Best Coffee At Whole Foods: Organic Flavors To Try in 2024

Whole Foods has a ton of coffee flavors that deliver incredible experiences. But which coffee is the tastiest? The tough part is picking the best blend because there are so many—from heavy-bodied, bright, citrusy, and chocolatey notes to medium, light, and dark roasts!

That’s why we’re here. Our guide examines the best coffee at Whole Foods so that you can embark on a new journey into the world of various coffee tastes. During our testing, we did our best to include a variety of roasts for everyone’s taste. And if you want to experiment with different roasts, from light and fruity to dark and strong, you have come to the right place!

Top 6 Best Coffees At Whole Foods

image	product	details
BEST OVERALL BEST OVERALL	Organic Holler Mountain Whole Bean	Citrus, Caramel, Berry Jam notes 100% Arabica Blend Medium roast	CHECK PRICE
BEST STRONG COFFEE BEST STRONG COFFEE	Death Wish Dark Roast	Chocolate, Cherry Notes Arabica/Robusta Blend Dark roast	CHECK PRICE
BEST DARK ROAST BEST DARK ROAST	Major Dickason’s Blend Ground Coffee	Rich, Complex, Full-bodied notes Blended Arabica Dark roast	CHECK PRICE
BEST FOR ESPRESSO BEST FOR ESPRESSO	Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso	Dark Chocolate, Raw Sugar, Marshmallow notes Blend Medium roast	CHECK PRICE
BEST INSTANT COFFEE BEST INSTANT COFFEE	Mount Hagen Organic Instant Coffee	Syrup, Rich, Smooth notes Instant Medium roast	CHECK PRICE
BEST COLD BREW BEST COLD BREW	La Colombe Unsweetened Brazilian Cold Brew	Bold, Rich, Unsweetened notes Brazilian Cold Brew Pre-made	CHECK PRICE

So, which organic coffee is for you? Let’s see.

Best Overall

1. Organic Holler Mountain Whole Bean

• Tasting Notes: Citrus, Caramel, Berry Jam

• Type Of Coffee: Blended Arabica
• Roast Level: Medium
• How To Brew: Various brewing methods

SEE ON AMAZON

Organic Holler Mountain coffee from Stumptown is a delicious and crowd-pleasing 100% Arabica blend. It appeals to most palates with a smooth, caramel, and chocolate flavor profile with citrus and berry jam hints. The certified Organic coffee beans are sourced from Central and South America and East Africa. The coffee from the Americas provides the deep chocolate-y flavors, while the African beans contribute brightness and complexity.

We love the balanced flavor profile, which features a compelling natural sweetness. It’s best to buy this coffee in the whole bean form and grind it yourself. Stumptown recommends using any brewing method. But with freshness comes a quick turnaround; pay attention to the expiration date on the bags!

Best Strong Coffee

2. Death Wish Dark Roast Coffee

• Tasting Notes: Chocolate, Cherry

• Type Of Coffee: Arabica/Robusta Blend
• Roast Level: Dark
• How To Brew: Drip, Espresso, French Press

SEE ON AMAZON

Death Wish Dark Roast Coffee provides a pleasant cup that isn’t bitter or disturbingly strong, despite being highly caffeinated. The dark roast gives the coffee a rich, full, and bold experience that doesn’t take away from the notes of chocolate and cherry. Though its caffeine content is its claim to fame, you could enjoy this coffee just for its flavor rather than to keep you steadily awake. 

Death Wish uses a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans because Robusta beans naturally have a higher caffeine content than Arabica beans (1). So Death Wish Dark Roast will give you an extra caffeine boost. It is a great morning coffee that works well in drip, espresso, or in French Press.

Best Dark Roast

3. Major Dickason’s Blend Ground Coffee

• Tasting Notes: Rich, Complex, Full-bodied

• Type Of Coffee: Blended Arabica
• Roast Level: Dark
• How To Brew: Espresso, Drip, French press

SEE ON AMAZON

Major Dickason’s is high on the list for straight-down-the-middle dark roasts at Whole Foods. The complex, rich, and full-bodied flavor lasts —just the way we like it. 

It’s a 100% Arabica coffee blend. Major Dickason appeals to people who prefer a darker roast and like adding a cream splash. Nutty and chocolate flavors make it perfect for lattes and macchiatos. Other coffee connoisseurs claimed that this coffee has a unique, strong flavor with just a little smokiness.

Major Dickason’s is best brewed in a drip machine, French press or as espresso.

The only thing to note is that some bags have been stale or inconsistent, so be careful.

Best For Espresso

4. Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso

• Tasting Notes: Dark Chocolate, Raw Sugar, Marshmallow

• Type Of Coffee: Blend
• Roast Level: Medium
• How To Brew: Espresso, French Press, Drip

SEE ON AMAZON

Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso is a medium espresso roast with notes of dark chocolate, raw sugar, and marshmallow. A clearer flavor profile means a more consistent flavor.

Just know that coffee beans are super-oily and quite fragile (roasted dark). And fruity notes bring out the best in singles and can turn flowery. We wholeheartedly agree that the best methods to use are Espresso, Drip and French Press.

