There is no single answer, and anyone who says otherwise is selling something. Nashville’s coffee scene has developed its own distinct ecosystem with genuine craft at multiple tiers. The honest answer depends entirely on what you’re actually after. But if you had to pick one shop that best represents what Nashville coffee has become and earned its reputation without relying on hype, Crema Coffee Roasters is the one.
Why Crema Is the Standard
Founded in 2008 by Rachel and Ben Lehman on Hermitage Avenue in SoBro, Crema is the shop credited by most serious coffee people as the one that dragged Nashville’s specialty coffee scene out of the dark ages. Before Crema, the city’s options were essentially chain cafes, Bongo Java (beloved but not specialty-focused), and not much else. Crema changed that by opening as a proper roaster and cafe at the same time, with a visible commitment to sourcing, extraction, and craft. Food & Wine Magazine named it one of the “100 Best Coffee Shops in America” and the “Best Coffee Roaster in Tennessee.” It earned that, not just because it was first, but because it stayed sharp.
The downtown flagship at 15 Hermitage Ave sits against the Cumberland River with a wooden patio that offers one of the better casual views of the city. The drip coffee is genuinely the smoothest in Nashville. The espresso program runs clean and precise. The Cuban, a cortado with raw sugar dissolved into the shot, has become a menu fixture for good reason. They run zero-waste and carbon-neutral operations, hold coffee classes regularly in their Education Lab, and roast everything themselves. The East Nashville location at 226 Duke St is the smaller, takeaway-focused spot where the roasting actually happens.
What Barista Parlor Gets Right That Crema Doesn’t
If Crema is the institution, Barista Parlor (founded 2012 by Andy Mumma) is the scene. The original East Nashville location at 519 Gallatin Ave is built into a former transmission shop, and the design did not happen by accident. Mumma recruited craftsmen to build custom counters, hand-pressed art installations, and a sound system by Hazelwood Laboratories. The New York Times covered the space. The coffee is excellent and consistently pulls single-origins on high-end equipment, with Slayer espresso machines on the bar. There are now eight locations in greater Nashville, including one at BNA airport.
Barista Parlor is the better shop if you want a coffee experience that also serves as an afternoon. Crema is better if you want the cleanest possible cup and a bit of quiet. That is a real distinction.
Frothy Monkey for Everything Else
For a different axis entirely: Frothy Monkey, founded in 2004 in a 1,200-square-foot 12 South bungalow, is Nashville’s neighborhood cafe in the truest sense. It grew to four Nashville locations (12 South, The Nations, Downtown, and East Nashville) plus locations in Franklin, Chattanooga, and Birmingham. It serves specialty coffee, all-day food from breakfast through dinner, craft beer, and wine. The Wine Down Wednesday special is a genuine local tradition. Frothy Monkey is where you go when you need coffee and a two-hour window to eat, drink, talk, and exist without feeling rushed.
No other city shop does all-day food alongside specialty coffee this well. The Nations location is the biggest and best for working. The 12 South bungalow is the most charming.
Other Shops Worth Taking Seriously
8th and Roast (founded 2009, three Nashville locations) has been roasting ethically sourced single-origin coffees for longer than most newer shops have existed. Their Charlotte Ave location is one of the quieter, more focused spots in the city. Steadfast Coffee in Germantown, opened in 2015 by Nathanael Mehrens, Sean Stewart, and Jamie Cunningham, won “Best of Nashville” awards and runs a genuinely experimental program, including a signature flash-chilled coffee that has nothing in common with standard cold brew. Ugly Mugs at 1886 Eastland Ave in East Nashville (established 2008) is the neighborhood shop that East Nashville locals actually use, rather than perform for Instagram.
The Bottom Line
For the best single cup: Crema. For the best complete experience: Barista Parlor. For the best neighborhood hang: Frothy Monkey or Ugly Mugs depending on which part of town you’re in. Nashville’s coffee scene is genuinely strong now, and the competition between these shops has kept the quality high across the board.
Sources
- Crema Coffee Roasters official history via La Marzocco USA: https://www.lamarzoccousa.com/news/blog/cafe-story-crema-coffee-roasters/
- Visit Franklin on Crema: https://visitfranklin.com/food-and-drink/crema-coffee-roasters/
- Crema founding via Missi Calvert: https://www.missicalvert.com/cafeguide/cremacoffeenashvilletennessee
- Barista Parlor history, Imbibe Magazine: https://imbibemagazine.com/inside-look-barista-parlor/
- Barista Parlor founding, What Now Nashville: https://whatnow.com/nashville/restaurants/barista-parlor-expanding-near-geodis-park/
- Frothy Monkey about page: https://frothymonkey.com/about/
- NASHtoday on Frothy Monkey 20th anniversary: https://nashtoday.6amcity.com/food/celebrate-20-years-of-frothy-monkey-nashville-tn
- 8th and Roast official site: https://www.8thandroast.com/
- Steadfast Coffee, NFocus Magazine: https://www.nfocusmagazine.com/dining/steadfast-coffee-opens-in-germantown/
- Ugly Mugs Coffee official site: https://www.uglymugsnashville.com/
- The Infatuation Nashville coffee guide: https://www.theinfatuation.com/nashville/guides/best-coffee-shops-nashville
- Nashville Guru coffee shop guide: https://nashvilleguru.com/1577/nashville-coffeehouse-guide
- Food & Wine via Visit Franklin: https://visitfranklin.com/food-and-drink/crema-coffee-roasters/