Stone Street Coffee Review: Delicious Coffee, Amazing Variety

Stone Street continues to surprise me in the best way!

Stone Street Coffee Company is a Brooklyn-based artisanal coffee roaster offering premium coffee beans at affordable prices. With coffees available on Amazon and in major grocery chains, I doubted that Stone Street Coffee could live up to its promise of fresh, small-batch roasted coffee. But I came away pleasantly surprised, especially by their selection of single origins and their well-crafted cold brew coffee blends. 

This review looks at everything Stone Street Coffee offers, from its main product line to wholesale options and sustainability initiatives. I’ll dig into the quality of the coffee, which beans I recommend, and whether I think the price is right.

The Full Stone Street Coffee Review

Stone Street is a specialty small-batch roaster based out of Brooklyn, New York. They specialize in gourmet Arabica coffee beans sourced from top coffee-growing regions worldwide, delivering an impressively broad selection of blends and single origins.

For this review, I bought, brewed, and tasted most of the brand’s ample product line to evaluate its quality, freshness, and value. Here’s what I found.

How We Rated

• Coffee Quality and Flavor
• Selection and Variety
• Brewing Methods
• Sustainability
• Value for Money

3.8

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Is Stone Street Coffee Good?

Let’s start with the basics because a large selection and low prices are meaningless if the coffee doesn’t arrive fresh and taste great.

For a business that has undergone such expansion, it is impressive that Stone Street Coffee Company has maintained its commitment to high-quality coffee beans. They continue to prioritize finding the best green coffee beans and roasting them in small batches, and it shows in the flavor of their coffee.

This has placed them among the best-selling coffee beans on Amazon, though I still recommend buying straight from the company for a guarantee of freshly roasted beans, especially if you are buying pre-ground coffee.

All are from top growing regions, mostly grown in rich volcanic soils at high elevations – the conditions needed to grow the sorts of gourmet Arabica beans found on any coffee lover’s coffee bean bucket list (1).

That many of the single-origin beans are light roasts is another indication of quality. A light roast gives poor quality nowhere to hide, so the roaster needs a degree of confidence. You’re going to taste the inherent characteristics of the beans rather than the caramelization of the roasting process (2).

Wholesale Coffee

Stone Street Coffee has a thriving wholesale business, so take note if you’re reading this on behalf of a brand or business. They have partnered with many top names in New York and further afield.
For example, Stone Street Coffee Company worked with top chef Eric Ripert to create a custom blend to serve in his Three-Michelin-Star restaurant, Le Bernardin (3). Lovers of fine food tend to appreciate fine coffee flavors, says Stone Street owner Johan Pesenti.

Stone Street Coffee will walk you through every part of the wholesale process if you’re interested. That includes setting up a private tasting, potentially helping you develop a custom blend, and training your staff to brew and serve it.

A Coffee For Everyone And Their Mother

The selection of coffee available from Stone Street is awe-inspiring, especially given that it is all freshly roasted. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s on offer.

Blends

Stone Street Coffee produces many blends, all of which are carefully crafted, freshly roasted, and prepared with a specific brewing method in mind.

Stone Street Coffee offers several exceptional espresso blends (4). My favorite is the well-named Perfect Espresso, a medium-dark roasted blend with surprisingly complex flavors and a rich crema. Dark roast lovers might prefer the Knee Buckling Espresso blend, which I found had a much fuller body and more pronounced dark chocolate flavors.

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I also sample the top-selling House Blend and Brooklyn Roast, both of which are more filter coffee focused. The former is the epitome of crowd-pleasing, with a medium body, rich nutty flavors, and a hint of fruity acidity. The latter is the rare post-roast blend – always a true showcase of a roaster’s expertise. It pairs light and dark roasted beans for something that blends into a medium roast experience but with incredible depth and complexity.

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The Mayan Water Decaf is my top pick for decaf fans. It’s a smooth, medium roasted blend of Central and South American Arabica beans, certified by the Rainforest Alliance and decaffeinated via the Swiss Water process. It has a chocolate sweetness and muted earthiness that I enjoyed as drip coffee and espresso.

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Single Origins

Stone Street Coffee’s selection of single origins has expanded considerably since I first reviewed the brand nearly five years ago, but their commitment to quality sourcing doesn’t seem to have wavered.

You’ll find all the top growing regions on offer – including Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Kenya, Colombia, Sumatra, Mexico, Tanzania, Peru, and Brazil – plus a few less-established regions like Congo, Nicaragua, and Rwanda.

The Tanzanian Peaberry stood out as one of my favorites. It’s a medium roast with a rich flavor, full body, and clean and crisp cup – perfect for drip coffee. Lovers of dark roasted coffee will adore the Sumatra Mandheling beans, a low-acid option with a creamy body and dark chocolaty flavor with enticing cedar and spice notes.

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I couldn’t resist trying a few of the new offerings, and I was particularly impressed with the Congo Kivu, which also happens to be organic. It’s a vibrant coffee with a syrupy body, wonderful natural sweetness, and just a hint of spice.

Cold Brew Coffee

Stone Street Coffee Company is known for carefully crafted cold brew blends, which they offer in several flavors and roast levels.

I checked out two of the best-selling 100% Arabica offerings, the Cold Brew Reserve and the Cold Brew Breakfast Blend. I enjoyed both, though the Breakfast Blend was more to my taste. It is the more nuanced of the two, with brighter flavors and interesting complexity – something hard to achieve when cold brewing. The Reserve is darker, smoother, and sweeter but also more one-note.

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The Cold Brew Boost line of dark roasts uses a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans, giving them a darker, earthier flavor and a bigger hit of caffeine – hence the boost (5). I didn’t find it quite as compelling as the other two, but it’s pleasant enough to be worth checking out if you need some extra pep.

