In honor of National Coffee Day, we salute a few Southern coffee shops we’re fond of, some of which serve much more than coffee.
Café du Monde, New Orleans
We love several coffee shops in New Orleans, and there are plenty, but the iconic queen is Café Du Monde, serving up a simple menu of café au lait and hot beignets on Jackson Square. It’s the place to be after a long day perusing the French Quarter, especially if you need something solid in an alcohol-filled tummy. Or put them on your itinerary for a fun breakfast outing. Outdoor seating allows for some colorful people-watching as well. Get more New Orleans coffee suggestions here from New Orleans magazine.
Reve Coffee Lab, Lafayette, Louisiana
There’s nothing like sipping on nitro iced coffee in the summer while watching a thunderstorm roll through historic downtown Lafayette. Reve Coffee Lab serves up specialty drinks, such as the Voodoo Elixir, a combination of chicory iced coffee with honey and goat milk, as well as a simple but delicious café au lait. Locals frequent this location, as well as the other locations throughout Lafayette and in Baton Rouge, but I always loved an afternoon pick-me-up downtown, especially sitting inside with a nice coffee watching the subtropical rain.
Frothy Monkey, Various Locations
Brunch, sandwiches, salads, dinner, cocktails and a wide variety of pastries and breads can be found at the many locations of Frothy Monkey, including Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga in Tennessee plus Birmingham, Ala. And yes, of course, there’s coffee, wonderful coffee from their coffee roaster. It's an awesome spot to sit with company and enjoy a good meal and coffee.
Siphon, Houston, Texas
It’s been a while since I jumped on Houston’s Caffeine Crawl but one of our stops was Siphon Coffee, where their java is slowly siphoned from a boiling round pot into a glass container filled with coffee grounds, then dripped back into the glass bulb for consumption. The process — which takes about seven minutes — is as entertaining as the coffee is fabulous, and diners receive the bulb to bring back to their table for slow enjoyment. We had the most amazing homemade duck fat caramels on our trip, hope they still offer them.
Marietta Perks, Marietta, Georgia
This award-winning coffee shop exists within a strip mall so it’s easy to miss. But don’t. They serve up craft coffees, seasonal favorites like the lavender vanilla latte and traditional brews along with pastries and simple lunch offerings. There are plenty of work spaces at Marietta Perks, oversized comfortable chairs and a work room in back that's perfect for small meetings. While you’re sipping on caffeine, you can receive positive vibes from the motivational quotes on the wall. The blueberry scones are pretty awesome too.
The Pour in Panama City Beach and Amavida in Panama City, Florida
The Florida Panhandle is home to numerous great coffee shops but I’m partial to The Pour in Panama City Beach, which serves up both craft coffees and help to those in need. It's been named one of the Top 100 best places to eat in Florida by Yelp. Over in the St. Andrews neighborhood of Panama City, you can enjoy a cup of organic joy while playing one of the many board games at Amavida. It's close to the water, so a take-out to enjoy dolphins swimming in the bay makes for a great morning. And women, check out the ladies' room mural by Heather Parker.
My Boulange, Columbus, Georgia
I get my French on at this adorable café that not only satisfies my caffeine addiction but my love of French pastries. Right now, My Boulange is serving up fall lattes such as maple toffee, toasted macaroon (maybe pair that with their macarons?) and Boo’d Up, marrying chai, dark mocho, cinnamon and nutmeg. There are also lots of great café options for breakfast or lunch, just don’t miss dessert accompanied by a craft coffee.
Wild Flour Bake Shop, Clarksville, Tennessee
Talk about sweet! Wild Flour Bake Shop serves a Cinnamon Roll French Toast to die for! It arrived topped with caramel bacon, candied pecans, espresso maple syrup and powdered sugar. Add a butterscotch latte and you’re sweet tooth will be singing. They're open for lunch too, but we especially loved their breakfast, which included giant egg sandwiches that my friend Celina Colby is modeling at left. (Check out her cute Instagram.)
Don’t miss the vendors in the back of the restaurant that sell everything from elderberry syrup to artwork.
Mockingbird Cafe, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Yes, the coffee here is delicious, but I’m all about the breakfast. With coffee, of course, from local Coast Roast Coffee (and yes, that giant cup in the photo tells volumes about me.) Mockingbird hails back to 1868, the date the house was built in the heart of Bay St. Louis in coastal Mississippi, but the café began after Hurricane Katrina, when locals needed a gathering space. It’s been that way ever since, which is why Mockingbird’s been called the “Living Room of the Bay.” Best of all, the restaurant has pledged to go plastic free! Be still my eco heart.
Land of a Thousand Hills, Roswell, Georgia
I can honestly say I’ve had one of the finest lattes at this establishment, not to mention their chocolate croissants! The cafe's located in an old house in Roswell, a quaint city north of Atlanta. Land of a Thousand Hills works with local coffee farmers in Rwanda and reinvests in communities, so you'll feel good about drinking this coffee. They offer locations throughout the Atlanta area but also around the country. And if you like their coffee, buy a bag and bring it home.
Weird, Wacky & Wild South is written by coffee lover Cheré Dastugue Coen. She breaks for a coffee shop anywhere, anytime.