If you haven’t heard yet, Pittsburgh’s coffee scene just got a wild card. Standing Wave Coffee isn’t just another café—it’s a high-octane blend of outdoor grit, artisanal roasting, and a dash of irreverent swagger. Nestled on Sarah Street, the spot pulses with the hum of a Probat P12 machine, a canoe dangling from the ceiling, and a bar crafted from natural wood paneling that feels less like a coffee shop and more like a riverboat captain’s quarters. Colin Frye, co-owner and self-proclaimed river guide, isn’t here to play it safe. He’s here to make coffee that tastes like the wild, minus the mud.
The design isn’t just aesthetic—it’s a manifesto. Frye, an avid outdoorsman, roasts coffee in a production nook visible to customers, blending his love for the outdoors with his passion for precision. The canoe overhead isn’t just decor; it’s a nod to his roots as a river guide, a lifestyle that’s shaped every detail from the live-edge tables to the porthole-framed art. “My entire lifestyle is being a river-outdoorsy kind of person,” he says, channeling the vibe of The Life Aquatic with a Patagonia twist. Even the mobile coffee truck, which has been zipping across Pennsylvania for three years, echoes this ethos—its design inspired by oil rigs, built for durability and adventure.
Frye’s approach to coffee is as calculated as his engineering past. Before coffee, he was a directional drilling engineer, mailing fresh roasts to Arctic oil rigs for $5 a cup. That experience taught him how to connect with people over coffee, even in the harshest conditions. Today, he balances high-quality, small-batch roasts with drinks that satisfy both purists and the masses. “I’m a coffee-first company, but I’m not an idiot,” he says. “You’ve got to sell something that appeals to these people.” His trucks and cafes offer everything from Scandinavian light roasts to bold dark blends, all while training baristas like Italian espresso pros.
Frye’s vision isn’t just local. He wants to source “crude” coffees directly from growing regions, refining them in Pittsburgh. “Travel-adventure coffee sourcing is my eventual goal,” he says. For now, he’s scaling up with more mobile trucks, aiming to outpace local shops with better coffee than drive-thrus typically offer. “I’ll park somewhere and beat out local coffee shops,” he jokes. “Pittsburgh’s 10-15 years behind Denver in breweries and gastropubs. I’m bringing the competition.”
KEY POINTS: Frye’s coffee shop is a fusion of outdoor culture and precision roasting, his mobile trucks blend durability with creativity, and his future plans revolve around sourcing raw coffees from growing regions.
KEY POINTS: Frye’s coffee shop is a fusion of outdoor culture and precision roasting, his mobile trucks blend durability with creativity, and his future plans revolve around sourcing raw coffees from growing regions.
CLOSE: What’s your take on coffee that’s as bold as it is adventurous? Have you ever tried a mobile café that outdid the competition?
Questions & Answers
How does Standing Wave Coffee reduce wait times?
Standing Wave Coffee uses a pre-order system and automated brewing to cut wait times. Customers order online, and drinks are ready in minutes, not hours.
Where is Standing Wave Coffee located?
Standing Wave Coffee is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It serves as a community hub with fast, quality coffee and a focus on reducing morning rush lines.
Information sourced from industry reports and news outlets.
