Missoula's premier organic roastery, crafting exceptional single-origins and blends inside a lively, sun-drenched Quonset hut.
Black Coffee Roasting Company was founded in 2010 by Matt McQuilkin and Jim Chapman, who envisioned a palate-driven craft roastery built on a strictly organic ethos. Drawing from their respective backgrounds in cheesemongering and winemaking, the founders approached coffee with a focus on terroir and clean sourcing. In 2014, they moved their operations to a 5,000-square-foot steel Quonset hut on Spruce Street, just outside downtown Missoula. This flagship space serves as both a production facility and a bustling community hub, where massive windowed garage doors flood the minimalist wood-and-metal interior with natural light. There is purposefully no customer WiFi here, a deliberate choice designed to keep the focus on conversation, craft, and the rhythmic hum of the espresso bar.
At the heart of the roastery sits a 35-kilogram Loring S35 Kestrel, a highly efficient smart roaster that Chapman and McQuilkin brought in to dramatically reduce their carbon footprint and fuel consumption. This convection-style machine, alongside a smaller Diedrich IR-12 used for test batches, transforms 100% organic, ethically sourced green beans into precise, clean roasts. The roasting philosophy highlights the natural differences of each origin rather than masking them, resulting in a spectrum of flavor profiles that range from bright, high-altitude single origins to deeply comforting signature blends. Among their most popular year-round offerings is the AM blend, a medium-roast morning staple featuring notes of graham cracker, cashew, and hibiscus, alongside Six Towers, a balanced daily drinker with hints of malt, toffee, and lemon candy.
Visitors to the Spruce Street cafe can watch the roasting process unfold through the open layout while enjoying drinks pulled from a sleek La Marzocco Linea. Beyond traditional espresso and slow-pour drip options, the menu features creative seasonal specialties, house-made shrubs, and a curated selection of thick-cut toasts and pastries sourced from Missoula's own Grist Milling & Bakery. For those exploring downtown, the roastery also anchors the coffee program at Basecamp, a cozy cafe outpost located in the lobby of The Wren hotel on Main Street. Whether stopping by the flagship Quonset hut for a classic AM latte or picking up a bag of their annual autumn blend, The Hunt, which features custom label art by legendary British illustrator Ralph Steadman, Black Coffee Roasting Company remains a cornerstone of western Montana's craft beverage scene.
Order a slice of thick-cut toast featuring local Grist Milling & Bakery bread alongside your espresso. Note that the Spruce Street cafe has a strict no-WiFi policy, making it an ideal spot to unplug, read, or chat.
Coffee & Craft — Roadside fuel stops curated by Basecamp West. The best coffee shops, craft breweries, diners, and eateries worth the detour on your next Western road trip.