Best Instant Coffee

5. Mount Hagen Organic Instant Coffee

• Tasting Notes: Syrup, Rich, Smooth

• Type Of Coffee: Instant
• Roast Level: Medium
• How To Brew: Instant, Hot Water

SEE ON AMAZON

Mount Hagen Organic Instant Coffee is by far the best coffee to buy if you are looking for high-quality instant coffee. It’s good to know that this coffee is processed using the healthiest approach (natural methods). 

We prefer Mount Hagen because it produces a rich, smooth, and syrupy flavor profile. If you are not a fan of organic instant coffees, this one is balanced and smooth, yet there is no acidity and it’s easy on the stomach. 

You shouldn’t be afraid to add cream and sugar, especially if you prefer to brew it iced. One more trick you should take advantage of is to use bottled or filtered water (2) to make a stronger and better-tasting cup!

Best Cold Brew

6. La Colombe Unsweetened Brazilian Cold Brew

• Tasting Notes: Bold, Rich, Unsweetened

• Type Of Coffee: Brazilian Cold Brew
• Roast Level: Pre-made
• How To Brew: Pop the can

SEE ON AMAZON

At first glance, coffee in a can doesn’t seem tasty. But in addition to all the instant and whole bean coffees, there is a large selection of canned cold brew coffees worth trying. La Colombe Unsweetened Brazilian Cold Brew is one of them; it’s a canned version of a delicious Brazilian roast with bold, rich, and concentrated flavor. The best part is that there’s no artificial aftertaste.

For some coffee fans, this coffee is perfect for getting a caffeine rush before a workout or mid-afternoon slump. But we must admit, it’s a bit pricey.

How To Choose The Best Whole Foods Coffee

How do you know which coffee is best? And what to look out for when buying coffee?

Narrowing down those choices can be a daunting task. 

Lucky for you, we’ll walk you through the ways of selecting the best coffee at Whole Foods.

Tasting Notes

Tasting notes matter. But how do you identify tasting notes? Does the flavor profile fit what you enjoy drinking? 

First things first, four major elements are crucial to consider.

Regarding the aroma, the nose directly perceives the smell and flavorful compounds of coffee. Coffee body means the tongue perceives the sense of coffee’s richness or heaviness. 

And flavor is all about the moment of enjoyment! It refers to the combined sensations of coffee’s aroma and body. Lastly, finish or aftertaste is crucial; it refers to the time it takes for the coffee taste to last once you swallow coffee.

Type Of Coffee

We can talk about types of coffee in different ways.

Suppose you want a sweeter and more complex coffee. In that case, you should look for Arabica coffee beans. The other kind, known as less-quality one, Robusta, might have a sort of burnt flavors.

Then there are light, medium, medium-dark and dark roasts. Each has specific characteristics. What differentiates light from dark roast is the acidity. Dark roast has more nutty notes, whereas light roast has more floral notes.

There are also types of brewed coffee that refer to the method people use to make their coffee. Some methods require minimal effort, such as the drip brewing method. And manual pour-over coffee makers help enhance the flavor by providing a level of control. 

Finally, you have a specific drink type, such as cappuccino, cortado, or espresso. Each coffee type has a little secret. Americano, for example, requires pouring espresso first, then adding hot water (3). 

Besides the type of coffee beans, the drink type can also affect flavor and make the coffee sweeter or more bitter. For instance, Ristretto is a type that contains less water and no milk or sugar, resulting in extra strong espresso.

The list is long, so you can check all types of coffee in more detail.

Roast Level

The roast level is another big factor. Whether you’re buying Whole Foods coffee or looking for the best coffee at Costco, the roast level is a big deal. As a general rule, the darker the roast, the bolder your coffee. 

Light roast has fruity notes and has no bitterness. These beans will appear lighter in color. Best methods for light roasts are all types of pour over and drip coffee. Medium roast features a balanced and rich coffee with hints of nuttiness. You can use this roast for any method. Lastly, dark roast is the best choice for those who like bold and complex coffee with toasty flavors. If you’re an old-school espresso fan, you’ll enjoy the darker side of roasting.

Brewing Process

The science of brewing coffee is complex; there are even different stages of brewing. Espresso machines, AeroPress, French Press, or Moka Pot are all brewing methods (machines) you’ve surely heard of. But there are also four main methods of brewing coffee: decoction, infusion, percolation, and traditional methods (Turkish coffee, for example). 

Each method is suitable for different coffee beans. If you prefer darker, richer roasts, go for a French press. And those who like manual machines and better control should opt for Pour-over coffee. So, before you purchase some of these machines, you should take into account your skill level, brew time, the type of grind that works best (for example, medium to course), and if you can expect a rich flavored brew or not. 

To dive deeper into this topic, you can take a look at our complete guide to coffee brewing methods.

The Verdict

So, which coffee has the best quality? It depends on your taste, but it’s hard to go wrong with the crowd-pleasing flavors of Stumptown’s Organic Holler Mountain. This 100% Arabica blend coffee features notes of chocolate, caramel, and ripe fruit. It’s a balanced medium roast suitable for all your favorite brewing methods, from espresso to cold brew.