Whether you need a caffeine buzz, a bite to eat, or a temporary place to call your office, Nashville has an abundance of coffeehouses to keep you buzzin’, grubbin’, and workin’. These are the top locally owned and operated coffee shops in Nashville based on atmosphere, food, and coffee (obviously).
Nashville’s Best Coffee Shops
8th & Roast
Photo Credit: Eighth & Roast
After seeing success from their first coffee shop, 8th & Roast opened their second location on Charlotte Avenue in 2018. The West Nashville location is much bigger and more modern, but maintains the energy Nashvillians have grown to love. For a more intimate outing, venture to the original location on 8th Avenue South across from Zanies Comedy Club. The inside is warm and cozy with community tables, bar seating, and a calm atmosphere.
- Neighborhood: 8th Avenue South & Sylvan Park
- Coffee: Craft Coffee
- Best For: Meetings or concentrated work
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: Parking Lots
- Serves Alcohol: Yes
Barista Parlor
Barista Parlor is a top-notch coffee shop with locations in East Nashville, the Gulch, and Germantown. It’s a popular work spot and hangout for many locals. With bright interiors, incredible woodwork, and attention to detail, each location offers a clean, minimalistic atmosphere. The East Nashville location has a covered patio with some outdoor seating, if you’d rather chill outdoors.
- Neighborhoods: East Nashville, Gulch, & Germantown
- Coffee: Barista Parlor (Nashville)
- Best For: Upbeat vibes & conversation
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: There is parking behind the building in East Nashville and small dedicated lots in the Gulch and Germantown. Street parking is also available.
- Serves Alcohol: No
Frothy Monkey
Frothy Monkey has three primary Nashville coffee houses in 12 South, The Nations, and Downtown. There is ample seating at the main locations, especially two-top tables for freelancers and students. When the weather is nice, the 12 South patio has the perfect home-porch feel. if you’re seeking more space, head to the locations in The Nations or Downtown.
- Neighborhoods: 12 South, East Nashville, & The Nations
- Coffee: Frothy Monkey Roasting Co.
- Best For: Robust, tasty food menu
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: 12 South: there is a small parking lot around back and street parking throughout the area. Downtown: street and garage parking. The Nations: free parking lot and street parking.
- Serves Alcohol: Yes
Falcon
Falcon is a small coffee shop located in Wedgewood-Houston with space for about a dozen people. The menu is plant-based and healthy, if you’re in need of a good breakfast or lunch with your coffee. You can also grab a cup of coffee or a bite at the to-go window and take a seat on the patio.
- Neighborhoods: Wedgewood-Houston
- Coffee: Osa Coffee
- Best For: Quiet workspace and plant-based healthy meal
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: Street parking
- Serves Alcohol: No
Bongo Java
Bongo Java is considered Nashville’s oldest coffee company and the first Nashville-based roaster to provide organic, Fair Trade brews. You can find Bongo Java coffee in almost all of the retail stores around Nashville, so it’s hard to miss this brand. There are two primary Bongo Java locations on Belmont Boulevard (the original location) and in East Nashville. There are also smaller operations inside the Omni Hotel and the Johnny Cash Museum. Bongo Java on Belmont Boulevard has a large patio and an upstairs theater, making it a good spot for socializing, studying, or entertainment.
- Neighborhoods: Belmont Boulevard & East Nashville
- Coffee: Bongo Java (Nashville)
- Best For: Outdoor patio and neighborhood feel
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: Street parking
- Serves Alcohol: No
Sump Coffee
Sump Coffee is off the beaten path in the OneC1ty development between West End and Charlotte Avenue. Sump offers something different by specializing in the perfect pour overs. This is the place for you if you take your coffee very seriously.
- Neighborhood: West End
- Coffee: Sump Coffee
- Best For: Coffee connoisseurs
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: Street parking
- Serves Alcohol: No
Crema
Photo Credit: Crema
Crema is situated in the SoBro area, just a short walk from the hustle of Lower Broadway. This growing operation is serious about their in-house coffee program, and their passion is contagious. They are even teaching coffee classes, which we think is awesome. Try the coffee soda.
- Neighborhood: SoBro
- Coffee: Crema (Nashville)
- Best For: Coffee enthusiasts
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: There is gravel parking along the side and a few spots out front
- Serves Alcohol: No
Three Brothers Coffee
Three Brothers Coffee is home to the heiroglitches mural, which serves as a popular photo op in Nashville. They have a limited, but tasty food menu like the egg sammy and granola parfait.
- Neighborhood: West End
- Coffee: Various
- Best For: Good work spot
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: There is parking in the rear
- Serves Alcohol: No
Fido
If you haven’t been to Fido, you might be one of the few. Fido, Bongo Java’s sister location, is probably the most popular coffeehouse and eatery in the metro area located in the heart of Hillsboro Village. With a location so close to Belmont and Vanderbilt, Fido has an eclectic crowd of youthful creatives. Fido is pretty roomy, but it can fill up pretty quickly at peak hours. People usually discover that the food is just as good as the coffee.
