Black Gold at the Lord-Higel House may be one of the best coffee experiences I've ever had -- and I've been to Lord knows thousands of coffee shops over the years. The setting is absolutely beautiful: a historic Venice property, a relaxed porch, and an atmosphere that feels thoughtful without trying too hard. It has that rare quality where the place itself makes you slow down and enjoy the moment. The coffee is world class. You can taste the care behind it, and the quality of the coffee matches the beauty of the setting perfectly. It is genuinely magnifique. What makes it even better is that it turns into a wonderful evening spot as well, with fine wine, champagne, and dessert after hours. It's the kind of place you can visit in the morning for an exceptional coffee or come back later to enjoy a quiet evening on the porch. C'est bon in every possible way. Beautiful, thoughtful, relaxed, and truly special. One of Venice's absolute gems. read more

The coffee and the food are great - five stars The service is good (though less efficient than Sbux... but Lord Higel's food is FAR superior) - three stars. For ambiance: this is an amazing historic house that is owned by the City of Venice and leased by Black Golf Coffee. For that, one can overlook the challenging steps and the not-very-safe thresholds (caution: it is not marked; even non-elders stumble a bit on it); and the single restroom at which there can be quite a wait (the two locks on the inside are a bit confusing as to which one to use). What cannot be overlooked... Black Gold restricts use of their seating and tables to 30 minutes. At a coffee shop!! In an historic building owned by the taxpayers!! They DON'T WANT people to hangout and meet up. There are signs on every table declaring the time limit. The restriction is in place even when no one is waiting to sit. It's ridiculous - major negative stars for not welcoming folks who want to hangout to read and work and people-watch; for folks who want to gather in a non-alcoholic environment; for wasting valuable community-owned (albeit privately leased) space. read more

Lord-Higel’s Coffee House - Entrance - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Venice, Florida

Coffee: perfect. Ambience: perfect. Service: perfect. Lord-Higel's Coffee House. Perfection.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ read more

Lord-Higel’s Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Venice, Florida

An all-encompassing best place in Venice right now in my opinion! (Only thing that would make it better would be water views ha!) I not only love their sugar free vanilla lattes with oat milk, but love their black coffee as well. And you can get it in a REAL MUG!! That's five stars right there. Yesterday I got an amazing gluten-free dairy-free muffin that was to die for. It was nice to see them fully stocked with some baked goods! Then there's the porch. Ten stars. They did it right with plenty of tables (some high, some low) and rockers. There's so much shade; it just calls for you to stay hours and that's exactly what I've done! It's a great place to bring your laptop and get some work done too; however, in my experience so far the internet has been quite slow. In addition, just a heads up I don't see any outlets on the porch anywhere. Other than these two minor things, it is by far the best coffee hang spot in town. read more

Lord-Higel’s Coffee House - Gluten-free, vegan muffin was amazing - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Venice, Florida

This recently open coffee house is one of a kind. First of all, the building was acquired by the City of Venice in 2005 and Venice Heritage volunteers raised more than $800k and many hours which restored the house to its original condition. Secondly, the building is the second oldest house in all of Sarasota County and was constructed back in 1896 by Joseph Lord. Black Gold offers a large selection of coffee drinks and an assortment of baked goods. Their coffee is smooth and has a strong aroma. Their staff is friendly and helpful and most hot or iced drinks are made to order. Most favorite part of being at this coffee house is the wrap around deck and outdoor patio. It makes it a great place to catch with friends or get some work done. Did I mention they have jazz music playing? What more could a coffee house want? Enjoy! read more

Lord-Higel’s Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Venice, Florida

Nice evening with grandkids, daughters, son in law, for my wife's birthday. Menu very limited after 4pm however we ordered charcuterie board, 4 flatbreads, bread, etc plus drinks Ambience was great, we even brought our lab puppy. Servers did excellent job with bringing out food in installments read more

Everything was excellent! Ordered an Americano, cold brew, chocolate cookie dough bar & pumpkin loaf. All tasted great!! Didn't have cold foam, but offered whipped cream. Espresso beans are very strong. Staff was friendly, restrooms were clean. Highly recommend! read more

