Varietale represents the sine qua non of Bogotá’s coffee scene: Both locations draw a young, vibrant crowd from nearby universities, while tireless baristas dispense coffee brewed with appropriately trendy methods, like an enormous Japanese cold-brew tower.

The Chapinero location is home to Varietale’s roastery, where it transforms green coffee into the light roasts that Varietale is known for. Both shops are in renovated houses with lush gardens and plenty of nooks and crannies to fall into for quiet conversation or an intense planning session.

Just off the Plaza Bolívar in the downtown historic area, the warm, vintage decor of Arte y Pasión retains the charm of times past, making it especially inviting on a chilly Bogotá day. The shop offers dozens of Colombian coffee brands; fortunately, Arte y Pasión’s barista school churns out a steady stream of eager new baristas who can explain the nuances of their coffees — and brew them using practically any method, from Aeropress to the traditional Colombian café colado, which uses a fabric filter hung on a wire frame.

Created as the public face of the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation in the 1950s, Juan Valdez is perhaps the most recognizable man in the history of coffee. And while Juan Valdez is fictional, shops bearing his name certainly aren’t: They’re by far Colombia’s most ubiquitous and popular coffee chain, with 209 locations throughout the country, and more than 100 abroad.

The average Juan Valdez is kind of like a Colombian Starbucks, but this three-story shop is different: A specialty vibe pervades, with coffee sold by region, and then brewed with the pour-over device of your choice. Downstairs, the coffee-farm vibe comes through with rustic ceramic flooring, vertical gardens climbing the walls, and deep armchairs; upstairs, there are long tables for groups, and the rooftop is ideal for relaxing, with very comfortable sofas.

Owners Paola and José bring the personal touch of coffee experts to their shops as they pursue their mission to support coffee growers, with coffee divided into categories like Ancestros (varieties that have a long history in Colombia) and Contemporáneos (coffees processed with innovative methods).

A haven for diehards, Colo Coffee offers training and certifications in both Spanish and English. In the Zona T shop, elegance and sophistication rule thanks to the multitiered store layout with sleek glass walls, while the shop in Quinta Camacho is an ideal neighborhood cafe — homey, with an outdoor garden.

This adorable Parisian bakery is in the heart of Quinta Camacho, Bogotá’s up-and-coming restaurant district. Chocolate brioche, almond croissants, truffles made with Colombian cacao, and macarons pair well with Libertario coffee from a nearby farm, La Palma y El Tucán. Like other shops on this list, the cafe is in a restored home, so intimate spots are scattered around the space. If the outdoors is more to your liking, there’s also a patio.

Visitors from around the world and professionals from the nearby financial district stop by Café Devoción to get their morning or afternoon caffeine fix. It has a charming old-time pharmacy look, with vials and jars lining the shelves, but don’t think you’re stepping back in time; it’s stocked with all the latest brewing methods, including one of the largest Japanese cold-drip towers in the city. Two locations have also touched down in New York, one in Williamsburg and one in Downtown Brooklyn.

Just off the Parque de la 93, Azahar is a chic spot to meet for a business lunch or afternoon snack. Beyond the coffee — sourced directly from farmers with full pricing transparency — the kitchen also delivers fresh salads, soups, the ever-present arepa, and dishes like pork bondiola (shoulder) with hogao (a Colombian tomato sauce), made with regional ingredients like Colombian chimichurri (with cilantro, not parsley) and native potatoes.

One of the largest coffee shops in the city, the two-story Usaquén location is the storefront for a coffee farm that’s been in the Villota family since 1972. The murals make it feel like you’ve stepped out of the city and into the lush mountains of one of Colombia’s main coffee-growing regions, the eje cafetero, or Coffee Triangle. Coffee plants, from recently sprouted to full size, give you a first-hand look at the growing stages. The coffee is roasted darker than you’ll find in the average specialty shops these days, but for the traditional coffee drinker, it’ll do just fine.

Admittedly, the big draw here is the feeling of being in a garden, even when you’re inside: Wrought-iron furniture, a forest of trees, ferns dangling from the ceiling, an abundance of antiques, and terra-cotta floors all contribute to the charm.

Opened in 1993, El Altillo del Sol serves Segafredo, an Italian brand. Stick with the cappuccino; you can try it with whipped cream and arequipe — what Colombians call dulce de leche. Or order the carajillo, a drink Colombia inherited from Spain, where coffee gets a dash of liquor — in this case, rum or aguardiente (an anise-flavored liqueur). Besides the drinks, there’s a selection of empanadas, alfajores (arequipe-filled cookies), or milhojas (a napoleon with arequipe) — all nods to the owners’ Argentinian roots.