Whenever I wake up with enough time to enjoy a relaxing coffee and bagel before work I head over to higher grounds. I don't drink their coffee too much but their lattes are the best in the neighborhood and I have tried em all. Service can be a little slow if you are in a rush but they seem to be one of the few coffee shops that still actually press their espresso grounds for each drink. (I am not sure if thats what you call it but its basically what they do. No automatic machine here.) They also have really good smoothies and food. My personal favorite would be a bagel with cream cheese and tomato. So simple. So brilliant read more

I find it far too difficult to find a café that fits my idea of what a cafe should feel like. Perhaps I've watched too many movies set in NYC, Paris, Rome...there is a vision I get of an attenuate little brick building tucked into a subtle crease of the city, whose walls are filled with paintings and photographs nonchalantly displaced across cracks in the walls which run the from the modern rail-lighting down to the lovably distressed antique parlor chairs. I know now that such a place can't be discovered unless you give yourself to ambling. Higher Grounds, as any such cafe should be, is the perfect place to pass a few minutes, a few hours, or all the time you have on hand. The aromas of ancient wood and warm beverages welcome you to sit and be at peace, encompassed in a great read or pushing forth in whatever work you have ahead of you. The soundtrack is a great mix of alternative modern music and classics like Bowie and Marley. The selection of teas is phenomenal, the biscotti is fresh, and the attention to quality and ingenuity is unparalleled. I hope to sample more of the food and beverage options soon. For the moment, it wins my five stars easily with its environment and service. read more

YES! best lattes ever. Their breakfast sandwiches are delicious as well. They are cash only but have an ATM inside. There is plenty of space to sit and do work. read more

Higher Grounds is awesome. Endless books to occupy your time while you are waiting for your delicious apple and jack cheese sammy on sourdough ;) or whatever else (bbq/bleu chz wrap/parfait/etc.) is tempting your inner self. The staff is small and super down to earth and the decor is random (which makes it so fun) and awkwardly comfy. Wifi available, mostly dependable. It's honestly just a really nice place to be. read more

Nice cozy cafe - perfect coffee (had white mocha!), great music selection and creative paintings on the wall. Everyone's chill and I was able to focus on studying for many hours straight. They seemed to have board games and reading materials available. ;) read more

Six years later, this place still has the green tea latte (and wifi), and it's still amazing.

Unique decor with a comfortable home vibe. Couches & power outlets, cool art and tasty coffee. Recommended. Free Wifi also

I was looking for a cozy place to do some work and eat/drink some typical coffee shop fare so I went to Higher Grounds. When I entered, the barista was talking to another person in a friendly manner so I sat down to get my laptop ready. The moment I sat down, the barista stopped chatting, looked up at me and said, "What do you want?" in an annoyed tone. After I ordered my drink, I asked him if one of the pastries was a cinnamon roll. He then cocked his head to the side and pointed at one, and in the same annoyed tone said, "This is". When my order was ready, I went to the counter to get my items, started walking back to my table but before I could sit down, he moved to the cash register and said the total, just staring at me. I went back to the counter where he didn't say "thank you", just took my money and then went back to his conversation. Over the course of an hour, several more people came in, ordered food/drinks, but to a much different experience. He was all smiles, manners, friendly small talk, and after they got their food/drinks, didn't demand money at once. I noticed that everyone that came in was dressed/ looked like a stereotypical "hipster" (just like the barista). My only conclusion is that because I did not fit his mold of a customer, I was treated more curtly. The coffee and pastry were good, but I will not be going back since there are other coffee shops that treat everyone in a friendly manner. TLDR: food/ drink was good, but because I don't look like a hipster was treated rudely. Will go back after I have a beard and glasses read more

Super quaint home like atmosphere. Baristas that I've had so far are pretty curt but hey maybe they were just busy. Otherwise I love this place read more

Had a pretty good white chocolate mocha and watched my friend play Ms. Pac-Man. Good relaxing time. Looks like a great place to study, write or just hide out from the world, warming up with comforting beverages. read more

Great drinks and lots of plugs for the laptop crowd. Free wifi. Duh

Never mind how cute the place is or how friendly Christine is, but that had to have been one of my best tasting caramel coffees that I've ever had! Way to go guys. I will be back! read more

Do not go to Higher Grounds I live in the neighborhood and I sometimes work from home. I frequent the two local cafe's in my direct area. One is Higher Grounds. They are normally pretty nice and I love the smoothies. This morning however, I had water because I had too much morning coffee and wasn't ready for a snack. There were 3 other customers and 1 was my work partner. After working for 10-15 minutes like I normally do, the barista (who I think is also the owner) asked me to leave or buy something since they don't allow computer usage without purchase. That is not a way to run a customer-oriented business. I understand the need to ask for purchase for using the internet when abuse of privilege is underway. So I left and went to the other cafe. Higher Grounds has lost my personal business, the business I bring in with coworkers and my general recommendations when people ask for a decent local cafe. I still love the smoothies. read more