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I wish I knew the waitress' name but she was terrible. Very rude to my partner and I, and we will never come back here. Definitely do not recommend. read more

What do you get when you combine a coffee shop with the second oldest house in Sarasota County? You get Lord Higel Coffeehouse, and it's fantastic. The restored 1896 building is all original and beautifully maintained. It's amazing to see a modern espresso bar set up right in the heart of this historic home. I stopped in midday for a cappuccino, and it was perfect. Lord Higel Coffeehouse is owned and operated by Black Gold Roasters, so you know the coffee is top-notch. They clearly know their beans and how to craft a proper drink. We sat outside on the deck at a bistro table, surrounded by greenery. The setting was quiet, relaxing with soft jazz music playing in the background. The owner mentioned they'll be serving wine and charcuterie plates in the afternoons and evenings, which sounds like a perfect fit for this cafe. Lord Higel Coffeehouse is unique, welcoming, and sure to become one of Venice's special spots. read more

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Amazing little coffee house! The service is wonderful, they have efficient, friendly, and helpful staff! The blueberry parfait muffin is AMAZING! And the coffee is so good! read more

Lord-Higel’s Coffee House - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Venice, Florida

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First time at this location, but long time visitor and lover of Black Gold coffee. Coming from being spoiled in the PNW, it was a treat to find the original location of Black Gold 14 years ago. My partner and I were searching for decent coffee and stumbled on the original location and we go back every time we're in town. This new space is such a perfect blend of history, quality coffee and baked goods, care, and location. We stumbled into town on their soft opening in November '25, but the line was wrapped around and down the sidewalk so we didn't stay (kids). Today, I went back for early morning coffee with my folks. We met some lovely neighbours from around the 'hood and got a chance to meet the owner, Gary. The deep care for the building and site is very apparent and makes it all that much more special. There are cozy cafe tables indoors or out (with heaters), rocking chairs and high tables available all out on the gorgeous wraparound porch which is lovingly adorned with ferns and gentle trailing petunias. The blueberry scones were even more delicious than they looked and were light and tasty. I had dark roast and mom had medium and both were smooth and delicious. The staff were kind and courteous and the Saturday farmers market is right out the front door! (Which does make parking challenging as they share a lot with the city of Venice fleet.) We easily found street parking but we got there at 7am, so I can imagine it's difficult once everything opens at about 9. Atmosphere: 10!! Coffee: 10; smooth, strong and rich flavours not bitter at all Scone: 9; good flavour and texture Location: can be difficult to find since Google doesn't have it listed as Black Gold coffee, but it is! The location is great for visiting the park, market or shopping. Parking: a bit of a challenge at times. I can't wait to go back in the evening to enjoy the food! This place is a gem!! read more

First off, amazing location, plenty of seats, such a charming cool spot in downtown Venice. The staff were super nice. The baked goods are awesome but wished the cookie was warm. I was however really disappointed that my coffee had so much ice in the cup. I mean 3/4 of the cup was ice. I feel like that means the cold brew costs at least 2x as much as a hot coffee. Also, would love to have date sugar as an option. Will be back again! read more

Beautiful!! Everything but Saturdays are crazy busy! Also bathrooms there is just one and it's not the best situation read more

Lord-Higel’s Coffee House - Deviled egg sandwich ! Bagel up top! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Venice, Florida

You must stop here. The porch, the coffee, the food, the atmosphere and the rocking chairs. Five star service too. So glad this opened. Delish and delightful. read more

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A really cool little place. Business is in an old house with a big porch if you prefer to be outside. Coffee was amazing!

