I unexpectedly ended up in Ft. Lauderdale this week and, as the city is relatively small, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to curate a specialty coffee crawl. With only a few daytime hours at my disposal, a ton of online research had to happen before hitting the pavement. 

Being in a new city is a lot of work for those of us seeking out great coffee experiences. Google searches that start with "the best coffee in ___" take up a lot of time and energy. Perhaps the hardest part is navigating dozens of websites, and discerning what opinions to trust. 

That said, I've complied a list of three spots—in no particular order—which are worth checking out in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. You can also see them on this Curated Coffee MAP. Hope you Enjoy! 

1. Warsaw Coffee

33304, 815 NE 13th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, United States

Warsaw Coffee is huge. It's the perfect place to hunker down with your laptop, or meet a group of friends and hang out for the afternoon. They have a full menu, serve wine and beer, and also boast a drive-thru which provides the ultimate specialty coffee convenience. 

Warsaw serves Counter Culture coffee from Durham, North Carolina. Aside from all the classic cafe drinks, Warsaw has a few speciality beverages on their menu like the "Dirty Thai" which is a Thai iced tea with a shot of espresso. They also have great vegan friendly options. 

What I had: Almond Milk Cortado & Avocado Toast

3. The Grind Coffee Project 

Currently:  443 SW SW 2nd Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315, United States

Moving to: 599 SW 2nd Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315, United States

Housed in a temporary location while their permanent home is being built a block away, The Grind Coffee Project elicits a similar feeling to hanging out in your neighbors garage—complete with table tennis and video games. Though the space is casual, they take their coffee program very seriously.  The Grind Coffee Project is currently serving up Kuma Coffee, a roaster out of Seattle, but it seems their coffee offerings change from time to time.

The Grind Coffee project doesn't allow milk, cream or sugar for their brewed coffee, so if you'd like a creamy drink, you'll have to order something from the espresso bar like a macchiato or latte. There is not a lot in the way of food—just a few pastries—so don't go hungry. Instead, be prepared to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee. 

What I had: French Press of Carmen Geisha Panama from Kuma Coffee Roasters

2. Brew Urban Cafe

537 NW 1st Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311, United States

When you arrive at the front doors of Brew Urban Cafe, you might think you've come to the wrong address. However, after a few steps inside and down a hallway, the space opens up into an expansive, comfortable and eclectic cafe. 

Brew Urban Cafe serves coffee from Wells Coffee Company—a roaster based out of Boca Raton. Whomever is on bar will manually brew for you in a variety of ways (see menu below) and they usually offer a blend as well as a single origin on espresso. Brew Urban Cafe shares a roof with a photo, design and video agency called C&I studios.

What I had: Shot of Wells Coffee Co's Espresso No. 9 | Blend of Brazil, Honduras and Ethiopia