly. The shop is small, but seating is available. Cat mural is fantastic!

Stopped by here while exploring River Arts District. Believe it or not for you coffee lovers this was my first time ordering a cold brew. I think I started with the best- it was so good! Strong and smooth, it was the perfect beverage to sip on while walking around. They roast their own beans and it obviously makes a difference!. Give them a try, you won't be disappointed!

This coffee shop has an open floor plan where you can actually see the beans being roasted and packaged. We were greeted right away by the barista who eagerly helped us make our selections. The coffee was bold and rich and the lavender flavor was the best we've had. The branding was impeccable, we highly recommend for coffee enthusiasts.

The coffee is good, the service is great, and their baked goods are fresh and usually local. If you're a t-shirt collector, they have some cool Rube Goldberg-esque coffee designs.

We happened by here while wandering the River Arts district. Great place tucked away. Got incredible service. A great, rich, complex brew. Very fresh.

As soon as I walked in the door I felt like an inconvenience. Did some research on coffee in the River arts district and had mildly high expectations but waited a few minutes to be served before feeling like I did something wrong by ordering their New Orleans cold brew. Drink was mid and a bit overpriced. Won't be going back but wish you guys well. Why was I charged for ice.

Great coffee! Cool vibe. I ordered a cappuccino and a Rad latte along with a couple of bags of coffee beans. Coffee drinks were amazing, barista was very hospitable and coffee beans were fresh. Must visit place for a coffee enthusiast.

Amazing coffee! Our VRBO host left a small batch of coffee for us to brew, and we were hooked. We stopped in for a quick cup on the way to a massage and was greeted with a smile, ordered quickly, and the shop had a great, local vibe. The Ethiopian blend was our favorite!

I ordered a medium Americano, black. It was so watered down it was almost undrinkable. I couldn't stop staring at how light-colored it was, it was like drinking a cup of hot water. Easily the weakest Americano I've ever had, may have been the weakest cup of coffee I've ever had. Girlfriend's iced latte tasted like drinking ice milk, no coffee flavor at all. Very disappointed. Expected a decent cup since Hole Doughnuts uses them for their coffee. Total waste of money.

Coming from two BIG coffee drinkers, this place was amazing! It's in a historic building and has a really cool mural inside. My husband and I were sad to leave Asheville and miss out on this deliciousness.

i've been to pennycup passing through asheville once before and i got a drip coffee that was pretty good but i got a black cold brew this time and it was seriously terrible. i'm leaving a review just to let someone know that i think something really sinister is going on in the toddy.. i picked up my brew and immediately realized something was wrong. it was completely opaque and it looked THICK, but i walked out with it because i'm non-confrontational.. got to the car, and it's floating with lil particles so i'm curious and i take a sip.. it's gritty and tastes like a tire tread, so i'm like ok whatever five dollars down the drain it's not the end of the world, and i pour it out and there is a solid half inch of what looks like smooth mud or silt at the bottom of the cup. still don't know what was going on and i've worked in specialty coffee for six years.. it was like it had brewed for a year! maybe won't be going back

With a ton of options in the area for coffee I went with PennyCup! I'm glad I did I really enjoyed the banana bread which isn't in this photo since I clearly devoured it. The New Orleans cold brew was the perfect start to my day! Highly recommend PennyCup! Good people and good coffee!

Come in for a sample of the barrel aged coffee! Unique specialty flavors like coldbrew with cardamom, honey, orange zest, and cream Perfect for a mid-arts district exploration pause. Small-batch, sustainably sourced beans, roasted in house.

Eclectic and funky coffee house in the RAD. Get the New Orleans cold brew (chicory, sugar, cream). You won't be disappointed. Great pick me up on a hot day.

Hail Saint Drogo, Patron Saint of coffee house keepers and coffee house owners, Mender of broken bones and Shepard of those whom others find repulsive. Blessed art thou for guiding my humble tastebuds and awakening my senses with the glorious brewed fruit of the PennyCup. Oh yeah, and Tommy. Thanks for Tommy. Amen.

This may be the best coffee I have ever drank. I drink black coffee. No cream, steamed milk, just the beauty of good quality coffee. This place is just great. Friendly service, even though they were busy making all the frothy coffee delights... Whether you like those or straight up black, this place is a great find.

Probably the worst cup of coffee my husband has ever had. Although they advertise bagels - nope. There is no place to sit, and even though it was obvious I was ill, they couldn't find something for me to sit on. Ridiculous.

