• The wine industry has heavily influenced specialty coffee, from processing to appreciation of origin and terroir.
• Many specialty coffee shops and roasters serve wine, extending their focus on culinary excellence.
• Adding wine to coffee shop menus can also boost revenue by prolonging sales periods, attracting evening clientele, and creating new spaces to socialise.
• But specialty coffee shop owners need to consider key factors, including alcohol licences, staff training, and storage space.

Coffee and wine have always shared similarities: emphasis on craftsmanship, expression of terroir, processing, varieties, sensory appreciation, and ritualistic consumption. 

So for a growing number of businesses, serving wine has felt like a natural extension of their focus on specialty coffee. Cafés and roasters such as the UK’s Notes Coffee and Kofra, the US’ Bartavelle, Hungary’s Kelet Café, and Italy’s Luna by Faro, among many others around the world, have been setting the trend.

But for some, the decision isn’t purely led by sensory appreciation and culinary excellence; it’s also a strategic manoeuvre. Extending opening hours and attracting a broader customer base can generate more revenue – offering a competitive advantage in today’s difficult market.

Nik Daughtry of ELM and food and beverage consultant Mark Wood share their thoughts on whether wine could become a more prominent part of specialty coffee shop offerings.

You may also like our article on how aeration can improve wine and coffee flavour.

Why more coffee shops are serving wine

Specialty coffee and wine share many similarities. Both industries focus on terroir, varieties, fermentation, sensory appreciation, palate development, and quality, highlighting the connections between the two.

Winemaking’s most noticeable influence in the coffee industry is on processing methods. Coffee producers have long been inspired by winemakers, utilising controlled fermentation and yeast inoculation to develop specific flavour profiles, enhance quality, and command premium prices. Carbonic maceration, originally developed by winemakers, is the most notable example. 

For many, these shared traits reinforce the inherent connections between specialty coffee and wine. In turn, coffee shop owners are increasingly positioning them as complementary menu offerings.

More cafés are diversifying and extending their opening hours to serve wine, as well as other alcoholic beverages like craft beer and cocktails. Coffee shops like Abraço in New York City, Either/Or in Portland, Oregon, Intermezzo in Florida, The Corner in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Material in Berlin, Germany are “all-day cafés”, serving coffee in the mornings and afternoons, and switching to wines later in the day.

“We always offer a mix of reds, whites, skin contact and orange wines, and sparkling options,” says Nik, the co-owner of ELM in Sheffield, UK, a coffee and wine bar. “We’re drawn to low-intervention wines that highlight terroir and the personality of the winemaker.”

Given their shared characteristics, diversifying into wine is an effective way for coffee shops and roasters to communicate their craft-focused ethos beyond coffee. 

Natural (or low-intervention) wines, for instance, use little to no additives (such as sulphites, sugars, and acids) in the winemaking process. The lack of stabilisers often creates more fruit-forward and complex flavours – similar to natural and experimental processed coffees.

Orange and skin contact wines, meanwhile, offer more unique, interesting, and “funky” flavour profiles and mouthfeel, appealing to both wine and specialty coffee drinkers seeking new sensory experiences.

How wine can help coffee shops increase revenue

Coinciding with a focus on quality and craft, adding natural, organic, and skin contact wines to menus can be a lucrative opportunity for coffee shops.

In 2024, UK sales of orange wine were up 99% annually on online grocery retailer Ocado. Once a niche offering, orange and skin contact wines have become increasingly mainstream in recent years. This shift is primarily driven by the growing interest in minimally processed wines, as consumers seek out healthier, more “natural” alternatives to traditional wines.

For coffee shops, this means diversifying to include wine can increase profits by attracting evening and nighttime clientele while maintaining their focus on coffee during earlier operating hours.

By adding new products, coffee shops can create new revenue streams and ensure some level of future stability in case of issues with their core products. Considering how challenging it has become to operate a coffee business in recent years – with sustained high market prices and unprecedented tariffs a lasting reality – product diversification has never been important.

Focusing on wine also offers coffee shops and roasters an opportunity to extend their values into new products. Stocking high-quality, traceable, and sustainable wine can complement their approach to curating excellent coffee offerings, reinforcing strong branding across the board.

Simultaneously, coffee businesses can position themselves as one-stop shops for ethical, high-quality products, opening up avenues to stock other artisanal products such as cheeses, cured meats, breads, and preserves.

Is there a particular type of coffee shop that should serve wine?

In many countries, most cafés are open from early morning to late afternoon, closing when people typically stop drinking coffee. This means that peak business hours only account for a small portion of the day, with heavier foot traffic in the morning and around lunchtime. 

In order to bolster profits, café owners are diversifying their menus to include matcha, drinking chocolate, and other customised beverages. However, offering wine has become one of the most effective ways to diversify, also allowing businesses to extend opening hours and draw in new customers.

“During the day, ELM has a cosy, relaxed vibe. We serve specialty coffee, fresh pastries, and an all-day menu with light food options,” Nik says. “As the afternoon winds down, we dim the lights, switch the playlist, and the atmosphere becomes warmer and more intimate. 

“Our team transitions the space, bringing out wine menus, lighting candles, and preparing for evening service.”

But to execute this transition successfully, coffee shops need to focus on creating the right atmosphere and tone. Interior design plays an inherent role in this process – and it may require the “right” kind of setting.

“Business operators need to understand what their venue looks and feels like,” says Mark, a food and beverage consultant with over 30 years of experience across hospitality, luxury brands, and business development. “How can it shake the daytime café identity and become a wine bar at night? 

“This even includes the name; it needs to be adaptable so that it works for both a coffee shop and a wine bar.”

Location is another factor to consider. Neighbourhood coffee shops, often catering to a smaller, specific customer base and offering a friendly, cosy ambience, could find success. Cafés in larger cities could also thrive in this environment, taking advantage of busier areas and tourists.

But the transition from coffee to wine is easier said than done

While it may appear lucrative at first, there are many considerations to factor in when adding wine to a coffee shop menu.

Alcohol licensing is the first step. A business needs a premises licence from the local council, and anyone selling alcohol needs a personal licence. This process requires undergoing checks, paying fees, and completing several courses, meaning staff must be committed to obtaining their personal licences. 

Additionally, staff must be properly trained not only to serve wine, but also to understand it – similar to their knowledge of coffee production, processing, and roasting. Without the expertise to guide customers through wine tasting and help them choose wines that suit their preferences, coffee shops could struggle to implement an effective menu.

“Successfully owning or managing a coffee shop that serves wine in the evening can be a game-changer, but it takes proper business decisions and practical strategies to do it well,” Mark says. “Mastering the number of employees during the evening hours needs to be assessed against how busy the shop gets.”

Another key factor is storage. Cafés need to have adequate refrigerated and ambient storage space for a selection of wines – otherwise they could struggle to keep up with demand or risk reducing waste.

In today’s challenging coffee market, product diversification is an effective way to diversify. For some cafés, wine could be a viable option, allowing operators to extend opening hours, attract a wider consumer base, and drive new revenue streams.

But it’s a strategy that requires a nuanced approach and attention to detail that may not work for every coffee business.

“Coffee shops can be transformed, but they need to have a certain ‘feel’ to them,” Mark concludes. “To successfully shift a coffee shop to a wine bar, it takes some effort, but you can make a profit if you can get it to work.”

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on how specialty coffee can still learn more from winemaking.

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