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Philadelphia's coffee scene is stronger than ever, with Jose Garces's Garces Trading Company brewing specially customized coffee beans, and spots like La Colombe and Old City Coffee on the fore of the national scene. (Photo credits: bottom left by M. Kennedy for GPTMC, all others by G. Widman for GPTMC)

Today, September 29, is National Coffee Day, just in time for the oncoming fall weather and the of-late trend in the city towards a truly first-class coffee scene.

Indeed, the Philadelphia coffee scene is hot and strong right now. A new wave of coffee has officially hit the city like a red-eye with an extra shot. Included in the craze are cafes roasting their own signature beans, baristas who specialize in perfectly engineered espressos and coffeehouses that use one-of-a-kind La Marzocco machines.

The possibilities for delicious caffeination are endless. Check out our top picks for local favorites:

Signature Beans

• Burlap and Bean: Offering its own Fair Trade Certified, Certified Organic beans roasted in-house, Newtown Square’s Burlap and Bean distinguishes itself as an ambitious independent spot with a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.

• Chestnut Hill Coffee Company: Patrons can catch a tantalizing whiff of caramelizing beans at the upstairs roastery here. Downstairs, the coffee bar turns out elaborate swirls of latte art. The alt-rock soundtrack and homemade soups are a bonus.

• Garces Trading Company: Celebrity chef Jose Garces is as serious about coffee as he is about his food, so it’s no surprise that the signature roasted beans at Garces Trading Co. lend themselves to a memorable French press.

• La Colombe: Inarguably the originator of Philly’s first wave of coffee, La Colombe remains the go-to spot for rich Italian-style espressos and excellent machiattos.

• Old City Coffee: With two high-traffic locations — one in Old City, the other in the Reading Terminal Market — Old City Coffee has produced fresh, tiny batches of high-grade Arabica coffee for more than 25 years now.

• Rocket Cat Café: Amid the well-documented Shepard Fairey mural, thrift-store furnishings and vegan snacks at Fishtown’s Rocket Cat Café is a worthy fair-trade espresso roasted by Norristown’s Fonseca.

Live & Wired

• Gryphon Café: Serving up house-roasted, organic coffee along with a weekly schedule of independent music acts and open mic-nights, Wayne’s Gryphon Café keeps its visitors awake and entertained.

• Milkboy Philly: Milkboy, which first built its following with outposts in Ardmore and Bryn Mawr, has opened a Center City location, making its coffee, veggie-friendly meals and live music available to the downtown crowd. Bonus: the new rock venue has a liquor license to balance out any espresso-induced jitters.

Much more, below.

Coffee, With Food To Match

• Chhaya Cafe: The organic, fair-trade espressos and lattes at Chhaya are served alongside fresh meals of seasonal salads (peach and fig with honeyed walnuts), sandwiches (prosciutto, apple and mozzarella panini) and a full menu of creative waffles like Nutella/strawberry and veggie chili/cornbread.

• High Point Café: While its espressos have been given top ratings, the two locations of High Point Café in Mt. Airy also have a mean menu of quiches, baked goods and crepes to match.

• Town Hall Coffee Co.: Find yourself in Marion Station? GimmeCoffee and Counter Culture supply the beans for Town Hall Coffee Co. Pear and chocolate scones, croissant bread pudding and New York-style bagels are the ideal accompaniment.

The Shot’s The Thing

• Lovers and Madmen: Once you get past the name, you’ll become a regular of this University City coffee lounge which offers short-pulled espressos from its La Marzocco FB80 in a friendly, collegiate atmosphere.

• Shot Tower Coffee: Between its Stumptown and PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. beans and its one-of-a-kind La Marzocco machine, Queen Village’s Shot Tower Coffee turns out impeccable espressos.

• Spruce Street Espresso: Simplicity is key at Spruce Street Espresso, where the single-origin Counter Culture beans are transformed into expertly well balanced shots. A second location is in the works.

• Ultimo: Its espresso was rated number one in the city by Craig LaBan, and rightfully so: Ultimo serves Counter Culture coffees, ground and brewed to perfection — for serious coffee lovers only.

Sustainable Sips

• BODHi Coffee: At Bodhi Coffee in Society Hill, the café proudly wears salvaged materials, the Stumptown coffees are available in pour-over and drip styles and the food is fresh, organic and local.

• Good Karma Café: The name says it all. Fair trade and certified organic coffee are the foundation at both locations of Good Karma Café, but owner David Arrell’s best-practices philosophy is underscored by green construction and corn-based plastics.

• Grindcore House: The vegan lifestyle is celebrated at this spot, a Pennsport hangout where coffee drinkers can choose from a variety of non-dairy creamers (soy, rice, almond, coconut) and a meatless, eggless, milkless menu of pastries and sandwiches.

• Mugshots: In its Fairmount and Brewerytown locations, Mugshots has made a commitment to sustainability via recyclable packaging; vegan, vegetarian and organic snacks; fair-trade coffee; and the opportunity to shop for local food.

• One Shot Coffee: Built from reclaimed wood and tile, Northern Liberties’ expansive One Shot showcases its socially conscious heart with Stumptown’s direct trade coffee and seasonal organic fare. Fun fact: some ingredients are grown in customers’ gardens!

International Brews

• Ants Pants Café: For anyone curious about Australian coffees, Ants Pants in Graduate Hospital is a great place to be indoctrinated into flat whites and long blacks — not to mention iced coffees made from espresso ice cream and whipped cream.

• Café Fulya: Dark and sweet, pot-brewed Turkish coffee is on offer at the charming Café Fulya, and the Turkish pastries and specialties like manti complete the Ottoman experience.

• Ray’s Café and Tea House: Long before the current pour-over and Chemex fever began, Chinatown staple Ray’s was serving international by-the-cup Hario siphoned coffees, as well as a full range of teas from around the world.

Prefer your morning caffeine in teabag form? Check out our guide to tea-drinking in Philadelphia.

Also good to know: in honor of National Coffee Day, get a free coffee-superfruit Bai Beverage with any purchase at Sweet Spot Cafe from 7 a.m.-noon, and buy one get one free at Cafe Aroma from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 0h so good from 9-11:30 a.m.

Plus, Krispy Kreme is giving away a FREE 12oz cup of House Blend Coffee to every guest all day today.