I recently had PennyCup coffee at an eatery in west Asheville - and loved it. Felt I needed to visit the source and try something else. Upon walking in I was immediately greeted by a smiling, friendly barista who was conversing with and serving a couple of out-of-town visitors at the bar. My first visit was already off to a nice and personable start. I ordered the Papua, New Guinea pour over and it was phenomenal. The barista informed me how many minutes the pour over would take, then delivered it to me at the table instead of just setting it on the bar. You'd think this place would be one of the lesser known gems in town, but it's not. For a Tuesday afternoon, there was a steady flow of people coming and going. All of them greeted and served promptly. I highly recommend.

After destroying a full rack of ribs at 12 Bones, we rolled out of our car to do some exploring of the River Arts District. To be honest we were looking for a place to use the restroom and found PennyCup which turned into a super pleasant surprise. We were greeted by one of the owners (I believe) working the bar who chatted us up and gave us tons of awesome info on what to see in the neighborhood. Aside from being incredibly friendly and welcoming the coffee here is REALLY good and trust me I know good beans when I taste em'. I had a chamomile tea as well it was great. Kind of wish I had purchased a bag of coffee here before we left. Maybe I will see if I can order online. Either way if you are in the area and feeling thirsty in that Asheville heat, don't miss this place.

This place served up a good cup of coffee. I got the drip and it honestly tasted as good as a pour over. It's on a side road in the arts district. The barista was very personable and gave us some hints on local spots to hangout at on a Saturday. The inside is very minimal with a few mugs and tshirt a for sale and a man roasting beans in the middle of the floor. I loved it! If you want commercialized coffee like Starbucks don't go here but if you want true and good coffee go here.

Delicious coffee options. The barista is a coffee master and they have beans from all around the world. Friendly environment and one of the best latte's I've ever had.

My husband and I have been trying to find a Saturday morning coffee spot for weeks and we have finally found the perfect place! This location is truly a hole in the wall kind of place, but my goodness the coffee is wonderful! Not to mention you can sit and watch the beans being roasted right in front of you. The employees are very friendly and accommodating. There is not much for decor or seating space. Only a small bar and one high top table, but we never have a problem getting a seat either. They offer a few things to eat - usually banana bread or a daily flavor of muffin. There are gluten free versions of both as well. We buy espresso beans from them as well and actually had them scooped out of the roaster and put into the bag. Oh, the smell! Amazing! You have to try this place!

Cute coffee shop/roaster in the Arts District. We got a couple of Americanos and split a bagel with cream cheese, both of which hit the spot. I liked the variety of people enjoying coffee in the shop and taking it to go. The line was nearly out the door when we arrived on a Saturday morning. With its industrial, art-centric vibe, PennyCup would be a frequent quirky morning stop if I lived in the area.

Penny Cup Coffee co., is a small batch coffee roaster and coffee bar off Depot Street in the river arts district of asheville. My asshole Waze app sent me on a wild fucking goose chase and I ended up at the police department, after I asked a detective for directions - he mistakingly identified me as a lady who was running a large scale prostitution ring out of her Zumba studio, and was on the most wanted list. Eventually I ended up at Penny Cup after being released two months later from county lockup when the arrested the real culprit. Just kidding- I used google maps instead and was there in like five minutes. Street parking is abundant out front and a lot more is to be found along the side street that runs parallel to Penny Cup. In addition to selling single cups of coffee and lattes, etc., they are actually roasting coffee there; so it smells like you've died and gone to heaven, and (if you get a good seat!) - you can watch the roasters at work; it's pretty neat. They have a pretty informative list up on the wall of where in Asheville you can enjoy their brew; which is nice and informative. (I suggest snapping a pic of the list so you can refer back.) They've got cute merch; some nice mugs for sale and funky black tanks and tees (which are great for people like me that get major sweat stains). They also have adorable little handmade mugs for sale too, along the side wall. I sat at the bar and ordered a cortado. It came in a sleek black cup and was delish, not too hot- but just hot enough, and super fresh. Plus, It seemed like the guy that made it really took his time and put care into it, which made me feel special, even though I'm sure they do this for every customer. Penny cup co. had got cold brew growlers for sale; and the refills aren't too costly at all for organic fair trade coffee. They've also got light snacks such as muffins and bread cake so you don't get hangry. Next time I'm going to try the "Super Rad" latte which has cinnamon, sugar, and cayenne in it. Tip; take a stroll around the block (for some odd reason it smells even better outside- like fresh roasting coffee beans.) Bonus; hours after I left my car still smelled like fresh roasting coffee (normally it smells like Apple cider vinegar- don't ask).

