Best Coffee Shops in Sussex County NJ: 8 Local Cafes Worth the Drive

Looking for the best coffee shops Sussex County NJ has to offer? They are small, independent and spread out across the Skylands, from crepes and espresso in Franklin to creekside seating in Vernon, a student run bakeshop in Newton and a cluster of cafes in Sparta. There is not a chain on this list.

Our team confirmed every cafe below is operating, using its own website or a 2026 local roundup from Life in Sussex. We list street addresses only where we could confirm them, and hours only when a cafe posts them on its own site. Cafe hours in Sussex County often shift with the seasons, so check before you drive.

Best coffee shops in Sussex County NJ

Café e Dolci, Franklin

Café e Dolci is at 270 Route 23 in Franklin, and it is the most all day option on this list. Its menu runs from hot and iced coffee, espresso drinks and teas to gourmet crepes, omelettes, croissant sandwiches and French toast in the morning, then soups, salads, sandwiches, quiche and savory crepes later in the day.

The dessert side is a big part of the draw: sweet crepes, gelato and sorbet, shakes, smoothies, acai and pitaya bowls, and edible cookie dough. If your group cannot agree on coffee or ice cream, this is the place.

Hours (as posted on its website): Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone: 973-864-2606.

Pair it with: our guide to things to do in Franklin, which makes it easy to build a morning around the mineral museums and a coffee stop.

Arbor Bakeshop, Newton

Newton’s Arbor Bakeshop is a student bakeshop, and it has become one of our favorite reasons to stop downtown in the county seat. We covered it in depth in our feature on Arbor Bakeshop in Newton, including what it offers and how it works. Read that before you go for the current details.

Grinds and Greens, Newton

Grinds and Greens is at 225 Spring Street in downtown Newton. Life in Sussex describes handcrafted hot and cold coffee drinks, pastries, sandwiches, soups and salads, with window seats inside and sidewalk tables when the weather cooperates. It is an easy second stop if you are already downtown for Arbor Bakeshop or a show. We could not confirm hours online, so check their website, grinds-greens.com, before heading over.

Cloveberry, Sparta

Cloveberry is at 21 Main Street in Sparta and calls itself a local organic cafe. Expect handcrafted coffee, including seasonal drinks, plus scones and other baked goods and a breakfast and lunch menu. There is seating inside and on the front porch, and the cafe runs a loyalty program for regulars. Check its website for current hours.

Greene’s Beans, Sparta

Greene’s Beans is at 31 Center Street in Sparta. It describes itself as specialty coffee roasters, purveyors of loose leaf tea, specialty chocolate and a gift boutique, and it sells freshly roasted bags of beans to take home. That mix makes it a good stop for a coffee to go plus a bag of beans, a tin of tea or a small gift. Check their site for current hours.

Lake House Cafe, Lake Mohawk (Sparta) and Andover

Lake House Cafe has two Sussex County locations: the original at 8 White Deer Plaza at Lake Mohawk in Sparta, and a second cafe at 5 Lenape Road in Andover Borough. Both serve coffee with breakfast and lunch, and the cafe posts daily specials on its Facebook page. The Lake Mohawk location puts you right on the plaza, so you can walk the historic district with a cup in hand. Menu and hours are on their website.

Making a Sparta afternoon of it? Our guide on where to eat and drink in Sparta and Lake Mohawk picks up where your coffee leaves off.

The Daily Bean, Vernon

The Daily Bean is at 514 Route 515 in Vernon, and it is the pick for anyone heading to the northern end of the county. Life in Sussex describes handcrafted coffee drinks, teas, baked goods, homemade soups and sandwiches, with creekside seating and cozy chairs. We could not find a website with posted hours, so check its social pages or call ahead. If you are staying for a meal, our guide to the best restaurants in Vernon has more ideas.

Holland American Bakery, Sussex Borough

Holland American Bakery at 246 Route 23 in Sussex has been in business since 1954. It is a bakery first, but it serves coffee alongside its baked goods (including gluten free options), sandwiches, candies, imported goods and cheeses, which makes it a classic stop on a Route 23 drive. Confirm hours before you go.

Which Sussex County coffee shop should you pick?

• Best for breakfast and dessert in one stop: Café e Dolci in Franklin, with crepes, gelato and posted hours seven days a week.
• Best for a feel good stop: Arbor Bakeshop in Newton.
• Best for sidewalk seating downtown: Grinds and Greens in Newton.
• Best for beans and gifts to take home: Greene’s Beans in Sparta.
• Best porch seating and organic leaning menu: Cloveberry in Sparta.
• Best for a lakeside walk: Lake House Cafe at Lake Mohawk.
• Best in the north county: The Daily Bean in Vernon.
• Best old school bakery stop: Holland American Bakery in Sussex.

A Sussex County coffee route

Sussex County covers a lot of ground, so it helps to cluster your stops. Sparta is the easiest place to try more than one cafe in a day, with Cloveberry, Greene’s Beans and Lake House Cafe all in the township. Andover’s Lake House Cafe sits on the way west toward Newton, where Arbor Bakeshop and Grinds and Greens are both downtown. To the north, Route 23 links Café e Dolci in Franklin and Holland American Bakery in Sussex, and Vernon’s Daily Bean is a short drive east from there.

In fall, coffee pairs well with a farm stop. Our guide to apple and pumpkin picking in Sussex County lists farms across the county, and many of them are a short drive from the cafes above.

Know before you go

• Check hours first: small independent cafes often adjust hours seasonally or around holidays. Of the cafes on this list, only Café e Dolci posts full hours on its own website, so check the others before you drive.
• Look at menus online: most of these cafes have their own websites, so you can see what is on the menu before you go.
• Weekend mornings are busiest: plan a little extra time on Saturday and Sunday mornings, especially in peak fall foliage season.
• Bring home beans: if you find a coffee you love, Greene’s Beans sells freshly roasted beans along with tea and chocolate.

Find your next favorite local spot. Our free weekly newsletter rounds up new openings, events and the best food and drinks across all 24 Sussex County towns. Subscribe free here.

Planning more time in the Skylands? See our guides to things to do in Sussex County.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best coffee shops in Sussex County NJ?

Our picks are Café e Dolci in Franklin, Arbor Bakeshop and Grinds and Greens in Newton, Cloveberry and Greene’s Beans in Sparta, Lake House Cafe at Lake Mohawk and in Andover, The Daily Bean in Vernon and Holland American Bakery in Sussex. All are independent, local businesses.

Which Sussex County cafe is open latest?

Of the cafes that post hours on their own websites, Café e Dolci in Franklin stays open until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Where can I buy coffee beans in Sussex County?

Greene’s Beans at 31 Center Street in Sparta roasts its own coffee and sells bags of beans along with loose leaf tea, specialty chocolate and gifts.

Is there a coffee shop at Lake Mohawk?

Yes. Lake House Cafe’s original location is at 8 White Deer Plaza at Lake Mohawk in Sparta. Its second location is at 5 Lenape Road in Andover.

Is there a coffee shop in downtown Newton?

Yes. Grinds and Greens is at 225 Spring Street, and Arbor Bakeshop is also in Newton.

Primary sources for this guide: Café e Dolci, Cloveberry, Greene’s Beans, Lake House Cafe, Grinds and Greens, Life in Sussex (March 2026) and The Township Journal.

Featured photo: stock image of a cappuccino, for illustration only. Photo by Chevanon Photography via Pexels.