There are not many things I love more than coffee. I am one of those annoying people whose love of coffee is a part of their personality. This love was forged in the crucible of graduate school and has grown even more since bariatric surgery since it’s one of the only other things I could drink besides water for a while that I like (not a huge tea fan). I. LOVE. COFFEE.
Maybe even more than coffee, I love a coffee shop. Most of my dissertation was written in the coffeeshops of Bloomington, Indiana. The atmosphere, the smells, the white noise of conversation, provide an excellent atmosphere for my brain to work, especially to write.
In Bloomington, I had a selection of a few classic shops that fit the bill for me and they definitely set the standard for what I expect and desire from a coffee shop. Since moving to Nashville in 2021, I have yet to find a coffee shop that fits all of my desires, though I’ve certainly found some good, if imperfect, candidates.
What makes a perfect coffee shop?
Good Coffee This one should go without saying, but the coffee should be good. Hopefully ethically sourced beans, a variety of good roasts, solid espresso, and a good variety of flavored syrups. Even better if you can choose from a wide variety of preparations beyond drip and espresso (french press, chemex, etc.)
Talented Baristas Good coffee is nothing when you don’t have someone with skills pulling your coffee. An oversweet or unbalanced latte ruins it.
Sugar Free/Non-Fat Options This is a newer requirement for me, but I need a coffee shop that has sugar free syrups and non-fat milk for my fancy lattes. This is a surprisingly difficult thing to find so far–a lot of the higher end coffees, understandably–go for more natural sweetener options like honey or agave, but there are plenty of people that can’t have sugar but may want sweet.
Ceramic mugs and not just paper to-go cups: I get why this is less common of a thing, it’s a resource thing. But let’s be real, sometimes coffee served in cardboard tastes like cardboard. There’s nothing better or more enjoyable than wrapping your hands around a warm ceramic mug and enjoying your beverage.
A cozy and inviting atmosphere This is, of course, a highly subjective category. Whatever your aesthetic, the coffee shop needs to relax, not tense. Coffee shops that tend to go too industrial with their look sometimes turn me off, but the industrial look can be balanced out by features designed for comfort.
Comfortable and ample seating First, if these chairs are present, -1,000 points, STRAIGHT TO JAIL, who invented them and why, I will not return to your coffee shop. The places I love best have a blend of seating: tabletops, armchairs, bars. Something for everyone. I know some spaces just don’t allow for a lot of seating, but I like to set up at a coffee shop for a few hours, so if there isn’t a lot of seating, I’m not going to monopolize a spot, because that doesn’t do the shop any favors. If a shop has outdoor seating, EVEN BETTER. If it has COVERED outdoor seating. AMAZING. This is a winning spot. Outdoor seating can be a crap shoot too, like if it’s just smack in the middle of a parking lot next to a busy road, I guess it’s a nice thing to have, but…not ideal.
Sweet and Savory Some coffee shops go too sweet. My favorite shops have a light lunch menu that allows you to really get what you need for at least breakfast and lunch. Nowadays, I’m not able to eat any of the sweet options, so if there are some eggs or protein on the menu I am THRILLED. Something that isn’t too bready is also super welcome.
Neutral Background: This is a little vague, but coffeeshops can often be subsidiaries of larger organizations, such as churches, as a part of their outreach. I’m not interested in that. If it has a charitable goal, I want it to be clear and up for me to decide if I want to support the cause that the coffee shop does.
Convenience Is it easy to park? Easy to get a table? Or is it impossible to do so? Is it worth it to combat any of those things to go if it does? Is it too crowded or overrun with Nashelorettes? Again is it worth it to combat the droves of folks?
Parameters of the Quest
Now I’ve lived in Nashville for almost 3 years now, yet I definitely don’t have a chosen coffee shop that suits all of these needs. To be fair, now that I’m not in graduate school I definitely spend less time haunting these spaces, but some of that is just because I haven’t found THE place, yet.
So one of my fun goals for 2024 is to visit new coffee shops and return to rate the ones I’ve been to in the past. It’s all in good fun and just because a shop doesn’t meet my criteria doesn’t mean that it’s not worth supporting (unless it has those GODAWFUL chairs.)
Scoring
Points will be given for:
Coffee: 3 possible points that will be awarded for quality of the coffee and the diversity of choices available. Bonus points will be awarded if there’s a visible effort to demonstrate that the coffee is sourced ethically. In general, I will order the same drink at each location as a level of quality control. Sugar free vanilla, low/non-fat milk iced latte. (I’ve also limited myself to only 2 lattes out per week in 2024.)
Environment: 3 points will be awarded for seating, quality, diversity, and quantity; atmosphere; and ambiance.
Ease of Access: 1 point will be assessed for how easy it is to park and navigate the coffee shop. Are you fighting with crowds and seating?
Miscellaneous: While I think those categories will cover most everything, I’m going to put an extra point on the table for things that I have not forecast.
Schedule
The goal is to batch coffeeshops by month. Chances are I will not visit a bunch, every month, but I will pepper in those that I have already visited since coming to Nashville into those monthly posts.
Shops and Shop Selection
Below is a general list of shops I have visited and ones I want to visit. I am sure that I am missing many good opportunities, and there will be more shops that open in 2024, I am sure.
Also some of these have multiple locations. The score only applies to the individual shop since seating/ambience, etc, can vary by location. However, I will privilege visiting entirely new shops rather than visiting all locations of another shop. I also will not be privileging coffee shops inside other businesses (like hotels and hospitals). Some may pop up on the list (like The Poindexter), but in general, that’s not my target.
Shops that I have visited so far:
- Crema Brentwood
- Well House Coffee Granny White Pike
- Well House Coffee Bellevue
- 8th & Roast – Vanderbilt
- Dose Coffee – West End
- Bongo Java
- White Bison 12 South
- Portland Brew 12 South
- Frothy Monkey 12 South
- Three Brothers Coffee
- Honest Coffee Roasters in L&L Market
- Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee
- District Coffee
- Matryoshka
- The Poindexter
- The Library Cafe – Germantown
- Red Bicycle – Smyrna
- Farm City Coffee – Nashville Farmer’s Market
- Hanna Bee Coffee
- Caliber Coffee – Donelson
- The Fainting Goat – Spring Hill
- The Coffee House at Second and Bridge
Coffee shops to Visit
- Just Love – multiple locations
- Headquarters West End
- Brightside Bakeshop
- Trinity Coffee, Plaza Mariachi
- Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
- 8th & Roast – 8th Ave
- Humphrey St. Coffee Shop
- Osa Coffee Roasters
- Americano Lounge
- Barista Parlor Hillsboro Village (or any location)
- Fido Edghill/Hillsboro Village
- Badass Coffee of Hawaii Hillsboro
- TinCup Coffee Midtown
- Killebrew Coffee Midtown
- Grandpa Bar – Coffee & Cocktails
- Hummingbirthd Coffee – Downtown
- Good Citizen Coffee Co – Downtown
- Steadfast Coffee – Germantown
- Elegy Coffee – Germantown
- Surefire Coffee – Germantown
- Weak Coffee – East
- Ugly Mugs Coffee & Tea – East
- Sky Blue Cafe – East
- Slow Hand Coffee and Bakeshop
- Hearts – 12 South
- Troll House Cottage – Donelson
- Little Coffee Joint – Donelson
- Momento Speciality Coffee – Hermitage
- Bakery & Cafe – Flour your Dreams
- Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
- The Good Cup – Franklin
Chronicles of a Homebody Adventurer 
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