What Is the Best Coffee Shop in Nashville?
- 2 sections
- 1 table
- 4 sources cited
There is no official best, but if you want one name, start with Crema Coffee Roasters at 15 Hermitage Ave downtown. The Infatuation’s Nashville coffee guide, updated April 30, 2026, calls Crema “an institution in this city” and says its drip coffee “is easily the smoothest on this list” (The Infatuation). It also notes that Crema holds coffee classes in the back room and has a commitment to zero waste in its building. Crema was founded in January 2008 and became Crema Coffee Roasters after it started roasting in 2011, according to co-owner Rachel Lehman (La Marzocco USA). The same guide lists 18 shops in all, and the best one for you depends on what you want: a place to work, a specific drink, or a neighborhood stop.
The 18 Shops in The Infatuation’s Guide
| Shop | Address | Neighborhood | What the guide highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Espresso | 1721 21st Ave S, inside The Green Ray bookstore | Hillsboro Village | the guide reviewed its earlier counter beside a vintage store on Gallatin Pike; the flavored drink called The Seasonal |
| Momento East | 347 Douglas Ave | East Nashville | space for a full work day; sandwiches on handmade focaccia |
| The Loading Dock | 906 Buchanan St | North Nashville | local Sky Bear coffee in a plant-filled space |
| Crema Coffee Roasters | 15 Hermitage Ave | Downtown | the smoothest drip coffee on the list; coffee classes |
| Dose | 3431 Murphy Rd | West End | the Barcelona, a $6 draft iced coffee with salted whipped cream |
| The Horn | 619 Murfreesboro Pike | Nashboro Village | homemade chai and six types of sambusas |
| Silver Fox Coffee Lounge | 1001 16th Ave S | Music Row | espresso tonics and lattes made with locally roasted beans; a buttermilk biscuit sandwich |
| 8th & Roast | 4104 Charlotte Ave | Sylvan Heights | a workspace feel, with a choice of sauce on any sandwich |
| Elegy Coffee Weho | 516 Hagan St | Wedgewood-Houston | the honey bear cold brew; large work tables |
| Humphreys Street Coffee | 424 Humphreys St | Wedgewood-Houston | a back patio; flat whites from its own espresso beans |
| Cafe Babu | 1044 Third Ave S | Chestnut Hill | coffee by day and cocktails by night; the Babu latte with cardamom syrup |
| Deir Café | 711 Hagan St | Wedgewood-Houston | layered drinks such as the hot Sahlab latte |
| Americano Coffee Lounge | 434 Houston St | Wedgewood-Houston | cappuccino alongside wine or cocktails; live jazz on some Thursdays |
| Retrograde Coffee | 1305 Dickerson Pike | East Nashville | espresso tonics and sodas in a former garage |
| Matryoshka Coffee | 370 Herron Dr | South Nashville | the Gas Station cappuccino with spiced vanilla brown sugar |
| Headquarters | 4902 Charlotte Pike | Sylvan Park | chai and large muffins, also sold at the Richland Park farmers market |
| Haraz Coffee House | 901 Woodland St | East Nashville | Yemeni coffee such as the Harazi Mufawar with cardamom and cream |
| Ugly Mugs Coffee And Tea | 1886 Eastland Ave | East Nashville | a neighborhood regulars' shop serving Retrograde coffee and High Garden Tea |
Source: The Infatuation, April 30, 2026. Earl Espresso’s current address comes from Nashville Guru’s Earl Espresso page, and the Vanderbilt Hustler reviewed the new Hillsboro Village shop on October 15, 2026 (Vanderbilt Hustler).
Picking One for Your Day
- For a classic first stop downtown: Crema.
- For working a few hours: Momento East, Elegy Coffee Weho, or 8th & Roast, which the guide describes as good places to work.
- For something different to drink: Haraz for Yemeni coffee, Deir Café for layered lattes, or Dose for the Barcelona.
- For coffee into the evening: Cafe Babu or Americano Coffee Lounge, which also serve cocktails.
Check current hours before you go. Neighborhood picks are in which East Nashville coffee shop has the best local roast and the best coffee shop in 12 South.