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Best Medium Roast Coffee

Medium roast is where most specialty coffee lives—light enough to taste origin, dark enough to build body and sweetness. It's the roast level that forgives small brewing mistakes while rewarding attention to detail. Done well, it highlights fruit and chocolate without veering into bright acidity or roasted bitterness.

15 picks · Last updated

What to know

  • Look for roast dates within 2-4 weeks; medium roasts peak around day 7-14.
  • Central American coffees deliver chocolate and nut; African coffees bring berry and citrus even at medium.
  • Washed processing creates clarity; naturals add fruit intensity and heavier body at this roast level.
  • Grind slightly coarser than you think—medium roasts are more soluble than light roasts.
  • If it tastes flat or cardboard-like, it's likely stale, not under-extracted.

Top picks

  1. 1.
    Founder's Blend
    Stumptown Coffee Roasters
    Blend·medium roast
    US$5.88/100g
    $20.00 bag
  2. 2.
    Frequency Blend
    Intelligentsia Coffee
    Blend·medium roastGood value
    US$5.15/100g
    $17.50 bag
  3. 3.
    El Gallo Blend
    Intelligentsia Coffee
    Blend·medium roast
    US$5.44/100g
    $18.50 bag
  4. 4.
    El Salvador-Samuel Luna Pacamara
    Big Shoulders Coffee
    El Salvador·medium roastPremium
    US$9.41/100g
    $32.00 bag
  5. 5.
    1848
    Big Shoulders Coffee
    Blend·Washed 1848 4.88 / 5.0 (24) 24 total reviews Whole Bean / 12·medium roast
    US$7.65/100g
    $26.00 bag
  6. 6.
    Costa Rica SL-28 Yellow Honey
    Big Shoulders Coffee
    Costa Rica·honey·medium roastPremium
    US$9.41/100g
    $32.00 bag
  7. 7.
    Honduras - Luna Azul Decaf
    La Colombe Coffee Roasters
    Honduras·Washed, Swiss Water Process Altitude : 1,400 - 1,800 meters Farm : Hermanos Arita, Romero, Sitio Viejo·medium roast
    US$5.29/100g
    $18.00 bag
  8. 8.
    Bowery Blend - Organic
    La Colombe Coffee Roasters
    Blend·medium roast
    US$5.29/100g
    $18.00 bag
  9. 9.
    Brazil Nossa Mesa
    La Colombe Coffee Roasters
    Brazil·Natural Altitude : 1,200 M·medium roast
    US$5.29/100g
    $18.00 bag
  10. 10.
    Moxy (100% Arabica)
    Nguyen Coffee Supply
    Blend·medium roast
    US$6.47/100g
    $22.00 bag
  11. 11.
    Loyalty (Robusta & Arabica)
    Nguyen Coffee Supply
    Blend·medium roast
    US$6.47/100g
    $22.00 bag
  12. 12.
    Highlands Honey: Medium Roast
    El Conecte Coffee
    Guatemala·honey·medium roast
    US$7.06/100g
    $24.00 bag
  13. 13.
    BERRIED ALIVE
    Dollop Coffee Co
    Blend·medium roast
    US$5.29/100g
    $18.00 bag
  14. 14.
    H.O.M.E.S
    The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co.
    Blend·medium roast
    US$5.88/100g
    $20.00 bag
  15. 15.
    Revelation Roast
    Temple Grounds Coffee Company
    Brazil·medium roast
    US$5.64/100g
    $19.17 bag

Bottom line

The best medium roast balances your preference for sweetness against origin character—there's no single right answer. Start with a regional profile that appeals to you, then dial in from there. Check our brewing guides if you're not getting the cup you expect.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Medium Roast Coffee

Based on live prices and quality data across hundreds of US specialty roasters, top picks include Founder's Blend by Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Frequency Blend by Intelligentsia Coffee, El Gallo Blend by Intelligentsia Coffee. See the full ranked list at bakio.co/buyers-guide/best-medium-roast-coffee.

How is best medium roast coffee ranked on Bakio?

Bakio combines independent expert cupping scores (CoffeeReview), industry awards (Good Food Awards, Cup of Excellence), community ratings, and retail reviews into a 0-100 quality score. Then we filter top medium roast coffees ranked. Methodology at bakio.co/about/methodology.

How often is best medium roast coffee updated?

Prices and availability refresh weekly from roaster webshops; quality scores update as new expert reviews and awards land. The ranked list at bakio.co/buyers-guide/best-medium-roast-coffee reflects the latest data.

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