Visiting from Michigan and very hard to find a cool coffee place that offers delicious coffee and also offers food for people with gluten allergies. I found the right place! Had a delicious sandwich made on gluten-free bread. The staff was very wonderful and said they would make any of the sandwiches gluten-free. Thank you for that! I wish more places would offer gluten-free for people with gluten allergies or celiac. Thank you ! read more

Lord-Higel’s Coffee House - Patio! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Venice, Florida

We were customers from their other location, (BLACK GOLD COFFEE ROASTERS) and we really enjoy the historical building, the quality of their beans & they added wine and beer, so it's a totally different vibe from their other location. Great local place withGreat craft beer. read more

Lord Higel's is a part of our weekend routine. We love the staff, the relaxed vibe, chill atmosphere (specifically the rockers ) and they have quality beans along with a nice selection of wine and craft beer. It's a great meetup with friends. Staff is always friendly and observant, they're like family to us. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do. read more

We need more of these types of places in Venice. Great vibe. Good drinks and food. Been many times and love the hours too.

Excellent coffee. All organic. Wonderful delightful food. Highly recommend The staff is exceptionally friendly. read more

Their wrap around porch is a lovely place to catch up with friends- long leisurely conversations in the shade and with a breeze. The Mediterranean sandwich was delicious! The line was long but it was worth it. The service was warm and friendly. read more

Nice iced coffees yay . Great location yay . Extended weekend hours yay. Searching online and want to know what they have here ? Nah . They have beer ? Yay . Want kind at what price ? Nah. Wine yay- what on offer what price nah. Food yay - what's on offer at what price - nope. No menus = blithering idiots . read more

A wonderful space and a great use for a historic building! This is exactly what this community needed! The place is busy but the staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and hustling! They seem to be constantly moving and smiling! Everything I've tried has been delicious, food and drink, especially their Chicken Salad sandwich and the Island Crack! Happy to have a new place on the island! read more

Lord-Higel’s Coffee House - Loved this Mediterranean Sandwich! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Venice, Florida

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They use Black Gold Coffee and you can even purchase bags of beans too. They have an awesome selection of baked goods, make sure to look all the way around the counter as they have some treats under the counter in the pickup area. There is a fair amount of seating inside and more seating outside. There is a handicap ramp as well. read more

Slow service but excellent coffee and tea options. Would like fresher and a greater variety of pastries

First things first: they have black & gold coffee! So that is the biggest win here. Other than the amazing sourced coffee the location and premises are beautiful. Unfortunately those are the only things going for it. Food is very mediocre and that's being generous. If they spent more time and effort on making a better food experience this place could be 10/10. Lastly the menu/standing in line experience is horrible. There are no menus around except on the counter and when you are standing in a long line for 15 mins and then are rushed to look through and make a decision when you have ten people behind you waiting for their turn. read more

Initially had a good experience, food, drinks and service were great and plenty of shaded seating, Actually bought food & drinks twice in one morning, second visit the server outside was short with us because we had some produce and food (in a closed bag- not consuming it) while we finished our recently purchased Higel beverages, the coffee shop Janet to a farmers market which clearly brings a good amount of volume to the business. She was unprofessional (to put it kindly) in her tone and body language and we won't be returning, ironically as we were leaving I witnessed her get very rude with a patron that reported to her the water in the bathroom was out. Summary: Great drink and food, outside service ruined the experience. read more

Such a great place to sit and visit without the noise from downtown restaurants and love the choices of wines and desserts for after dinner Gary and Alyssa are amazing owners both here and at Black Gold! So friendly! read more

Cafe au lait was delicious, clean and beautiful historic building. Unfortunately the raspberry scone was chewy and the wait for the tasty egg salad sandwich was longer than it took to drink my coffee. I will try again when the line is not out the door, and wish the team success. read more

The coffee is great the food is good but a little high in price. Ambience is good when you sit on the porch

The house is beautiful. But when receiving my hot latte it wasn't even hot it was warm. I took it as a lost because of the long wait time to receive my drink and didn't wanna bother to wait again. read more