Coffee not bad but the surliest barista I have ever encountered!!! Not worth going to, much better options in the area.

Fantastic place with great coffee, and kind, welcoming employees. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town.

Happen to be near we were staying and this is our second day of having a great cup of coffee to start our day. Be back tomorrow.

PennyCup is a nice reprieve from the pretentious coffee shops that have popped up in recent years. With construction going on around this site, parking can be a hassle. However, this place is worth the hunt. You have three different roast for drip coffee (all roasted by PennyCup at River Arts District), along with all other other standards on the menu. The food menu is full of baked delights along with some good bagel choices. The shop is full of awesome art and has ample seating. The casual vibe makes it a good spot to sit down with a friend, or pull out a laptop and work. Pricing is very reasonable. Staff is very informative. Cool spot to get coffee after a long night at the breweries.

We were in Ashville just for a day so we were making the most of our time by beginning and ending with a new coffee shop. Penny Cup was closest to us and it looked like a suitable pick. We were also hoping to use the coffee shop as a place to find some other Asheville 'must-dos.' We were disappointed with the initial warmth of the staff. I felt that it took some intentional conversation to draw out any discussion from the barista. Even after the discussion, we didn't feel that our questions about Asheville were welcomed without a previous knowledge of the city. However, the cortado and latte were spot on. Probably one of the best cortados I have had for awhile. Seriously, even as I type this I want to increase my rating just for the cortado. My recommendation is this: If you are looking for a great cup of coffee go here but don't expect a warm environment or nice greeting when you walk on the door.

Penny Cup Coffee is tucked away in a corner of the River Arts District. It is small, unpretentious, clean, and has consistently great coffee. There is also a small selection of great baked goods (muffins/banana bread) always a gluten free option. If you arrive after noon, you'll be out of luck as baked good are usually sold out. And freshish flowers on the tables. So....what I don't love.....the seating is extremely uncomfortable! Bar stools with no backs. Ouch. Very uncozy vibe. Also the employees don't ever seem glad you are there. It's hard to explain but I always get the feeling that I am somehow disturbing them. Like if they would rather be doing something else. I think they may be overworked and trying to roast coffee beans and serve the floor at the same time? Not sure But a smile might help. Add few comfy chairs with backs and lower table tops and I'd give them 5 stars. Sorry, but with cement floors and walls, it begs for warm comfortable seating to become a spot for friends to gather rather than a quick stop for a cup of coffee!

I really loved this coffee shop. The atmosphere was hip & inviting. I loved that all my questions were welcomed & knowledgeably answered. The decaf iced RAD latte was so good, which is saying a lot. People that drink decaf care more about the taste & flavor profile- so this was a big deal for me. I would totally recommend this coffee shop. It was a great experience.

I love the owners and what they've done with this coffee shop. Atmosphere and decor are pretty good, coffee and bagels w/lox & cream cheese are delicious! But every time I go to the East Asheville location, the music is turned up so loud it is impossible to carry on a conversation, conduct a meeting, do work, or do homework in here. Anywhere you sit the music is SO LOUD! The RAD location is tiny and there is only one power outlet at the bar next to the cash register (?). I go to coffee shops to enjoy the coffee and the atmosphere, but I also use them to do work and have meetings with clients and the noise pollution makes it difficult to do this.

Service was not very friendly but I could get over that if the coffee was better. The place was pretty dirty and could use a good scrubbing over...at a minimum they need to wipe the cobwebs off of every surface.

horrid. rude barista. god awful customer service. high price for mid coffee. had to order a second drink because my friend hated hers that much. barista did not know the price of products and was completely rude. also threw items around and dairy products were not refrigerated. will not be returning and i advise you do not waste your money.

This is my favorite place for a quick cup of coffee, banana bread, or ground/bean coffee to take home and make. Very simple its a coffee bar with a few pastry items, they definitely are sophisticated baristas without being pretentious. Inside the room they also roast coffee which can smell fantastic. When I've brought home their medium roast and made it at home it was my partner's and my favorite local coffee, next to dynamite roast. Their banana bread is very moist and flavorful. This is my favorite place to go when I'm in need of coffee and a bite quickly. I believe they also have toasted bagels with cream cheese.