Rock Hills’s Best Coffee Shops & What To Order – Insider’s Guide

Jackass Cafe | Rock Hill Coffee Roasters | Knowledge Perk | Mado | Forte Legato | Clutch | Boco

rock hill south carolina coffee shops

There are a lot of reasons I love living in Rock Hill, but one of my favorites is how many great options we have when it comes to local coffee shops. With many local coffee shops and several roasters, Rock Hill, SC, really punches above its weight class when it comes to great coffee.

Where To Find The Best Coffee Shops In Rock Hill, SC

Whether any cup will do or you like to nerd out about getting the perfect extraction for an espresso shot, here’s what you need to know about your options for getting caffeinated in Rock Hill.

Jackass Café at The Mercantile

map marker Location: Downtown –  153 E White St Rock Hill, SC 29730

One of my favorites, this café is located at the back of the Mercantile off White Street in downtown Rock Hill. They use a few local roasters for their coffee beans, but Rock Hill Coffee Roasters is their current bean for coffee and espresso. They also serve wine and select local beers.

Food At Jackass Cafe:  Jackass Cafe Menu

The coffee shop has a small menu of breakfast items and pastries. My personal favorite is the cucumber and tomato bagel, which sounds weird but works! Another favorite is the Twerky Turkey, not just because it tastes great, but the name too.

What coffee to order: Crazy Ass Neighbor, which people love saying things like, “It’s sooo good. Way better than my real crazy ass neighbor!” about

What food to order: Twerky Turkey: Turkey, mozzarella, pesto, banana peppers, and roasted red peppers on ciabatta

Jackass Café Events

Each month the Mercantile and the coffee shop have different types of events, like First Friday and Trivia nights.


jackass cafe cold brew
jackass cafe sign

jackass cafe rock hill south carolina

The Vibe

An eclectic café with plenty of tables and good Wi-Fi if you need somewhere to work from or have a coffee meeting. The menu includes custom coffee drinks, local beers, and wines.

The coffee shop is off the back of the Mercantile’s main store, which has lots of great gifts and more. Outside you’ll find a small courtyard with outdoor seating.

rock hill insider tip

On the side of the building in the parking lot, you’ll find one of the best murals in Rock Hill.


Rock Hill Coffee Roasters

map markerLocation: Downtown –  139 E Main St, Rock Hill, SC 29730

Right in the heart of downtown Rock Hill you can find Rock Hill Coffee Roasters’ brick and mortar location. This coffee shop is the new kid on the block, but don’t underestimate it! Out of all our local shops, Rock Hill Coffee is one of the few that roasts their own coffee. They also serve tea, pastries, and even mocktails

Coffee and Food At Rock Hill Coffee Roasters:  Full Menu

The coffee shop partners with Whisk + Wood to provide patrons with pastries, alongside their choice of drink. I prefer to keep my order simple and stick with an Oat-Milk Cappuccino; however, as they introduce their seasonal menu, I may have to find a new go-to order.

What coffee to order: The Rosemary Vanilla Latte, which is the top choice according to the baristas.

What food to order: Grab & Go items are always a great option! Choose from a variety of Oatmeal flavors or grab a Cliff Bar.


rock hill coffee roasters
rock hill coffee roasters truck

rock hill coffee roasters south carolina

The Vibe

If you’re looking for a shop covered in greenery, this is the place for you. While the shop is on the smaller side, the floor-to-ceiling windows give the illusion of an open-air room, and the propagation wall makes you feel right at home with Mother Nature.

The nice, earthy colors of their interior provide a sense of calmness, despite the place bustling with people coming and going. There is limited seating outdoors, as well, but you’ll have to get there early if you want to snag a table.


Knowledge Perk Coffee

map markerLocation: Downtown –  130 W White St, Rock Hill, SC 29730

This is one of the OGs of the Rock Hill coffee scene. They started roasting in a small space next to their current location on White St. but have since branched out to several locations, including Columbia, Fort Mill, McAdenville, and a bus that shows up to events. Their motto is “Friends don’t let friends drink bad coffee,” which I love.

The trick with Knowledge Perk is this: I’ve found after one of the founders left, the roasting has been hit or miss. On a good day, this coffee ranks top of my list, but on a normal day it is a solid good.

Another thing is that they’re pretty much the most expensive coffee shop in Rock Hill, but they also charge you $0.25 to make any drink the iced version. It isn’t a good look in my opinion, especially after paying about $2 more than anywhere else already.

