Local Spotlight: Second State Coffee

Oh coffee, how we love thee. It kickstarts our mornings, fuels our days, and sustains us in-between. It serves as both a high octane energy engine for the modern businessperson, and a leisurely indulgence for the cosmopolitan. The coffee shop has become a communal American living room, and a good café has the potential to be the heartbeat of a neighborhood.

Enter Second State Coffee, in downtown Charleston’s Harleston Village. After only five years of operation, it has distinguished itself as a café for coffee people. Gone be the corporate and chintzy imposters; Second State offers a tasteful dive into the details of the art.

Intimate and open, the shop nonetheless cuts no corners behind the bar, with espresso makers, cold presses, drips, grinders, toasters and tampers abound. Boasting creative lattes (try the lavender!), popular cold brews, and single-sourced beans roasted right here in Charleston, their product is polished by skilled baristas who effortlessly execute the finer points of their craft.

The salon area is simple, but welcoming. A central water cart faces the door, with a large community table in the center of the room, and lounge seating along the wall. A small library is nestled into the corner, where customers may pretend to browse while watching the baristas flit and flip their wares.

Growlers, packaged beans and surprisingly stylish merchandise sit next to the ordering line, and of course, complimentary wifi comes standard. In 2020, Second State expanded to a second location in Mt. Pleasant, offering all of the same coffee options, with an exciting new brunch focus.

If you’re a coffee lover, check out Second State Coffee while you’re visiting Charleston. And if you’re not, try it anyway – they just might convert you!