For years, the drive-thru lanes at the Starbucks in Harlingen have been so congested that they have blocked traffic and caused unsafe road conditions. Coffee lovers in Harlingen had very few options. But lately, there has been a surge in new and upcoming coffee shops, joining the established downtown coffee spots, Girl of All Trades Tea and Coffee House and Bandera Coffee Co, to hopefully minimize these issues.
The first of the new coffee shops, Sovereign Coffee, from Brownsville, Texas, recently opened at 1733 S. 77 Sunshine Strip on March 2, 2023. They are known for their Mexican Vanilla lattes, friendly staff, relaxing vibes in the dining room, and a drive-thru.
The next coffee shop to open in Harlingen will be national chain Dutch Bros. Coffee on June 30 at 5 am. Dutch Bros. Coffee's location at 1601 W. Harrison was built relatively quickly after the buildings that were located there got demolished in February. Dutch Bros. is known for their Dutch classics, cold brew, freezes, energy drinks, and tea. They will have dine-in and drive-thru service.
Another Brownsville coffee shop expanding into Harlingen is Tora Coffee & Tea. They have had some initial delays, but the signage at 620 W. Van Buren just went up last week. Known for matcha, bubble tea, and mochi donuts, they hope to open in mid- to late-July. As of today (June 12), they are hiring for the Harlingen location. This location will be grab-and-go (no drive-thru).
Additionally, national chain Scooters Coffee is currently constructing a new drive-thru location at 2302 S. 77 Sunshine Strip. They are known for hot drinks, cold drinks, blenders, smoothies, and teas. No opening date has been announced yet.
Another new coffee place, Sparrows Coffee Sip & Thrift, is coming to 406 E. Harrison. Their name suggests a thrift shop will be part of this unique coffee shop. I have been unable to find any website or social media for them, so it will be harder for me to track down an opening date.
Although not a new coffee shop, G's Tea is in the process of moving. They have been located inside Family Nails but are preparing to move into their new location at 406 Dixieland Road. They serve boba tea and coffee and hope to open in July.
Some people have complained that there are now too many coffee shops (we are doubling the amount we used to have), but I am excited to see such a great mix of nationally and locally owned coffee and tea establishments coming to Harlingen. I am not a coffee drinker myself, but I plan on supporting them by ordering teas and treats from them when they open.
List of new and upcoming coffee shops in Harlingen:
Sovereign Coffee, 1733 S. 77 Sunshine Strip, opened on March 2, 2023
Dutch Bros. Coffee, 1601 W. Harrison, opening June 30 at 5 am
Tora Coffee & Tea, 620 W. Van Buren, opening TBA (estimated for July)
Scooters Coffee, 2302 S. 77 Sunshine Strip, opening TBA
Sparrows Coffee Sip & Thrift, 406 E. Harrison, opening TBA
G's Tea, moving to 406 Dixieland Road, opening TBA (estimated for July)
List of established coffee shops in Harlingen:
Bandera Coffee, 415 W. Van Buren
Girl of all Trades Tea & Coffee House, 102 W. Jackson
Starbucks, 1816 W. Tyler
Starbucks, 1521 N. Ed Carey Drive
Starbucks (inside Target), 1002 Dixieland Road