The barista obviously hates his life and job. Spent the entire time hanging out with a friend outside. Would not fill my cup with hot water, even though I bought three items, including a not very good espresso. Only redeeming quality of the place--somehow good vegan cupcake. Oh and they are open til 9 pm. If you're in the area and in need of good coffee, go to One Shot. read more

The place is nice and quite but the person works there not friendly at all. Plus the coffee taste like drinking plane milk! My first and last visit. read more

Very groovy cafe that was great for bunkering down and getting some work done. Decent standard fare food but excellent service and atmosphere. read more

So this is my first review EVER! Exciting...I know! I felt compelled to write a review for Higher Grounds today because honestly this is the cutest cafe I have been to in awhile. I was on my way to Arbol Cafe when I noticed all the windows were essentially boarded up. Bummed out I decided to walk around a bit to find something similar for lunch, some tea and a place to get work done. Lo and behold I found this adorable cafe. With some kickin tunes (quietly) in the background and sippin on some of the best tea I have ever had I was able to have a very productive day. I recommend trying the Honeybush vanilla tea with a little bit of milk and sugar. Delicious. Will definitely come back again! read more

The guy with the dreads is just terrible. Very rude, short with customers and doesn't offer any courtesies (ex. Stating flavors for coffee they have) I work literally two blocks away. Been there once. Will NEVER return. Even my co-workers stopped going because of him being such an ASSHOLE. read more

This place is great for studying and I am really happy to have found it. The set-up and decor is great- you can sit on a couch or spread out at a table and the music is normally pretty decent too. Nothing extra special in terms of food or drinks, but you can get snacks if you're hungry and I have tried a couple of the baked goods too. Everything is decently-priced, but my only gripe is that it's cash only. I am a sucker for anything peanut butter and the best thing is that you can get a peanut butter latte here, which makes me a happy camper. read more

Great coffee, above-average food for a coffee shop and surprisingly large inside. Comfortable coffeehouse vibe that some of the shops in the area are lacking. read more

Comfortable place to relax. Inexpensive and great coffee. Another place with some really cool artwork.

I like Higher Grounds, the coffee is good and it's a cozy atmosphere. The girl that works there is great- fast and friendly. The guy that works there is hit or miss. He's never been rude to me like some other reviews mention, but he sometimes forgets things, like the size cup I asked for or the tomato I wanted on my bagel. Not a huge deal but it's happened enough to be kind of annoying. Nevertheless, I'll continue to go back. read more

I am thrilled that I found another cool coffee shop to get my caffeine fix! As soon as I walk in, I notice the kitschy decor. I thought this place had a real fun vibe to it from the decor, so atmosphere is cool here. The barista was sweet and talked about good the blondies are, so I got one with my coffee. Coffee was a nice pick me up and the blondie was really good as well. I will probably return here when around the No Libs area for my coffee needs (I might need to try their veggie burger too). read more

The food and the coffee were both great! Friendly service. But, the best part was the decor! All kinds of art on the walls to keep you entertained while you wait for your order. read more

Ironically, everything here but the coffee was great. Though the service left a lot to be desired and the power issue with laptops hasn't been addressed, the overall ambiance of the place is standard for a hipster neighborhood. My latte was weak, appearing more like a hot chocolate than a latte, and the milk was barely warmed in the process. A solid, quiet place to get some work done, but if you're looking to set up shop for a few hours or for a superior coffee/espresso, I'd advise going somewhere else. read more

The soup is always delicious! The space is great, nice colors, plenty of seating, nice plants, and the bench outside is nice. The green tea latte is amazing. It's my favorite coffee shop in town! read more

there is stiff competition in NorLibs for coffee, but Higher Grounds holds its own. the coffee is decent, both hot and iced. good flavor, not watered down (in the case of the iced coffee), swirls up a lovely golden brown when christened with cream. it does the job. however, i take issue with the location of the cream and sugar - it is on a small ledge directly to the left of the register. for those of us who are half asleep until the evil brew reaches our lips, this is not a good situation - twice i spilled my coffee and/or the pitcher of cream because there simply isn't enough space to fix my coffee (we're talking like an 8 inch ledge here). the pastries are decent, although somewhat inconsistently priced. some are cheap, like the O'Henry bar, which is a huge 8 square inch packet of heavenly butterscotch and chocolate - but i would not recommend it for the morning unless you want to sugar crash by 10 am. there are muffins and such, and i have had them, but they aren't particularly memorable. they have lo-fi sandwiches too, which i remember as good but not great. the space is large and lovely, with charmingly shabby furniture, posters for shows plastering the walls, a old school pac man arcade game, and possibly real jellyfish in a tank. very cute! read more

