Popular UK Coffee Shop to Open First Florida Location in Miami

A British coffeehouse chain with locations across the United Kingdom is making its way across the pond and into a much warmer climate — sunny Miami. Black Sheep Coffee, founded in London in 2013, will open its first Florida location in Coconut Grove next week at a brand new mixed-use building that's already drawing buzz for its other tenants.

The new coffee shop will open on Tuesday, August 12, at 11 a.m. inside Grove Central, which is home to Total Wine, Sprouts, Target, and Panera. Therefore, nearby Grove residents and residents of Grove Central Residences are incredibly excited about the opening.

While this will be the brand's first location in Florida, it'll actually be the fourth Black Sheep Coffee in the U.S. The shop first opened in Dallas and Grapevine, Texas. 

Started by Roommates (Flatmates) in the UK

The brand's founders, Gabriel Shohet and Eirik Holth, met as roommates at the University of St Andrews before starting the company over a decade ago. They started Black Sheep after quitting their jobs and running pop-up coffee stands around London with the goal of making delicious coffee. They couldn't afford an espresso machine at first, so they rented one and poured drinks from a folding table at markets like Brick Lane and Camden High Street. Eventually, they scraped together enough cash to build their first shop from salvaged materials. The rest grew from there.

Today, Black Sheep has more than 116 locations worldwide, including a growing presence in the U.S. It's known for championing specialty-grade robusta beans, a rarity in the coffee world, where arabica usually takes the lead. The company sources its beans from farms in India and Uganda, where they're shade-grown, hand-picked, and dried naturally.

The result is a cup of coffee that’s apparently stronger, lower in acidity, and higher in caffeine. Robusta plants also require less water and fewer pesticides, which the company points to as part of its focus on sustainable sourcing.

Beyond Espresso: Waffles, Matcha, and Açaí Bowls

At the new Miami shop, customers can expect a full lineup of espresso-based drinks, cold brews, and flavored lattes. Popular options include iced vanilla oat lattes and ceremonial-grade matcha in flavors like "Peaches & Cream," "Strawberries & Cream," and blueberry.

The food menu includes Norwegian waffles with toppings such as Nutella and berries, plus fresh pastries, smoothies, and organic açaí bowls.

The Coconut Grove launch will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Mayor Francis Suarez. Its founders, Shohet and Holth, are also expected to attend the opening, and the shop will offer free samples of drinks and food during the event.

Black Sheep Coffee. 2750 SW 27th Ter., Ste. 108, Coconut Grove; blacksheepcoffee.us. Opening Tuesday, August 12 at 11 a.m.