If you are like me, then you rely on your morning coffee if you want to be even a remotely productive member of society. I have no shame in admitting that I am a caffeine addict, but I don’t mess around with any of those newfangled X-hours-of-energy drinks or shots. No, I get my energy from the timeless, delicious liquid nectar that is coffee. And I drink a lot of it — my tiny, four-cup Mr. Coffee tends to get multiple workouts per day. But sometimes I don’t have time or am just flat too lazy to measure, pour, brew and wait. On these days I throw money-saving caution to the wind and splurge on a cup from one of the local coffee shops and in the nearly two years I’ve been in Tallahassee, I’ve been fortunate enough to try many of the places in town when I needed a jolt to get me through a day of classes and/or work.
If you are new to town or haven’t gotten out and explored your coffee options, here are a few places you absolutely should try. These are presented in no specific order; I don’t really have a ‘favorite,’ but I do frequent some more than others, mostly due to geographical purposes. Some are slightly more expensive than others, but you probably already know about how much a cup of coffee that you didn’t make yourself will set you back. Three or four bucks is the typical ballpark. I am also talking actual coffee here — not frappes, sugary lattes or any of that jazz.
Image via OiMax on Flickr
Craig’s Killer Coffee – 1447 East Lafayette Street
I discovered this cool little place when I got my current job which is located near the Governor’s Square Mall. It’s right off Apalachee Parkway across the street from the mall so it’s a little out of the way from campus, but very worth the drive. It features bar top seating where people sit and mingle with the barista while enjoying their brew. Craig’s is small; I don’t know if 15 people can fit inside this quaint place which is nestled inside a video store. I’ve had their regular hot and iced coffees and they always taste fresh, probably because they roast their beans just up the road in Panama City. They also have a wide assortment of smoothies, hot teas and breakfast/brunch food items. Come for the downhome atmosphere, stay for the spinach quiche. Get there early though, because Craig’s closes at 3 PM.
All Saints Cafe – 903 Railroad Avenue
Yes, everyone knows All Saints — my friends told me about it years before I even moved to Tallahassee. But if you haven’t stopped by this place, it means you’re probably blessed with quiet roommates who actually allow you to study in the comfort of your own home. All Saints is a go-to spot for studying at any hour of the day — they are open 24 hours — and enjoy a great cup of coffee while doing so. The atmosphere is laid back and very artsy and they feature vegan food items, if that’s your thing, and lots of comfy chairs and couches because people tend to spend hours here cramming for finals. I don’t know what is it, exactly, but their iced coffee is just so refreshing. Oh, and make sure to grab one of their giant cookies.
The Sweet Shop – 701 W Jefferson Street
This place gets the nod because of its incredibly convenient location on campus by the Southgate apartments and walking distance from Landis and Westcott. It’s also a bit less expensive than most coffee shops in town. Before I invested in a new coffee maker I drank at least one iced coffee from this place every day I was on campus. If you are like me and prefer the taste of actual coffee rather than sugar, you might want to ask for less sweetener because they put a bit too much in the iced coffee for my liking. The only weird thing is their coffee comes in only one size, and the hot coffee is much smaller than the iced alternative. But this is Florida, so you should be drinking more iced coffee anyway!
The Bada Bean – 2500 Apalachee Parkway
Bada Bean is a sit-down restaurant unlike the other places I mentioned, but their coffee is fantastic, so why not? This place turned me into a breakfast person the first time I visited and keeps its coffee game simple. They have a self-serve coffee bar where you just grab a mug from the counter and help yourself while waiting for a table. There you will find a few — four or five I believe — carafes of various coffee types, including a flavor-of-the-day. My favorite is either the dark roast or Tallahassee Morning. They also feature a small sofa area in case you just want some of their great coffee and aren’t eating.
Atomic Coffee – three locations
I would be doing you a disservice if I left Atomic Coffee off my list. With three locations Atomic is probably the most widely known and popular coffee stop in Tallahassee. The Tennessee Street and Call Street locations are open until midnight, which is nice. Atomic was voted best coffee shop in town, and for good reason. The ingredients are fresh and you can really taste that. And what other coffee shop lets you place your order online? Plus they offer a $.75 refill on brewed coffees. If you live in Tallahassee and haven’t been to Atomic, stop what you are doing right now and go. I don’t care what time it is, or that you are already drinking coffee while reading this. Go!
So next time you pull up to the Starbucks drive-through consider trying one of Tallahassee’s local stops for your caffeine fix. You’ll probably save a couple bucks, and helping out a local business is always a good call.