Love this Coffee House, such a wonderful addition to our beautiful city of Venice .... We have had great Customer Service, very helpful, friendly and coffee their creations that I have tried are delicious. Love the charm of the historic house, has plenty of seating 10 out 10 for Ambiance!! read more

while buying coffee at this location, we were sitting out front talking with our friends, and there were plenty of seats/tables still available in this area and one of the young ladies that works there came up to us and said," I can either take your order here or you can go to the counter", but we were already sipping on a coffee that we just bought at this coffee house but she wanted everyone at our table to buy something or leave but our friends don't drink coffee after 4pm. Then she said, "we are a small business and we really would like you to support this business by buying something". Very rude indeed. read more

What could improve? Service. Saturday morning when the farmers market was going on, I had my two kids with me, 12 and 4 and an adult friend. My youngest wanted a donut from the farmers market so we got one then proceeded to Lord Higel's for our coffee. After spending $27.50 on 4 drinks (one which was milk for my youngest) we were asked to leave because NO OUTSIDE FOOD was allowed! I was astonished to find out that it was the owner who specifically asked for us to leave. Not good service. I could understand if we were sitting at their table with only food from the farmers market but we were talking about a donut for my 4 year old. read more

Lord-Higel’s Coffee House - Proof of payment. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Venice, Florida

I was called a troublemaker and thrown out of this establishment for asking for an untoasted croissant. It would be funny if it wasn't true. After receiving a toasted croissant on 2 previous visits, I requested an untoasted croissant. I was told the croissant HAD TO BE toasted, so I cancelled my order (In retrospect-they must use frozen croissants). It was all done in a polite and respectful way. The manager refunded my money, but was pretty rude to me in doing so. I later went to register a complaint to the owner (not realizing the manager was his girlfriend) and he was ready for me and laid into me. He said I was a troublemaker and demanded I leave his shop. He even got right in my face in a physically confrontative way. I am a 70 year old physician and have always treated people with kindness and respect. I do know a bully when I see one, and this man is a bully. Do not patronize this coffee shop. They do have good coffee, but honestly the pastries are not good, croissants FROZEN, and management and ownership really not good! read more

Great food and coffee. Seating outside in wrap around porch is nice. Service was quick and they deliver to your table.

I'll start with the positives...absolutely beautiful wrap around porch and outdoor seating area. Great location. Negatives...I'll start by saying I'm a coffee/food snob and will gladly pay for a good meal or drink but if I'm going to pay top dollar for such items, my expectations are high. I ordered a cold brew with a splash of whole milk and just a smidgen of hazelnut and an egg salad croissant. When I received my cold brew, I could tell by the color, it was way more than a splash of milk. I took a few drinks and went in to ask for more cold brew. The lady literally added a tiny little splash of cold brew and I asked for more. Another tiny little splash. I then asked if she could just fill to the top of the cup (it was about an inch from the top after my initial sips). She said she would have to charge me for another specialty drink if I added more cold brew. I said I only asked for a "splash" of whole milk. She explained that when they add the milk, they add a full inch of milk first. I said which is why I asked for (and repeated to the person taking my order who then notated it on my order) and her response was "well you should have asked for a little splash instead." How on earth would I know that in the coffee shop world, a little splash was not the same as a splash. I walked out to eat my insanely overpriced egg salad croissant sandwich. They used maybe, if one is so lucky, the equivalent of one egg and perhaps an entire bottle of stone ground mustard. Two meals with one napkin. I'm sure the rent isn't cheap since it's a prime location but you DO NOT get what you pay for here. I will recommend to anyone ordering cold brew...order without ice or syrups etc and use your own. Or order them on the side and add as you'd like. What would they do if I had just ordered a cold brew? Left it an inch from the top and said that's all we give you?! Her response made absolutely no sense. read more

Food, service, and ambiance. Great experience. Love what they have done to develop this beautiful building. Met the coffee roasters at their Black Gold Coffee on East Venice Avenue. The owners are the best. read more

Italian combo insane, outstanding and delicious. Coffee is off the chart great. Beautiful surroundings and porch is romantic. Highly recommend read more

Very aesthetic atmosphere and spacious seating inside of a historic building. However, lines are very long and my iced coffee took 15 min to arrive. Their beans are very dark and bitter, which I personally don't like. But some might. read more