Coffee Menu And Food At Knowledge Perk:  Coffee and Food Menu

What coffee to order: Fire on Ice. It is a layered espresso drink with a pump of vanilla, half and half, and espresso

What food to order: I’ll make it easy for you: get the cinnamon roll. The breakfast empanada is pretty solid too

Knowledge Perk Events

They don’t have a normal events calendar, so check out their socials for the latest.


knowledge perk smoothie
knowledge perk coffee

knowledge perk coffee

The Vibe

Their Rock Hill location is my favorite solely because of the vibe. The space is big, has good Wi-Fi, and has lots of places to grab a table and enjoy your coffee or get some work done.

Only about 10% of the tables have access to plugs, so you’ll need to either fight for a spot or come fully charged.

Regardless, the coffee shop is built into an old renovated mill warehouse that has high ceilings and lots of exposed brick and wood beams.


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Mado Bakery and Cafe

map markerLocation: Cherry Road –  1108 Cherry Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29732

This café stands out for one reason: the owners Serge and Odette Agonglo. In an unassuming building that is an old bank turned coffee shop and bakery, you’ll find French-inspired confections, baked goods, and coffee.

What struck me about them is they pour their souls into this place and their classical French pastries. They are proud of their café and their commitment to French-style baking. Their cafe’s name is a nod to the church where they were married in Paris, which tells you something about how personal this place is to them.

Coffee And Food At Mado:  Rotating fare, see their Facebook for latest

What coffee to order: While you go here for the people and the baked goods, people rave about the iced coffee

What food to order: Predictably, but not without good reason, get the croissants


mado bakery cafe
mado bakery cafe products

Mado Bakery and Cafe

The Vibe

I drive past this place often, and there is always a line. And that’s saying something for a modest café whose interior isn’t as cozy as some other shops in town. The experience people flock to this place for is talking with the owners.


Forte Legato Coffee

map markerLocation:  742 Anderson Road North, Rock Hill, SC 29730

This coffee shop is actually part of a larger coworking space called 742 North, so you’ll go into the space and Forte Legato is straight back to the right. Nick Penazola offers some interesting seasonal flights that are worth checking out.

Coffee And Food At Forte Legato: Coffee And Food Menu

What coffee to order: The go-to move here is the pistachio latte: pistachio + espresso + milk

What food to order: Avocado Smash on Italian bread with cherry tomatoes, feta and balsamic glaze


forte legato coffee trailer
forte legato coffee beans

Forte Legato Coffee

The Vibe

Get caffeinated and get stuff done. This place, being a coworking space, is a great place to focus on work or study while drinking some local roasts. Despite it being a quasi-workspace, it’s definitely casual enough that I’ve stopped by to just hang out or grab a coffee and go. Just keep in mind they close around 2:30 p.m.


Clutch Coffee Bar

map markerLocation:  2027 Celanese Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29732

This isn’t a standard coffee shop, but a coffee drive through. All their locations are like this and all their drinks are great.

Coffee Menu at Clutch Coffee In Rock Hill, SC

What coffee to order: Stick with me here, give the Muscle Mocha a try. It is a chocolate protein shake infused with two shots of espresso, either iced or blended. My go-to is the iced version


clutch coffee bar drinks
clutch coffee bar mixtape

clutch coffee bar

The Vibe

Clutch is a small chain born in the Carolinas that recently announced it would be opening its first location in Rock Hill. I first got to know Clutch at the Mooresville location, so I was excited to see them come down to South Carolina.


Boco Coffee Roasters

map markerLocation:  Dave Lyle Blvd – 1256 Red River Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29730

What coffee to order: Don’t mess with a good thing, stick with pour over or a simple espresso.

Here’s the deal with Boco. They are first and foremost a roaster, that mainly services other businesses, but they are obsessed about coffee and thus have a coffee shop as part of their building. You go here to nerd out about coffee with other coffee enthusiasts.


boco coffee roasters sign
boco coffee roasters products

boco coffee roasters

The Vibe

The coffee shop itself has some seating inside and a few picnic tables, but it’s not quite the coffee shop vibe many people are looking for, mainly attributed to the fact it’s not their core business and it’s set in a room of a warehouse.


Other Coffee Shops To Check Out In Rock Hill, SC

Two Scoops

They do ice cream and coffee at 161 W Main St Suite 102, Rock Hill, SC 29730

Fresh Vibes Juice Bar & Coffee Shop

it’s drive through only at 1675 Ebenezer Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29732

Amelie’s Café

Small chain with great pastries at 157 E Main St, Rock Hill, SC 29730


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