specialty coffee
/ˈspɛʃəlti ˈkɒfi/
CommonCoffee that scores 80 points or above on a 100-point scale by a certified taster, indicating high quality and careful sourcing.
Has a technical industry definition but is used colloquially to mean any good, artisan, or independent coffee. Sometimes used self-deprecatingly by people who realize they have opinions about water temperature.
Real-world examples3 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | got into specialty coffee last year and now i can't drink starbucks without wincing | Developing a preference for quality coffee made it hard to enjoy mass-market chains. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | there's actually a really good specialty coffee scene in this city | The city has multiple quality independent coffee shops worth visiting. | |
| 03 | my coworker brings specialty coffee beans from his trip and now we're all spoiled | Quality beans someone shared changed the group's standard for what coffee should taste like. | tiktok, 2023 |
Use it when
- Describing high-quality artisan coffee from independent roasters or cafes.
- Discussing the coffee industry's quality grading system.
- Talking about coffee culture that focuses on origin, process, and craft.
Do not use it when
- You mean coffee that is simply expensive or fancy.
- You mean a flavored drink from a chain coffee shop.
Origin and context
The term was coined by coffee professional Erna Knutsen in 1974 to describe beans from unique microclimates. The Specialty Coffee Association formally adopted the 80-point grading standard. The movement expanded through the 2000s and 2010s alongside third-wave coffee culture.
- First seen
- 1974
- Confidence
- high
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https://slang.fyi/specialty-coffeeUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0