The fruity aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air as people stream in and out of Sump Coffee in south St. Louis. Baristas brew coffee behind a long bar where customers order lattes and quick shots of espresso. Others opt for pourover coffee served in a glass pitcher. The menu details where each coffee originates, including from Sumatra, Colombia and Kenya.

The pourover list here is more extensive than at the high-volume coffeehouses barista Layne Graham worked in for half-dozen years. She started at Sump about a month ago and, during a recent visit, noted the precision and reverence behind each cup.

Sump has been a destination for serious coffee drinkers — and a symbol of St. Louis' vibrant coffee scene — for nearly 15 years. Its tenure parallels the growth of craft coffee culture

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