Colorado coffee shop cracks the top 5 in USA Today’s national ranking

Coffee lovers in the 13,000-person town of Fruita are in luck: USA Today this week named Bestslope Coffee Co. the best in Colorado — and one of the top five independent shops in the U.S.

The ranking, first reported by The Daily Sentinel, is a reader-voted award based on nominations from an expert panel, according to USA Today. The shops were chosen “as the best in the U.S. for their cozy atmospheres, friendly baristas, and unique menus,” the newspaper wrote.

Fruita, located about 250 miles west of Denver, between Grand Junction and the Utah border, is known for its gorgeous setting but may seem remote to some Front Range residents. The city advertises itself as a haven for mountain bikers, hikers, history buffs and river rats.

The top 10 ranking was published late last week, with Bestslope Coffee landing at No. 4, just behind Big Shoulders Coffee in Chicago (No. 1), Jersey Java and Tea Co. in Haddonfield, New Jersey (No. 2), and Stauf’s Coffee Roasters in Columbus, Ohio (No. 3), the Sentinel wrote.

“Go to Bestslope Coffee Company to try fair trade, single-origin beans roasted with care in the mountain town of Fruita, Colorado,” USA Today wrote. “In addition to roasting on-site, Bestslope also makes all its own syrups, as well as delicious baked goods and breakfast burritos right there in the kitchen.”

The shop was co-founded in 2016 by Tom Griffith, as well as Fruita-based pizza shop Hot Tomato Cafe owners Jen Zeuner and Anne Keller.

“We were definitely surprised to find out that we showed up on the list of 20 nominees but also extremely grateful for our customers rallying to get us in the top 10,” Griffith told The Daily Sentinel. “We have always tried to provide a great product and great customer service, but I don’t think we ever anticipated that it would get us recognized outside of our community.”

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