Curated
Dark Horse Coffee Roasters interior

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters

Closed
opens 6:30 AM
Neighborhood
Normal Heights
Roaster
In-house
Food
Coffee only

Curator’s note

Even the decaf gets a named water process and its own tasting notes: Royal Select, butterscotch and red apple. Decaf is the order most roasteries stop caring about, and this one wrote it up like everything else on the list.

The Curated Order
The drink
The Champ

Dark Horse Coffee Roasters' own signature espresso drink, poured across their San Diego and Kaua'i cafes.

The coffee

The single origins arrive printed with varietal, altitude and process: Guatemala Santa Elisa at 1500 meters, Catui and Bourbon, washed; Ethiopia Welichi Wachu, Heirloom, washed between 2100 and 2300 meters; Brazil Rio Brilhante, natural, Yellow Bourbon with Mundo Novo and Obata. At the bar those names give way to the house ones: nitro cold brew, and a drink called The Champ.

The beansCurrent lineup
  • GUATEMALA - Santa Elisa

    Guatemala, Acatenango · 1500 Meters

    Varietals
    Catui, Bourbon
    Process
    Washed
    Producer
    Santa Elisa

    Salted Caramel · Dried Apricot · Juicy

  • ETHIOPIA - Welichi Wachu - Washed

    Ethiopia, Guji · 2100-2300 Meters

    Varietals
    Heirloom
    Process
    Washed
    Producer
    Yabitu Koba

    Sweet Candy Acidity · Melon · Floral

  • BRAZIL - Rio Brilhante

    Brazil, Cerrado Mineiro · 1100 Meters

    Varietals
    Yellow Bourbon, Mundo Novo, Obatã
    Process
    Natural

    Chocolate Brownie · S'mores · Dates

  • This Is Our Dark Roast

    Guatemala, Antigua · 1600 Meters

    Roast
    Dark
    Varietals
    Bourbon
    Process
    Washed
    Producer
    Los Volcanes Coffee

    Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds · Dulce de Leche · Smooooooooth

  • DECAF - Colombia

    Colombia, Mogiana · 1500 MASL

    Process
    Royal Select Water
    Producer
    El Vergel Estate

    Buttersotch · Dark Chocolate · Red Apple

  • NightWave - Half Caff

    Colombia & Mexico

    Process
    Half Decaf ~ Half Regular

    Chocolate Brownie · Tangerine · Caramel

  • NO PROBLEMO!

    Guat x Brazil x Colo

  • ODD HARMONICS

    Guatemala and Ethiopia

    chocolate · strawberry sweetness

The room

What the new room added is plain and physical: more seats than the old shop, an entrance with no step up, better air conditioning. None of that is a design statement, and all of it decides whether anyone stays for a second cup.

The work-test
WifiSolidReliable for most tasks
OutletsSomeSome along the walls
SeatingSpaciousLots of room to spread
NoiseModerateEasy conversation level
LaptopsLimitedWelcome outside peak hours

The vibe

Photos

8

People

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