The remainder of the cold brew line is made up of flavored coffees, including Chocolate, French Vanilla, Blueberry, Hazelnut, Chocolate Hazelnut, Vanilla Hazelnut, and Caramel Nut.

Flavored Coffee

I’m not a big flavored coffee fan, but if you are, you’ll be well served by Stone Street’s huge selection. All your favorites are here – Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate, Vanilla, Hazelnut, Irish Cream – as well as a few surprising novelties. The Blueberry Cobbler was the sleeper hit with my team, especially when prepared as a clean pour-over.

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Most of the flavored coffees are available in decaf, making some of the richer flavors a great choice for an after-dinner treat.

Does Stone Street Offer All Roast Levels?

Yes, no matter your coffee roast preference, there is a Stone Street coffee for you. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Dark Roast: The Real World Blend manages to be both boldly flavored and subtle. Combining Brazilian, Sumatran, Central American, and African Peaberry beans, it’s full-bodied, smooth, and sweet, with just a hint of fruity tang. It makes a killer iced coffee!
• Medium Roast: The RFA Colombia is a reliable choice. This Rainforest Alliance Certified single-origin feels more like a blend, delivering a wonderfully clean and balanced coffee with the classic notes of chocolate, nuts, and fruit.
• Light Roast: The Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is my pick of the light roasts, which almost feels like a cliche. But when it’s good, it’s good. I loved the milk chocolate sweetness paired with lemon acidity and gentle floral aroma. For something a little more unusual, check out the Mexico Soconusco.

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Beans, Grounds, And Pods

I always recommend grinding your beans at home for the best flavor, but I recognize that not everyone has the time or equipment. All Stone Street coffee is available pre-ground, and I’m happy to see they offer various grind sizes depending on your brewing method – an immediate green flag when I’m evaluating a roaster.

Stone Street used to offer a small selection of K-Cup pods and Nespresso capsules, but I think they’ve been phased out. You can find the old product listings on their website with a little detective work, but they’re all sold out.

What Are The Best Brewing Methods For Stone Street Beans?

Stone Street offers such a wide variety of coffees that you can find something suitable for any brewing method. And many of their coffees are versatile enough to work with various brewers. 

For example, I found their espresso blends equally delectable when prepared in my French press or Chemex. While we tend to associate single origins with pour over brewing, I thought the Tanzanian Peaberry really shone when brewed with an immersion method like Aeropress or Clever Dripper.

In short, don’t limit yourself. If there’s a Stone Street coffee that sounds good to you, buy it even if you don’t think you have the right coffee maker. You might be pleasantly surprised! Just make sure you choose the correct grind size if you’re buying pre-ground.

Different Grind Sizes

As I already mentioned, Stone Street Coffee Company offers grind size options depending on the brewing method. For most of their beans, you can choose between whole bean, coarse grind (French Press), medium grind (Drip Coffee), and fine grind (Espresso).

The exception is the collection of cold brew coffee blends, which are only available as whole beans or coarsely ground for immersion cold brewing. This was a little disappointing to me as I enjoy the slow-drip cold brew method, which requires a medium grind. Not to mention, I made a lovely espresso with the Cold Brew Boost beans, but you can only do this if you buy whole beans and have an espresso grinder.

Sustainability Is Taking A Back Seat

Stone Street Coffee Company doesn’t seem to be putting sustainability front and center in the same way as many competitor brands (6). And I happen to think it should be larger brands like Stone Street Coffee Company taking the lead.

They have a few Organic, Fair Trade, and Rainforest Alliance-certified coffees, but no publicized sustainability initiatives (7). How is the coffee produced? What are they paying producers? Are they giving back in any way to the communities at origin? Are they considering things like compostable packaging or buying carbon offsets?

Climate change and income disparity are major factors in coffee production, and they’re only growing in importance (8).

Is Stone Street Coffee Good Value?

The value for money here is impressive. Stone Street’s coffees are all under $20 a pound, even for the premium single origins. Impressively, that has been unchanged since I first reviewed the brand in 2022.

They also offer numerous discount options to net you extra savings. The “3 Pack” deal lets you bundle any three coffees and get 10% off your order plus free shipping. It’s a great way to explore new beans or buy gifts for friends. You can also subscribe to any coffee for a 15% discount.

Don’t Buy Stone Street Coffee Company If…

• You want to try exotic single-origins: Stone Street Coffee has some tasty single-origin coffee beans, but they don’t offer much in the way of microlots or emerging origins (9). Check out my Volcanica coffee review for a bigger selection, including unique options like Dominican Red Honey Coffee or Yemen Peaberry.
• You want authentic Italian espresso: For a true taste of Italian espresso, it pays to go with an Italian brand. The two leaders in the space are Illy and Lavazza, and both can deliver the classic heavy-body espresso with a dense crema and bittersweet flavors.
• You want a brand with a sustainability focus: If Stone Street’s lack of environmental cred feels like a let-down, take a look at Driftaway Coffee, which is easily the most sustainable coffee brand I’ve reviewed. Alternatively, Lifeboost Coffee offers exclusively shade-grown and organic beans.
• You’re on a tight budget: Personally, I think good coffee is worth paying for. But if you’re strapped for cash, I can recommend some Trader Joe’s beans that are both affordable and surprisingly tasty – if not always at the peak of freshness.

The Verdict

Stone Street Coffee Company is an excellent option for all kinds of coffee lovers. With blends, single origins, flavored brews, decaf, and roast levels from light to dark, they have something for everyone. 

I don’t often find companies with this kind of reach and low prices maintaining high quality standards. So Stone Street deserves credit for sticking to its ethos of small-batch roasting delicious coffee and sourcing only the best coffee beans worldwide.