Perfect Pairs to Fuel Your Coffee Cravings in Erie County (2024)

By: Maddie Conley,VisitErie Marketing Intern,University of Pittsburgh '25

Every coffee lover knows what it’s like to smell the captivating aroma of rich espresso when they walk into their favorite coffee shop, but nothing compares to discovering a perfect pair that complements their favorite coffee drink. Erie coffee shops are always intriguing to visit as each café constantly updates their menus with innovative drinks and irresistible savory and sweet treats. At every coffee shop in Erie, it is effortless to find the perfect pair that best suits you and your taste buds.

Pressed Books & Coffee

Perfect Pair: An Iced Caramel Macchiato and a book from Pressed’s bookstore

Pressed is a cozy coffee shop and bookstore ideal for coffee lovers who desire to grab a book and relax inside the café, browse the shop for novelty gifts, or even lounge at the beach with a coffee and book in hand. Radiating throughout the café are fragrant smells of rich espresso and delicious baked goods like coffee cake, macaroons, and scones. If caramel is your go-to flavor, be sure to try Pressed’s Iced Caramel Macchiato. The tasty caramel blends perfectly with the roasted flavors of espresso, creating just the right amount of sweetness. Connected to the café is Pressed’s charming bookstore that is locally owned. Not only does the bookstore host books from local authors to New York Times Best Sellers, they also offer a wide selection of unique gifts such as modern artwork, fun board games, and stylish décor. Whether you’re diving into a beach read, thriller, romance, or fantasy novel, a freshly brewed coffee from Pressed pairs perfectly with your next reading adventure.

If you’re not a book-lover, there’s no need to worry! You can pair an Iced Caramel Macchiato with a delicious treat, like Pressed’s brand-new chocolate peanut pretzel cookie. You are guaranteed to have something sweet and salty in every bite, as this delectable cookie is loaded with chunks of crunchy pretzel, salty peanuts, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Purrista Cat Café

Perfect Pair: Purrista Cat Café’s drink of the month in August, 2023: Orange Cat-sicle Float and a Sundae Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich

Calling all cat lovers! Purrista Cat Café is a unique coffee shop dedicated to helping cats find their forever home, as well as serving up delicious baked goods from local and vegan bakers. Cuddly cats, specialty coffees, and locally made desserts create a homey atmosphere that ensures a comfortable and relaxing experience. Whether you want to sip on a coffee or spend time cuddling cats, Purrista Cat Café has it all. Visitors can show their love for these adorable cats by purchasing a cup of coffee or reserving a space to cuddle with these furry friends—who are all up for adoption—in the Cat Lounge. For more information on how to reserve a spot in the Cat Lounge, click here.

Each month, the team at Purrista Cat Café crafts a special monthly drink inspired by the adoptable cats with proceeds going towards their adoption. August’s drink of the month was an Orange Cat-sicle Float, a strong cold brew topped with a creamy orange and vanilla cold foam, inspired by two adoptable orange kittens, Rome and Raphium. This drink pairs perfectly with a Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich from Sundae, a local vegan bakery. Satisfy your caffeine craving, while supporting the adoptable cats residing at Purrista Cat Café.

The Bean Coffee House

Perfect Pair: Medium Roast Coffee with a Croissant Breakfast Sandwich

If you enjoy the simplicity of a black cup of coffee, The Bean Coffee House is just for you. This coffee shop, located in North East, PA is adored for its’ friendly and cozy atmosphere that has lots of space to relax in with friends and family. The Bean is well-known for roasting their own beans and creating flavorful blends of coffee. Their roast options include light, medium, dark, and coconut. If you want to take your favorite roast home, you can purchase a package of their beans onsite. The Bean offers a variety of pastries and elevated breakfast sandwiches so you can discover your perfect pairing. Their Medium Roast Coffee is a rich blend that pairs great with their croissant breakfast sandwich. This sandwich has layers of juicy bacon, fluffy eggs, and melty cheese. A black coffee and breakfast sandwich is as classic as it gets, and is certain to have you coming back for more!

Jo’s Brooklyn Bagels Too

Perfect Pair: Vanilla Latte and an Everything Bagel

Founded in 2009 is Erie’s iconic local bagel shop: Jo’s Brooklyn Bagels. Now bagel lovers can enjoy scrumptious bagels at Jo’s Brooklyn Bagels Too, their new location inside of the Flagship City Food Hall in Downtown Erie. They offer a selection of over 25 bagel flavors that are both savory and sweet like Jalapeno Cheddar, Pizza, French Toast, and Chocolate Chip. You can even top your bagel with homemade cream cheese flavors like Garlic and Chive, Veggie, and Strawberry—is your mouth watering yet? What makes Jo’s Brooklyn Bagels especially unique is their espresso and coffee blends are locally sourced from Millcreek Coffee Company. Be sure to start your morning off with a bagel and hot vanilla latte, the most perfect pair that never goes out of style.

Dunkin’

Perfect Pair: Iced Butter Pecan Latte and a Vanilla Donut

If you’re in need of a quick pick-me-up, Erie has six locally owned Dunkin’ locations to fuel your caffeine needs. Back and better than ever is Dunkin’s Butter Pecan Swirl Latte, which pairs perfectly with a vanilla donut. No matter where you are in Erie, Dunkin’ has your cravings covered.

Werner Books & Coffee

Perfect Pair: Hot Chai Latte with Oat Milk and a Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich

Werner Books has been an Erie gem for more than a decade, selling new and used books of every genre out of their Liberty Plaza location. But after they renovated and expanded their store in September 2023, the addition of a coffee shop and comfortable seating spaces makes it an irresistible spot to spend a cozy day. The new coffee shop features fresh coffees from local roaster North Edge Craft Coffee, including Werner's new signature blends Don't Give Up the Drip and Reader's Roast, as well as a rotating line up of scratch baked goods from four local vendors.

On a drizzly day (or any day), the creamy and spicy Chai Latte is the perfect sip for meandering the aisle, especially with a treat to accompany it. The Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich, by local company Sundae Vegan Desserts, is soft, just a little salty, and the right amount of sweet.