As java lovers know, coffee can be enjoyed in all seasons and all times. Whether you need a cold drink to help cool off in the waning days of the Indian summer or a hot beverage to stave off the chill of the coming cold months, whether you need a morning jolt on your way to work or a caffeinated boost for a night on the town, Memphis offers plenty of ways to sate your coffee tastes.
The coffee lovers tour of Memphis can start with a rather new little spot on the map called
High Point Coffee. Once located only in Laurelwood at Perkins and Poplar, it now has a spot nuzzled right in midtown for all of the artsy, coffee drinking, midtowner we know and love as well as out east of the city in Germantown. Locations: 1610 Union, Suite 103; 4610 Poplar Avenue; 9077 Poplar Suite #106 Germantown
Voted best local coffee shop in the Memphis Flyer’s 2008 Best of Memphis list, High Point, which opened in Oxford, MS, in 2002, now has locations in eleven states. Their menu boasts a plethora of drink choices from traditional hot coffee drinks to 100% natural fruit smoothies to teas to one-of-a-kind frozen concoctions including the Hound Dog, a decadent mocha treat blended with Reese’s Cups (If your frozen coffee drink experience has been limited to frappuccinos, put down the mermaid cup and head to High Point). They also offer an assortment of fresh bagels, pastries, and muffins. High Point embraces the community too. Each location displays the work of local artists, and the Germantown shop also hosts live music.
More midtown grounds include
Otherlands – located at
641 South Cooper Street. Otherlands truly embraces the vitality and eclecticism of Midtown. Decked out with funky décor and offering indoor and outdoor seating, the shop sells an assortment of delectable coffee drinks (hot, iced, and frozen), teas, beer, bagels, muffins, hot breakfast items, soups, and sandwiches. You can also purchase humorous postcards and other quirky gifts. Developing a reputation as one of the Mid-South’s best venues for intimate live music, Otherlands hosts shows every Friday and Saturday night. Their ever-increasing list of performers includes up and coming musicians, renowned local acts, and top national talent. The cover for live music is typically $5.
If you are more of the die hard Cooper Young enthusiast? Check out
Java Cabana one of the cutest little establishments in Memphis. It makes you feel like you are sitting on a sidewalk in a small town or even in Key West with its vibrant colors and bohemian style. Located at 2170 Young Avenue Java Cabana has been serving the Cooper-Young district and Memphis since 1992. At this cozy coffee joint, you can sink into a soft sofa and enjoy a number of delicious drinks ranging from espresso-based beverages to some of Java’s specialty drinks (try the Java shake) as well as food items that include breakfast omelets, salads, sandwiches, homemade cake, and much more. Java Cabana maintains a regular schedule of events too, including open mics, full-length musical performances, tarot readings, and a poetry night. Be sure to bring cash; Java Cabana doesn’t take plastic.
One of the newer and very interesting little spots to check out in the Edge neighborhood, right in between midtown and downtown at 668 Union Ave., is a place called
Quetzal. It is the jack-of-all trades coffee establishment in town. If you’re in the mood for coffee shop fair, there’s plenty of it. Choose from dozens of coffee drinks and smoothies or purchase one of Quetzal’s ten roasts. Looking for more than coffee? Visit their bar and lounge, or if you’re hungry, choose from a variety of items on the restaurant menu, including soups and salads, sandwiches, burgers, and specialty pizzas. Need to check your email or surf the net? Grab a seat at their internet café. And what’s more is that they host a variety of parties each week turning the laid back daytime coffee shop into a happening little night spot on weekends.
Blues City Pasty Shop & Coffee Bar 153 South Main Street
Located at the intersection of Main Street and Peabody Place, Blues City Pastry Shop is the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee after a night on the town. Their menu includes bevy of coffee drinks and desserts sure to entice any java fanatics and sweet tooths alike. Choose from two- dozen dessert options ranging from cheesecake to apple strudel, ten coffee beverages, all-natural fruit smoothies, gourmet chocolates, and more. Blues City also sells art prints that depict a variety of downtown scenes and local landmarks.
If you live outside the city, don’t fret. There are options for you too. Here are two of the best:
The Common Ground Coffee Bar 5780 Airline Road, Suite112, Arlington
A café and a gift shop wrapped into one, Common Ground serves up a selection of hot and cold gourmet coffee delights as well as tasty breakfast and lunch dishes and sells an array of merchandise including coffee mugs, t-shirts, lotions, and stationery. On Monday nights they host Monavie tastings (a drink containing acai juice and 19 other fruits) and on Tuesdays they host live music from 5:00-8:00.
Square Beans 103 North Center Street, Collierville
As their name indicates, Square Beans is located on Collierville’s historic town square. The shop’s menu contains nearly two-dozen coffee-based drinks as well as tea, cider, hot chocolate, Italian soda and more. Square Beans also offers a selection of fresh breakfast and lunch items. They also host live music, and the shop’s cozy space makes for a wonderful setting to listen to music while enjoying your favorite drink.