We roast in tiny batches!
We are a one hundred per cent Philadelphia-metro operated business with dedicated, knowledgeable staff here to help you choose varieties, roasts, and brewing techniques. We roast only high-grade Arabica high grown coffee. We buy smartly so that you can drink well; our prices are among the lowest because we avoid the steps of using a commercial roaster and wholesaler. Our coffee is guaranteed to be the freshest available because we roast tiny batches. Your order will be roasted and shipped within forty-eight hours, assuring freshness only available from this source.
Established in 1985!
Old City Coffee was founded in 1985 as a one-person operation, by Ruth Isaac. The original location at 221 Church Street in Philadelphia offered freshly-roasted, Arabican coffee beans, brewed coffee, espresso drinks and brewing accessories. Old City Coffee’s original mission to supply the public with the freshest, highest-grade coffees, combined with excellent service and competitive pricing has not changed since the store’s opening. This simple but successful formula has been the framework for our continued growth.
Shortly after opening, we added our own home style baking to our offerings. By 1988, Old City Coffee at the Reading Terminal Market was in operation. This was an immediate success in the bustling landmark market by complementing the other merchants’ fresh, high-quality foodstuffs. All roasting is now done on site at the Terminal location. In 1990, the Church Street location was expanded to include a European-style cafe.
Today, in addition to our brick and mortar locations, we offer retail mail order and specialty coffee catering. Old City Coffee at the Pennsylvania Convention Center began operation in November 1993 as a certified participant in the City of Philadelphia Minority Enterprise Council program supporting women-owned businesses.
Old City Coffee has won local distinction from Philadelphia Magazine and the Philadelphia City Paper for offering the “Best Coffee Beans” in the city. In addition, we placed first in the 1998 Zagat survey “The Best Bang for the Buck”. We have also been noted in several national publications, including New York Magazine and Conde Nast Traveler, as well as the book Espresso from Bean to Cup.
We have been an active member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America since its inception, and is the recipient of their 1999 TOPS Award for Specialty Coffee Excellence.
Old City Coffee is constantly striving to provide the best available coffee products at market prices. We are always looking to expand our offerings so that we can provide new and unusual products to meet the changing tastes of our customers. As the company has matured to a high quality/quantity operator, Old City Coffee is dedicated to growth within the City of Philadelphia.