- Neighborhood: Hillsboro Village
- Coffee: Bongo Java (Nashville)
- Best For: Small and large groups who don’t mind a boisterous ambiance
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes, but off during peak hours (be prepared to use your phone’s hotspot)
- Parking: There is a parking lot around back, but spots are hard to come by. Your best bet is along Acklen Avenue or 20th Avenue
- Serves Alcohol: Yes
Humphreys Street
Humphreys Street is a spacious coffee shop on a mission to give back to the local community. The huge windows allow for a lot of natural light. This is a great environment to work or have a meeting. Humphreys Street roasts their own coffee and 100% of profits benefit Harvest Hands CDC.
- Neighborhoods: Wedgewood-Houston
- Coffee: Humphreys Street Coffee
- Best For: Working
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: Street parking
- Serves Alcohol: No
dose.
Photo Credit: Dose.
dose. has two locations in Sylvan Park and East Nashville. They offer alternative coffee selections including Counter Culture Coffee plus rotating regional and national roasts. After tasting their coffee options, most people line up at dose. instead of Starbucks during their morning commute.
- Neighborhoods: Sylvan Park & East Nashville
- Coffee: Counter Culture Coffee + rotating regional/national roasters
- Best For: People on-the-go
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: Parking lot, but spaces are limited
- Serves Alcohol: Yes
Ugly Mugs
Cheers to drinking out of ugly mugs! Ugly Mugs in East Nashville offers a clean, friendly vibe along with really unattractive coffee mugs that you might expect to see on the clearance rack at Goodwill. The ugly mugs add a fun flavor that you won’t find anywhere else. There are a variety of seating options, from couches to a window bar.
- Neighborhood: East Nashville
- Coffee: Drew’s Brews (Nashville)
- Best For: Reading and chilling
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: You can usually grab a spot in the parking lot without any trouble
- Serves Alcohol: No
Steadfast Coffee
Photo Credit: Steadfast Coffee
Steadfast Coffee is located in the bustling Germantown neighborhood off Taylor Street. They roast their own coffee and have a full lunch, dinner, and cocktail program, too. Important note: it’s tucked away behind the ProVita building, so you won’t see it from the street.
- Neighborhood: Germantown
- Coffee: Steadfast Coffee
- Best For: Socializing and relaxing
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: Street parking
- Serves Alcohol: Yes
Stay Golden
Stay Golden‘s second outpost opened in East Nashville in late 2018. This bright and welcoming space offers a full breakfast and lunch menu, cocktails, draft beer, and locally-roasted Stay Golden coffee.
- Neighborhood: East Nashville
- Coffee: Stay Golden Coffee Co.
- Best For: Conversation over coffee (or cocktails)
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: There is paid parking in the rear and side lot (first hour is free)
- Serves Alcohol: Yes
Pinewood Social
Though it’s not strictly a coffee joint, Pinewood Social has the ideal atmosphere for your morning or late-night caffeine intake. Lounge on the sofas or knock out some emails at the community desk. Everyone flocks here for meetings, too. To top it off, coffee drinks are prepared by Crema, who has their own section in the restaurant.
- Neighborhood: SoBro / Rolling Mill Hill
- Coffee: Crema (Nashville)
- Best For: People-watching, lounging, meeting
- Free Wi-Fi: Yes
- Parking: Parking lot or valet
- Serves Alcohol: Yes
Coffee Shops Within Hotels
Hotel coffee shops have been very popular lately among locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re actually staying at a hotel or just want to feel like it, these are the top options for coffee shops within hotels in Nashville.
- Café at Bobby (Bobby Hotel)
- Union Teller Coffee Counter (The Fairlane Hotel)
- Drug Store (Noelle Hotel)
- Killebrew (Thompson Hotel)
- Natura (Dream Hotel)
If your favorite coffee shop is missing from the list, tell us in the comments section below!
cafe coco is open 24-7 great for writers and best prices compared to the rest mentioned.
All of these are great! Also, The Well is quickly rising to my top coffee shops in Nashville list. I spent a year going to almost fifteen coffee shops around Nashville to find my favorites. Edgehill Cafe is pretty popular among my friends, and my wife and I loved Garage Coffee, even though I don’t hear about it as much. You can get a different view of the skyline from inside Garage Coffee. Portland Brew is great for a relaxing read or quiet study environment. The noise level has always been peaceful.
The Well near Lipscomb should be on this list. Their Fireside is my new favorite latte. Plus I love that my coffee purchase goes toward well-building & global outreach. Great make-a-difference products offered out front also.
I have become very fond of Aymology… In an old house on West End with lotscof nooks and crannies. Small (and large) rooms to rent as well. Creative smoothies, juices, treats and small meals in addition to tea and coffeehouse coffee. My favorite is their new morning espresso drink… espresso with steamed cream and a bit if sugar topped with fresh orange zest served in a groovy little espresso shot cup.
Barista Parlor in East Nashville may be trendy, but it is absolutely not a good place for any type of concentrated work. It’s one of the loudest places I’ve ever been purely from the music alone, and I actually had to head over to Ugly Mugs to get any work done. I like the hustle & bustle of people around, but I felt like I was in a nightclub in there.
I really like the Just Love Coffee on Music Row. Single origin espresso beans, hand brew chemex and a really quirky menu. Great wifi. Dose is good too but I like that Just Love roasts its own beans and they are sweeter in general.
Definitely think Sump should be on this list. The coffee they serve on their Ground Control unit is devine.