Coffee Without a Car in South Philly

Usually, I travel without a car. Sometimes, it's difficult to navigate new places on foot; but, for the most part, it allows me the freedom and time to really feel each neighborhood I explore. One of my favorite reasons to walk through a city is to search for locally frequented coffee shops. I recently spent a few days in South Philadelphia, and thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to check out several of the area's most popular neighborhood cafés. Below are my two favorites!

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B2

The sounds of indie rock will hit your ears at B2 even before you first inhale the freshly ground fair trade organic coffee blends brewing. As an avid coffee drinker and local café regular, B2 was unlike any café I have previously visited. It's nestled into a triangle intersection, which lends itself to the place's narrow wedge-like structure. There's no clear place to order inside, but this ambiguity fits with the decidedly hipster crowd busily buried in their laptops, notebooks and novels. After navigating the bar area to order, I looked around for a spot to sit. B2's unique format even includes its seating offerings. They take advantage of their triangular-shaped property with enormous windows lining each angle of the building, and built-in cushioned window seats. There are also a few tables and chairs inside, as well as seats at the bar and seating outside. I was skeptical at first of the over-the-top "gluten free and organic" menu, which honestly read a bit pretentious, but I was proved wrong after taking the first delicious bite of my melted French Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Baguette. The menu features deliciously crafted sandwiches; although, the protein options are limited to hummus, tuna or whitefish. The coffee is fantastic, the tea blends are diverse, and there is soy milk offered at no additional charge (seriously!). B2 is also pet-friendly, another oddity making this place truly one-of-a-kind.

BYO cup for reduced prices.
Free wi-fi available.
Open M-F 7AM-8PM, weekends 8AM-8PM.
Cash-only.

1500 E. Passyunk Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19147
215-271-5520

Ultimo Coffee Bar

Ultimo Coffee has two locations, but it's the South Philly one on S. 15th St. that I had the opportunity to enjoy. This location is where it opened first, and is also the shop that recently received the coveted first prize on TheDailyMeal.com's list of America's Best Coffee Shops. It's a simple place, with limited decor; however, the coffee selection is unbelievable. Ultimo's crowd is diverse and the place was full of an eclectic collection of med students from the nearby hospital, doting couples, and parents grabbing a cup with young kids in tow, as well as the expected pen-in-hand/nose-in-book/eyes-on-screen folks. Without a kitchen, there isn't a large selection of food at Ultimo. However, it still offers pre-made craft sandwiches, in addition to continental-type breakfast options (i.e. bagels, biscotti, muffins, etc.). The food, although pre-made, is nonetheless unique and delicious (I got goat cheese on my bagel!); and, to be fair, the food at Ultimo doesn't need to be remarkable in light of its incredible coffee menu. Ultimo serves Counter Culture coffee, and offers a monthly guest coffee as well. The palatable coffee is paired with local sweet milk, and any variety of coffee-drink imaginable can be requested. Always a New Englander at heart, I am partial to iced coffee--and the vanilla iced coffee latte with sweet milk at Ultimo did not disappoint. If you're looking to stay late, Ultimo also offers a decent craft beer selection.

ultimocoffee.com
Free wi-fi available.
Open M-F 7AM-9PM, weekends 8AM-9PM.

1900 S. 15th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19145
215-339-5177

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South Philadelphia outlined in red | Photo from Google Maps

Other local coffee shops I enjoyed in South Philadelphia include:
Chhaya Café, Black & Brew, Plenty,
Porto, and Chapterhouse Café.