Chico's Indie Coffee Roasters: NorCal's College Town Caffeine Fix
5 independent roasters keeping Chico wired — from a 1976 organic pioneer to farmers market regulars
Chico coffee roasters don't get much press outside Butte County, which is part of the appeal. Tucked into the northern Sacramento Valley — about three hours north of San Francisco — this college town of roughly 100,000 has been roasting its own beans longer than most California cities twice its size. Has Beans Coffee & Tea has been at it since 1976. Cal Java has been roasting since 1989. And a handful of newer operations have filled in the gaps with fresh approaches and smaller batches.
We've mapped 5 independent coffee roasters across Chico. None of them are chains. None of them are trying to be the next Blue Bottle. They're roasting for their town — for the students pulling all-nighters at CSU Chico, for the Saturday morning farmers market crowd, and for the regulars who've been buying the same bag of beans for a decade.
Here's who's roasting in Chico right now.
Has Beans Coffee & Tea
Has Beans is Chico's longest-running roaster, and it's not close. Founded in 1976, this is a roastery that predates the entire specialty coffee movement in the United States. They roast on a traditional open-flame drum roaster — a slow, hands-on method that they've stuck with for nearly fifty years while much of the industry has moved to faster automated systems. Has Beans is also a certified organic roaster, offering a wide range of organic blends and single-origin coffees alongside a serious loose-leaf tea program. If you want to understand where Chico's coffee culture started, this is the foundation.
See their full profile on Roast Local | Visit their website
Cal Java Coffee Roasters
Cal Java has been a fixture in Chico since 1989, making it the second-oldest roaster in town and reportedly the oldest roaster north of Sacramento. They now operate three locations — the original East Avenue roastery, a drive-thru on Mangrove, and a spot on the Esplanade — which gives them a physical footprint most indie roasters in a town this size can only dream of. Their lineup runs deep: over 14 single origins, 11 blends, and a handful of flavored and decaf options, all hand-roasted in small batches. Cal Java leans into traceability and responsible sourcing, and they've built the kind of loyal local following that comes from being in the same place, doing the same thing well, for 35-plus years.
See their full profile on Roast Local | Visit their website
Daycamp Coffee
Daycamp is the newer school in Chico's roasting lineup. Co-founded by Kyle Nies and opened in September 2019 in the Meriam Park neighborhood, Daycamp roasts in-house on a big yellow Loring roaster that sits in full view of the cafe — so you can watch your coffee being roasted while you drink the last batch. Their approach is seasonal and detail-oriented: sourcing changes with the harvest, and they pay above-market prices to the farms they work with. The space itself — bright, modern, with solid indoor and outdoor seating — has become a go-to for the work-from-cafe crowd. Daycamp proves that a roaster doesn't need decades of history to earn a spot in a town's daily routine.
See their full profile on Roast Local | Visit their website
Road Roaster Coffee Company
Road Roaster is where Chico's agricultural roots meet its coffee culture head-on. Owned by Ian and Kate Moore — Kate is an agriculture professor, Ian comes from a sales background — this is a roaster built on farming knowledge as much as coffee knowledge. You'll find Road Roaster at the Chico Certified Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, selling whole and ground beans alongside the produce vendors. They also stock at various Butte County retail locations. The operation is veteran-owned, focused on strong and smooth roast profiles, and deeply embedded in the local food economy. If you prefer buying your coffee the same way you buy your tomatoes — from the person who made it, on a Saturday morning — Road Roaster is your roaster.
See their full profile on Roast Local | Visit their website
Mockingbyrd Coffee Company
Mockingbyrd is the smallest operation on this list, and that's the point. Owner Boris micro-roasts in tiny batches, and the entire menu — coffee, lemonades, house-made Italian sodas, confections — uses organic ingredients and is made from scratch. The name has an intentional misspelling, and the coffee has an intentional precision. Operating out of a spot on Olive Street (with occasional pop-ups around town), Mockingbyrd is the kind of roaster that only exists in a small city where word-of-mouth still works. No slick branding, no wholesale accounts — just one person roasting and serving exactly what they want to make.
See their full profile on Roast Local
What Ties It All Together
Five roasters in a mid-sized college town might not sound like a lot, but the range is what matters. Chico's coffee scene stretches from a roaster that opened during the bicentennial to one that launched weeks before a pandemic. There are certified organic beans, farmers market regulars, micro-batch experiments, and a roastery with three drive-thru locations. For a town of 100,000 people, that's a genuine roasting culture — not just a couple of coffee shops that happen to sell beans.
Explore all 5 Chico roasters on Roast Local at Chico, California, or browse the full California directory to find roasters across the state. You can also see every roaster we've mapped on our interactive explore map. Not sure where to start? Take the quiz and we'll match you with a roaster based on your taste preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many independent coffee roasters are in Chico, California?
We've mapped 5 independent coffee roasters currently operating in Chico. The city's roasting scene spans nearly five decades, from Has Beans Coffee & Tea (founded 1976) to newer operations like Daycamp Coffee (opened 2019).
What makes Chico's coffee scene different from bigger California cities?
Chico's roasters tend to be deeply tied to the local agricultural community. Several sell at the Chico Certified Farmers Market, and the town's identity as a college town (home to CSU Chico) means the audience skews younger and more adventurous. You won't find corporate polish here — these are owner-operated businesses roasting in small batches for their neighbors.
Can I buy Chico-roasted coffee online?
Yes. Cal Java Coffee Roasters, Has Beans Coffee & Tea, Road Roaster Coffee Company, and Daycamp Coffee all sell beans through their online stores. Most ship within California, and some offer nationwide shipping.
Where is the best place to try local coffee in Chico?
For the widest selection of locally roasted beans, visit Cal Java's East Avenue roastery or Daycamp Coffee in Meriam Park. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Chico Certified Farmers Market is another great spot — Road Roaster Coffee is a regular vendor there.
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Last updated: April 2026