I have to begin by saying I'm a StarBucks man but dam was i impressed!! This weekend i was out walking around the Northern Liberties with my wife and baby. We were both craving a good latte and happen to stumble into this GEM. Starbucks could learn a lot from Higher Grounds. I suppose its what SBUX use to be before it went all corporate. The leather chairs, sofa's, tables, the whole place.. We couldnt stop talking about it all the way home. The staff was really nice and know coffee. Not snobby at all.. I found a new place the next time i am in the area.. Please visit and you wont be dissapointed.. Ruben.... read more

Higher grounds is an awesome little coffee shop! Super hipster environment that naturally offers a laid back vibe. The decor is a fun mish-mash of random furniture finds. It's always cozy and quiet. Every time I've gone, it's the same 2 workers: 1 man and 1 woman. The man is never that friendly, which is a big shame. But the woman is very sweet. They have a $10 or $15 credit card minimum though.. So bring cash if you're not purchasing that much. My favorite drink is their iced white chocolate mocha latte :) It's great! read more

Great place to read a book or get some work done. Large selection of teas and good coffee. Staff is always friendly.

Very chill, comfortable coffee house to come to and relax and surf the internet on the free WiFi. I came on a late Saturday afternoon and there was plenty of space. I easily found a rather large, single person table with an outlet right next to my seat; ordered the coffee of the day which was Bolivian; not too strong, but came with a little kick. I live in the art museum area and I will definitely come back to HG! read more

Good coffee drinks, nice selection of bagel options, and lots of seating. Perfect spot for a gathering, it's like an extended living room.

the best thing about higher grounds is its lovely, eclectic ambience. the reason we stopped and went inside was because it looked interesting from the outside. a great way to spend an afternoon just reading a book or having a casual conversation. service was decent, food was regular. this place deserves a 4-star despite the average food, because of the wonderful ambience. highly recommended for anyone looking for a decent cafe to wilt the afternoons away. read more

My boyfriend and I like to do work at coffeeshops on Saturdays. We have been frequenting One Shot Cafe and have yet to find anything that comes close in comparison. This tucked away coffeeshop is a secret gem in Northern Liberties. Their coffee is delicious and I have heard good things about their smoothies. The interior is vintage chic with plenty of tables and outlets to do work. I would give 5 stars if the bathroom didn't smell like Port-o-potties. Whenever the door opened, the entire place would take on the pungent smell. Otherwise, this is a great place to read, relax, or work. Remember to bring cash! read more

Great vibe, amazing playlist, coffee and pastries are tasty. Most importantly they're open till 8, one of the few cafés open so late! Gets cold in the back though - they need another heater. read more

Higher Grounds - One seating area - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I actually wish I could give this place 0 stars. I shouldn't even be wasting my time commenting. Service is terrible and rude, enough said. Many other good coffee shops to go to in the city than one that treats you like crap. Just go down the road to One Shot...better selection and much friendlier staff. Absolutely will never be going here again!! read more

Good place to get some work done but it's seems as if they are very money hungry. After sitting at a table for a few min waiting for my girlfriend to arrive I was doing some work and building up an appetite so we could eat lunch. The barista came up to me and a few others and said we had to buy something in order to be able to sit at their table. I explained I was waiting for my gf and we were going to eat lunch together once she arrived. She said I still had to buy something in the meantime. So instead of spending $15 or $20 in here like I originally planned I bought a $2 tea and went to Front St Cafe. That's what happens when your money hungry. Probably won't ever return here unless other coffee shops are packed. read more

Reasonably priced, great tasting coffee/espresso and goodies. Lots of selection here for vegans too. Large menu for a coffee shop that includes food/smoothies and bakery goods. Owner is great to talk to and the place is spacious and funky to sit in or study. I'll continue to come back. read more

Higher Grounds is the best coffee shop in Philadelphia and lucky for me it's a neighborhood coffee shop. Everyone is really friendly. Sometimes I work from home and I set up shop at Higher Grounds. It's the perfect place for table top room and comfortable seats. The coffee, speciality drinks and teas are great. Also I recommend trying the homemade pastries and food. Sometimes I just go there for lunch since the wraps are terrific. Really great place and worth checking out! read more

Truly a neighborhood gem. Higher Grounds has amazing, organic coffee and other drinks. Not sold yet? Fine, they also have pastries to die for and a pretty impressive menu for a coffee shop (including a build your own grilled cheese option). Still want more? The shop itself is ridiculously adorable. Exposed brick walls, homey seating options, and free board games available for customers to use. Everyone who works there is ridiculously nice. Cash only, but worth an extra trip to the ATM. read more