LARGO — Caribou Coffee, a Minnesota-based company founded in 1992 known for its freshly brewed, hand-crafted drinks, recently opened a new location at 4375 East Bay Drive in Clearwater, just over the Largo city line.
Caribou’s bright, drive-thru-only spot resides in the middle of a brewing clash of the coffee titans that includes nearby competitors Dunkin’, Starbucks and fellow area newcomer, Dutch Bros., which has seen a steady stream of customers pouring daily through its Kenne Plaza drive-thrus since it opened in late 2025.
This battle of the corridor’s coffee shops already claimed one victim, as the Blend Coffee and Cocktails shuttered its location at 3150 East Bay Drive after opening in the former Checker’s restaurant in August 2024.
Despite the closure, there’s still plenty of options crammed into a tight, two-mile stretch of East Bay Drive. As a nearby resident, this reporter was curious to find out how Caribou could fare in this ultra-competitive, cup-to-cup coffee combat.
Calling in a ringer
As an admitted “Gimme caffeine ASAP!” Keurig user, I enlisted the assistance of my 24-year-old niece, Taylor Richardson, a self-professed coffee connoisseur who was practically weaned on a French press.
Taylor, who lives near Largo Central Park and drives the route daily to work the early shift at a doggie day care facility on U.S 19, initially stated she’s always been a big fan of Dunkin’s.
“Their coffee isn’t fancy, but it always tastes good,” she said of the Boston brand noted for its reliability.
Dutch Bros.
When the day calls for a pick-me-up that’s a bit more elaborate, Taylor typically turns to Dutch Bros.
“The hazelnut double latte,” she quickly replied when asked for her go-to drink at Dutch. Bros., an Oregon based company that, like Caribou, was founded in 1992 and opened to much fanfare, in line with its coffee-cult-like following, in the plaza on the northwest corner of East Bay Drive and Keene Road last November.
One look at the creamy, whipped concoction and it was easy to see it being a favorite of “fancy coffee” fans.
While snapping a few photos in front of the colorful Dutch Bros. sign, Taylor noticed the rival Starbucks location was a mere scones throw away across the busy East Bay/Starkey Road intersection.
“I like Starbucks when I need a real pick-me-up, because their coffee is so strong,” she said, once again hitting the nail on the head of a common perception about the Seattle-based brewing giant’s blends.
Caribou
Not wanting to get too hopped up on caffeine before noon, we skipped trips to Starbucks and Dunkin’s and traveled east past Belcher Road to check out the new Caribou location, which is easy to miss amid the flurry of side streets and strip plazas but still stands out due to its freestanding, angular blue-and-white building.
Once parked, the attentive worker at the window happily asked about our familiarity with the company; when told it was limited, she proceeded to direct us through the small but densely packed menu that features cold and hot coffee and “not coffee” drinks, including their signature caramel high rise, and several food items.
“I like it,” Taylor said after sipping an iced vanilla white mocha coffee, while this “regular coffee” Joe reporter found the Caribou Blend medium roast blend highly enjoyable. (Note to self: It’s available in K-cup version on the company’s website.)
More than coffee
While we both enjoyed Caribou’s coffee, my niece said the food menu is a highlight that’s tough to beat
“Their menu is much better, I think,” she said of the list that features breakfast and lunch items, including their signature Lumberjack sandwiches, as well as sweet treats and pastries that are served all day.
“The food just looks tastier, and they have a lot more options than some of the other places, in my opinion.”
One drawback of the new Caribou spot is there’s no place to sit down, inside or outside, because there aren’t any public restrooms on the property, according to the employee.
Another is that Caribou opens later — at 6 a.m. daily — than both Dunkin’s and Dutch Bros, which open at 5 a.m., and Starbucks, which opens at 4:30 a.m. during the week and at 5 a.m. on weekends.
“Sometimes I leave for work before 6, and I have to find a place that’s open,” Taylor said, meaning Caribou is about a half hour too late to catch the early, early morning coffee-drinking commuters.
But she said she thinks there’s enough variety between the four powerhouse national coffee brands that they could all coexist in the bustling East Bay Drive corridor.
“I think there’s something here for everyone,” she said. “It just depends on what you like!”