Best of Memphis: Coffee Shops

I’m so excited to share with you my favorite Memphis coffee shops! Since I’m a huge coffee buff, I have tried to try as many of the popular local options as possible. Read them carefully though, because each shop has positives and negatives. I cover it all, from the atmosphere to the baked goods, and of course the coffee and syrups. So this is my personal breakdown of the best of Memphis coffee shops. Cheers!

The Hub

The Hub has some of my favorite coffee drinks in Memphis, strictly on taste alone. I may be a touch bias here because I’m from Fayetteville, AR and they use the roasters and flavor syrups of my favorite coffee shops from home, but they do that because they’re THE BEST. I’m really nervous about ordering flavored drinks because of weird artificial flavors, but the syrups they use here are handmade by Pink House, so they’re legit. The lavender is my favorite, iced, in the summer and the pumpkin butternut is my favorite in the fall and winter. They also don’t over-do the syrup, using just enough to add flavor.

Every drink is made carefully, including latte art for hot drinks or shaken vigorously for cold drinks.

Alternative milks include oat milk here and they use HIGH quality milk for cow.

Downside: no large pastry selection, just a few sandwiches and cookies, and just a couple seats outdoors because this coffee shop is connected to a church.

Definitely come for the drinks and to get work done because they have a TON of indoor seating options. Try the Iced Spanish, you won’t regret it.

NOTE: this coffee shop is connected to a CHURCH. So beware, Sundays are packed and they turn their normal coffee shop photo TV into a broadcast of the sermon. Just a friendly southern reminder for ya.

Muddy’s Grind House (midtown location)

Muddy’s on Cooper has my other favorite local coffee, hands down.

A huge plus here is that their large is truly a large size (16oz) and if you’re getting an iced latte it already comes with 4 shots.

They offer almond and coconut milks for their alternatives and the coconut milk is awesome if you’re ordering an iced matcha.

I love that their iced matcha drink is made the right way, whisking the matcha with a bit of hot water first.

Their flavored coffee drinks are made with just a touch of syrup, which is awesome because they’re never over-powering or sickly sweet.

If you love iced cold brew, definitely order it here.

Pastries: they offer a huge variety of cookies, cupcakes, muffins, pies, quiche and such here. If you’re gluten-free, they have grain free coconut macroons (most days) and a chocolate peanut butter bar that’s to die for!
Muddy’s also has a great porch area and cute indoor seating.

Comeback Coffee

Comeback Coffee is a new Memphis coffee shop on Maine. Its in a beautiful building with trendy indoor seating and a private courtyard for outdoor seating. Definitely come here to chat with friends, enjoy a brunch dish on a couch or hang out in the courtyard with a drink.

They have a short coffee drink menu and their alternative milks include oat milk.

They make French pastries in house (croissants in every which way) and have an extensive food menu that their kitchen presents beautifully.

The downside: the coffee bar area to add sweeteners is very limited and doesn’t have a Stevia option. I felt like my iced oat milk latte needed just a touch more flavor to it (coffee-wise).

Bluff City Coffee

Bluff City Coffee is a sneaky winner in my book. They have a large menu of coffee drinks, make strong and tasty espresso (ie really flavorful lattes without syrups needed), and they have a huge variety of baked goods. I think one of the huge wins for Bluff City is they have at least a handful of different flourless or gluten-free goods everyday. And I’m talking GIANT peanut butter chocolate chip cookies or huge flourless brownies. They also have granola bars and energy bites. For the gluten-lovers they have a ton of cookies, homemade poptarts (yup) and muffins.

My friend I was with recently when I visited BCC pointed out she wished Comeback Coffee’s location had Bluff City’s coffee and poptarts. Agreed.

Alternative milks include almond milk, which is always a win.

Downside: the inside is quite dark (ie not exactly friendly for Instagram or long periods of work) and their outdoor seating is limited to a couple tables on the narrow sidewalk that is on a road, so it’s hard to let kiddos run and play around there.

Take an extra brownie to go for your freezer. Trust me.

City & State

City & State is a local favorite for a few big reasons: their interior is bright and great for working, they’re attached to a cute shop that sells a lot of artisan goods, and their porch is AWESOME. That being said, I’m 99% of the time disappointed by their coffee drinks. Gotta say it. They usually have awesome names, a promise of great flavor combos, and then they’re lacking in flavor altogether. Their coffee really isn’t as strong as it should be to carry a good espresso drink. And I noticed this year their Mint Matcha drink was barely green the two times I tried ordering it and it tasted mostly like milk.

But I will say, I tried their iced orange coconut mocha recently and was shocked that I loved it so much. Blown away. Maybe they’re turning a new leaf? But after years of being underwhelmed by their coffee drinks, I may have to just come to City & State for their location (and their cute stainless steel straws that say “yay coffee”).

I will also add, my son loves their chocolate chip cookies. And they do offer oat milk now so that wins my heart a bit more for a good iced drink.

French Truck in Crosstown Concourse

Although this is a New Orleans-based coffee company, French Truck is one of my TOP favorites in Memphis. Their iced cold brew with alternative milk, which happens to be Califia farms toasted coconut almond milk, is THE BOMB. It’s crazy strong and delicious. They also occasionally have a gluten-free peanut butter cookie that I live for. Call ahead of time to ask for their cookie selection for that day.

I usually just buy their jugs of vanilla cold brew at my local Whole Foods. My best friend and fellow coffee snob told me it ruined all other cold brew for her when I brought her a jug. Agreed.

And that’s it! I know there are probably a lot more local places I didn’t review, but if you have a question about one, just let me know! I will gladly run into a local coffee shop, try everything in it and give you my honest feedback.

Clearly this is all personal preference, but as someone who seems to run on coffee, you can trust my opinions on the matter.  Now go get a cup!