This post for a Holiday Coffee and Espresso Bar contains affiliate links. I make a small percentage when these links are used, at no additional cost to you.

Entertaining this holiday season? A holiday coffee and espresso bar is the perfect way to indulge your guests:

it's like a fancy coffeehouse in your own kitchen. See how I put mine together below.

Are you ready for holiday entertaining? From casual get-togethers to the special holiday dinners, a holiday coffee and espresso bar is a welcomed addition by all. When I have my whole family over for holiday events, they tend to flock to the coffee (well, and wine, but it's an even race!). I've got a few fun ideas below to put together your own coffee station this season.

Holiday Coffee and Espresso Bar

A holiday party with a coffee and espresso bar is a super special one. I'm ridiculously excited to share this fun set up with my guests this holiday season. Whether it's having a friend over for coffee, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, or the ladies' lunch I'm hostin this December, there is a coffee for everyone...and frothy milk aplenty. It feels extra special and a bit indulgent.

Coffee Bar Tips

A coffee bar is a great way to warm up. I've got syrups, sugars, toppings, lots of selections of coffee pods, and milk for the frother. A few tips for the coffee area of your station:

Find a spot in your kitchen or dining area that is out of the way...especially if there is a buffet of food. That way coffee-drinkers have easy access to work on their concoctions (while not feeling in the way of the other activity).
Have everything within easy reach for your guests (so they're not navigating extra decor to reach a coffee cup).
When things aren't clear what they are, label them.
Set out spoons or stir sticks for guests to mix their items with.
Place most of your items on a tray or in a basket to keep it looking tidy.
If you're doing a pod-based machine (above, is my Nespresso Vertuo, which we LOVE), be sure to set out a variety of flavors and even a decaf option.
Coffee machines (and milk frothers) can be intimidating, maybe have a family member or friend close by the coffee station to help those who aren't familiar with your machine.

UPDATE 2022: we've now had our Nespresso machine for nearly 10 years and still LOVE it. The pods are a tad pricier, so it's usually a weekend treat for us, but goodness, this is the best coffee ever. You can grab one here on Amazon.

Listed below are our favorite pods for the Nespresso Vertuo (we don't like the overly flavored coffee...to give you an idea of our taste preferences). Currently, I order mine from Amazon. However, when we're in Austin, I stop by the Nespresso shop in the Domain and taste test new flavors and usually come home with a bag of goodies.

Regular Coffee:

Espresso Pods (I add one of these to my coffee as an extra boost of caffeine):

We love the Frother, too! While it says to only use regular milk, I can get a good froth with Califia's Almond Milk.

And here's a closer view of all of the goodies...I've got sugar cubes (one lump or two?), chocolate chips, cinnamon sticks (perfect for stirring coffee), peppermint pieces and coconut palm sugar (which is a great sugar for hot beverages). I've also got flavored coffee syrups and plenty of cups for party guests. And in the square container are all of my coffee pods.

This is the perfect set up...especially for the dessert portion of the evening!
Pumpkin pie and fancy coffee? Yes, please.

I topped my latte with peppermint! So yummy.

More Christmas Coffee Bars:

In our new home, I did a Vintage Christmas Coffee Bar that was one of my favorites for sure!
And my Peppermint Themed Coffee Bar was another fun one.
Love this cute Christmas Coffee and Cocoa Bar from The Tarnished Jewel.
And this Christmas Coffee Station from Most Lovely Things is quite dreamy (that cake!).
This gorgeous Christmas Coffee Bar from Gray House Studio feels like a fun coffee shop.