From Witch City

Coffee Shops and Cafes in Salem, MA

Short answer: the famous line is at Blackcraft Coffee, inside the Blackcraft shop at 253 Essex St, and on October weekends people wait a long time for it. For good coffee with less waiting, the names that come up most in the Salem Facebook groups are Odd Meter on Washington Street, Jaho (Derby Street or Canal Street) and Coffee Time Bake Shop on Bridge Street. For breakfast, it's Red's Sandwich Shop and the Ugly Mug, both of which get busy, so go early. The rule that works everywhere: a block or two off Essex Street, before 9am, on a weekday.

One thread about the Blackcraft line ran to 126 comments, most of them recommending somewhere else. The places below are the ones named most in the Salem Facebook groups, by locals answering and by recent visitors. I've noted which is which. Addresses are checked, and nobody paid to be on this list. The full list of every coffee shop and cafe we track follows the picks, sorted by Google rating.

Coffee: the names that come up most

  • Odd Meter Coffee Co., 60 Washington St. A small coffee bar downtown on Washington Street. Named often when people ask how to skip the Blackcraft line, and visitors keep mentioning its seasonal lattes. Its online ordering page lists 8am to 4pm, closed Tuesdays (checked Oct 20). Odd Meter on From Witch City .
  • Jaho Coffee Roaster, 197 Derby St and 130 Canal St. Two locations. Derby Street, at Pickering Wharf, doubles as a wine bar and stays open late, which makes it an easy evening stop. Canal Street is the roastery and bakery, out of the downtown crush. Another of the top answers to the Blackcraft question. Jaho's own listing (October 2026) gives Derby Street 7am to 11pm daily and Canal Street 6:30am to 11pm daily. Derby St · Canal St .
  • Coffee Time Bake Shop, 96 Bridge St. An old-school bakery a few minutes from the train station. The name given most often when people asked for coffee and a pastry without the line. Check hours before you go. Coffee Time on From Witch City .
  • A&J King Artisan Bakers, 139 Boston St. Bread, pastries and coffee, a little west of downtown. Group members, locals included, call it a favorite. A reviewer says the Boston Street shop has no seating, so plan to take it with you. Check hours before you go. A&J King on From Witch City .
  • Wolf Next Door Coffee, 142 Derby St. Coffee and breakfast to go on the Derby Street side of downtown, handy before a walk to the Seven Gables or the wharf. A visitor favorite in the groups. Check hours before you go. Wolf Next Door on From Witch City .
  • Gulu-Gulu Cafe, 247 Essex St. Cafe by day, bar and music room by night, right on Essex Street. It's busier than the others on this list because of where it sits. Named by visitors in the groups. Check hours before you go. Gulu-Gulu on From Witch City .

Breakfast and brunch

  • Red's Sandwich Shop, 15 Central St. A Salem breakfast standby just off the pedestrian mall. Big plates, fair prices, and the place visitors ask about most for breakfast. Check hours before you go. Red's on From Witch City .
  • The Ugly Mug Diner, 122 Washington St. Diner breakfast and brunch near the Common. Visitors report waits of 35 minutes to an hour on Saturday mornings, so get there early or go on a weekday. Its online ordering page lists 8am to 1:30pm daily (checked Oct 20). Ugly Mug on From Witch City .
  • Crave, 101 Lafayette St. Breakfast sandwiches and pastries a few blocks south of the center. Several visitors called it their best breakfast of the trip. Check hours before you go. Crave on From Witch City .

How to skip the line anywhere

  • Go before 9am. Lines build once the shops and museums open.
  • Go a block or two off Essex Street. Canal Street, Bridge Street, Boston Street and Lafayette Street all have good options with shorter waits.
  • Go on a weekday. In October, Thursday is the easiest day for anything downtown.
  • Order to go and walk to the Common. The benches are free and nobody's waiting for your table.

18 places, sorted by Google rating

Quick answers

Where can I get coffee in Salem without a long line?
Try Odd Meter (60 Washington St), Jaho (197 Derby St or 130 Canal St) or Coffee Time Bake Shop (96 Bridge St). Go before 9am and avoid Essex Street on October weekends.
Is Blackcraft Coffee worth the wait?
It depends how much you want the setting. The coffee bar sits inside the Blackcraft shop at 253 Essex St, and October weekend waits can run long. If it's coffee you're after, the places above are faster.
Where do people eat breakfast in Salem?
Red's Sandwich Shop on Central Street and the Ugly Mug Diner on Washington Street are the two names that come up most in the Salem groups. Both get busy on weekends.
What coffee shops in Salem are open late?
Jaho on Derby Street lists hours until 11pm and doubles as a wine bar.
Are there bakeries near the Salem train station?
Coffee Time Bake Shop on Bridge Street is a few minutes' walk from the station. For more, see bakeries in Salem.

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