Shortwave Coffee

915 Alley A, Columbia
(573) 214-0880

Recent Reviews

Hans Liu

This place is awesome. I've checked out several coffee shops across the region, and Shortwave stands out for having incredible coffee, tea, and the perfect ambience for studying and hanging. I definitely enjoy the jazzy atmosphere and chill vibes for getting some work done or catching up with a friend. The moroccan mint ice tea was super good as well.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

jenna Fisher

The great: The music and the space was perfect for studying. And I loved that they had booths. The cold brew mint coffee was delicious, and the barista was quick to let me know I could order it with less sugar if I wanted. That was helpful.The less: that 12 oz cold brew with mint cost $8 with a dollar tip. The booths all had ripped seats, there were signs everywhere reminding folks to leave after 2 hrs (fair). The bathroom was under construction.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 3

Nick Salas

Best coffee in Columbia hands down. Keep up the good work.?

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Lucy W.

I love short wave!! I graduated but spent a lot of years studying and in my opinion they have the best matcha (if anybody knows what they use please let me know). Great service, everybody's so friendly. And a great atmosphere for studying.

Sophia A.

Went here twice today! Lovely place to work and study. Also crazy good playlist this afternoon!! I spilled my whole latte and the staff was so nice and helped me clean it up. Also the cashier had really cute strawberry earrings. The mint mayday is my favorite drink and the danishes are great too. Slightly pricey but worth it.

Isabella M.

I really like this place! Studied here a few times and love the atmosphere. However, I think the lattées are a little overpriced for the taste. Good, but not great.

don delwood

Nice atmosphere friendly staff. Maybe a bit slow.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 3

Matthew Simmons

My wife had a latte and love it. I have an Ethiopian v60 and it was delightful!The seating was spacious and comfortable- the outlets were endless and available. This is a remote worker or college students dream.Do yourself a flavor favor- say no to a longwave, but yes to a shortwave. ☕️??

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Java v60 12 Oz

Karsten G.

Literally in the alley. We're from out of town and it took a minute to find this on Apple Maps because it is literally in the alley along with several other businesses. A very cool idea for a college town. It has the feeling of a speakeasy. The coffee was very good. I usually just get coffee with milk and this coffee was very flavorful. My daughter enjoyed the lavender latte and homemade blueberry muffin. Will definitely visit again if we're in the area.

Jonathan Benson

Best coffee in town. Americano lightly sweetened (kudos Dr. Hall) never disappoints and their cheese danishes are great. They’ve always got jazz music playing and the atmosphere is comforting. Good date

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

MSA

Recently stopped by this hidden gem. Had their single source Ethiopian pour-over and a cappuccino - both were spot on! The space is also great for settling in and getting some work done. Highly recommend for both the brew and the ambiance.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Nicole M

came in for coffee with friends, staff was super nice and we love the environment there. drinks were a little expensive but that was expected. will say the chai was not great but overall would come again.

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

Adam S.

Good coffee spot with a stellar environment. I see why this spot is a hit! Despite being sworn college rivals with the university in this town, we were glad to explore Columbia and especially take in the downtown by bike. A coffee was definitely in order, and this was the highest rated place that we saw. I loved the big, open space that looked ideal for getting work done. We opted for some cold brews and then sat outside before saddling back up. This is a bit odd here, but I do have to make note of it.. I always get a little pick me up, sometimes a BIG pick me up from cold brew, and I found myself as tired as ever after drinking this. My leading theory is that perhaps we accidentally were served decaf, or maybe the coffee just wasn't that strong on that day. Either way, I really liked the vibe of the space and taste of my drink, and would recommend anyone to check this one out.

Maya Y.

Had a very nice coffee, smoothie and croissant at Shortwave. They have a very nice, big seating space and calm environment that is great for working/studying. I highly recommend them as a study space for students.

Alison M.

I have to say I was unimpressed. Not many milk options or non-fat milk options for your coffee or really many options at all. No food aside from like two pastries - this particular location is very bare bones. I had a spicy dirty chai and it was pretty good. So the coffee is good quality but if you want anything at all to eat - this is not the spot. It's OK but it was very basic with no decor inside and an industrial feel and low ceilings making it feel cramped for some reason. This isn't a shop I'd want to spend a couple hours in hanging out. Not my vibe.

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