There’s a taste for every type of coffee drinker - and a lot of what influences that taste comes from the coffee roaster. What makes a good roaster, and who are some of the roasters we recommend? Let's explore how coffee roasting defines our final cup.
What do speciality coffee roasters do?
A great coffee has had a journey - from the mountain tops of the coffee belt, through the roaster, until it reaches your hands, where you grind with precision, brew with care, and drink with pleasure. Every single step of that journey shapes the flavour of the final drink, with the roaster an essential part of the process.
When coffee beans arrive at the roaster, they are green – full of potential but lacking refinement and taste. Brew a green coffee bean, and you’re not getting anything that resembles the coffee you love.
The roaster develops the profile of the coffee, choosing how to best draw that potential from the bean, highlighting delicate tones, strengthening robust flavours, and bringing out the finest aromas. There’s a lot that goes into that roasting process and choosing the right roast level – read our article ‘Understanding Roast Levels for a Perfect Coffee’ to delve in a little more.
But there’s also a lot more that the roaster does – none of it less important. The roaster:
- Sources the coffee, ensuring they obtain the finest beans, ethically and sustainably produced from selected regions.
- Ensures consistency across roasts, making it so you can trust each and every batch.
- Controls freshness and logistics, getting the coffee to you without losing any of its delicate flavour.
The finest specialist coffee roasters make things simple for you by taking care of the many complicated variables that go into refining coffee so you can concentrate on the grind-and-brew. You don’t need to be an expert barista once you have a few coffee roasters who you really trust – you know that you’re getting fresh, great-tasting coffee every time.
The third wave of coffee
A little history lesson helps understand roasters as we see them today. Starting in the US, the early 2000s gave way to what we now call the third wave of coffee. The first wave had introduced the world to mass-market coffees that found their place in homes worldwide in the 1970s and 80s, giving us household names such as Nescafé.
The second wave was all about enjoying coffee more as an experience, leading to coffee shops like Starbucks; the third wave took this a step further, leading to the thrill of speciality coffee brewing at home.
To meet this new market of home coffee enthusiasts like us all, skilled baristas and professional connoisseurs of coffee who loved the technical experience of roasting became specialist roasters, turning the instant water-over-granules coffee of the late 20th century into the artisanal beauty of an aromatically fresh and delicate-tasting home-brewed espresso.
Best coffee roasters - US
Given their pioneering involvement in the third wave, it only seems fair that we begin our exploration of top coffee roasters in the US.
American roasters are known for being data lovers, analysing metrics to push forward the science of coffee roasting. This is combined with a love of innovation, wide regional diversity, and a passion for branding to bring some of the most impactful coffee flavours in the world.
Our top US coffee roaster picks:
- Onyx Coffee Lab - With a strong emphasis on transparency, connecting their customers to the very source of the coffee, Onyx Coffee Lab seeks to innovate, an approach that has led to multiple awards. Recently they were ranked the #2 coffee shop in the world (and #1 in North America) by theworlds100bestcoffeeshops.com.
- Tandem Coffee Roasters – Known for their signature blends, Tandem are passionate about working with small growers for their speciality coffee. Based in Portland, Maine, they operate a bakery to enjoy alongside their freshly roasted coffee if you do get the opportunity to visit. For the non-locals, there are online tasters and subscription delivery options to enjoy.
- Ilse Coffee - Like other small coffee roasting businesses, Ilse Coffee are keen on promoting sustainability and transparency in their sourcing. With a roasting style that’s all about drawing out the natural beauty of the bean rather than overwriting its character, their resulting light roasts are clean and clear.
- Passenger – With a clear focus on the flavour tones in their coffee, Passenger present both blends and single-origin beans that are closer to a premium offering than an everyday drink, making them perfect for an occasional treat. Visiting Pennsylvania would give you the added opportunity of seeing the coffee roasted, with the roasting facility viewable from their adjoining café.
Best coffee roasters – Europe
Coming back across the Atlantic, we find ourselves moving toward Scandinavia, where the third-wave scene really took hold, resulting in a boost for light-roast coffee that emphasises acidity and brings out delightful floral notes.
Of course, it would be remiss not to look across the continent, where both traditional and modern cultures combine to produce spectacular speciality coffee.
Our top EU coffee roaster picks:
- Tim Wendelboe – Considered by many as the foremost authority in Nordic-style coffee, Tim Wendelboe promotes very light roasting to bring out the natural traits of the bean, rather than over-roasting to hide flaws or push the flavour. An extremely high-profile figure, exploring Tim’s work through either the taste of his roasts or his content and media is enlightening for any coffee enthusiast.
- DAK - Named after the Dutch word for ‘roof’ because founder Louis-Philippe Boucher decided to become a roaster while sitting on a rooftop, DAK offers experimental flavours that are more edgy and unique than many. With names such as ‘Cream Doughnut’ or ’Plum Marmalade’, DAK presents a range of exciting and ethical coffee tastes.
- La Cabra - Minimalist yet inviting, La Cabra offers an honest, transparent coffee chain from cherry to cup. Their independence allows them to remain free from outside influences, resulting in a quality coffee with an impressive attention to detail and international recognition.
- Mazelab – A micro-roastery in Prague, Mazelab follow their ‘lab’ mindset, presenting themselves as experimental and creative. The results are high-quality coffee that delights in its uniqueness.
Best coffee roasters – UK
Coming home to the UK is no less exciting. The coffee roasting scene across the country is younger than that of continental Europe but no less impressive, with a dynamic vibrancy practically unmatched anywhere else.
UK coffee roasters tend to focus on accessibility and balance, making coffee that can be delightfully enjoyed by all. This extends to the business model, where a move to online subscription-based coffee delivery allows you to experience the very best roasts without stepping outside – great for avoiding the midsummer rain…
Our top UK coffee roaster picks:
- Square Mile – Founded in 2008 by Anette Moldvaer and industry celebrity James Hoffmann, Square Mile was one of the first specialist roasters of the third wave in London and remains rightly respected almost two decades later. With a focus on both ethical sourcing and community feedback, Square Mile work tirelessly on their craft, producing a range of premium coffee that stands at the forefront of UK roasters.
- Origin – With locations across London and the South West (plus one in Edinburgh), it’s a lot easier for a UK coffee aficionado to sample Origin’s delightful coffee than many other options. Offering a curated collection of specialist coffee from around the world, Origin also places traceability and social considerations at the forefront of their business, consistently producing excellent coffee beloved throughout the country.
- Crankhouse – Based in Exeter, Crankhouse aim for omni-roasts – beans that are as delightful for espresso as they are for filter brews – and encourage personal taste testing and experimentation to discover your favourite roast. It’s an approach we’re fully behind at Niche. Crankhouse offer a full description of each roast on their website, giving you the opportunity to really explore the source behind the taste.
- Carnival - Carnival are serious about sustainability with their strong environmental ethos that reaches as far as delivering by bicycle in London to limit their carbon footprint (and no doubt, avoid the traffic!). Unlike many other roasters, Carnival have a direct family link to the coffee growers in Colombia and an equally community-driven attitude to their local London area. The coffee is equally precise, with options for every taste – including decaf!
Grinding the Best Coffee Roasters with the Best Coffee Grinders
When you’ve put the time and effort into selecting high-quality, delicate-tasting and exciting coffees from these top coffee roasters, it’s important that you don’t spoil anything at the next stage. Your Niche Zero or Niche Duo grinder will ensure that not a single gram is wasted, thanks to our near-zero retention and precision grind.
Delight in a perfect cup of coffee, with the best coffee roasters and the best home coffee grinder.
