What's your favorite coffee/bakery shop in Nashville area? (Franklin: house, neighborhood)

[mia_magination]

I have a wonderful bakery/coffee shop here and would love the hear from the locals what there favorite is in the Nashville area. You know the place where you can get a cup of coffee/tea/hot cocoa etc... and a muffin or some other tasty treat and sit and chat with your fellow morning locals and catch up on the news and visit with friends.

Tennessee as a whole has been such a wonderfully friendly place for us and we would just love to see if there is anyplace like this, where and why you like it so much.

Thanks!

[IngleDave]

This one is tough because there's just so many of them all over. Some chainy things like Starbucks (a few dozen of those), but all over the area are perfect places to sit, drink a favorite, eat, relax and socialize. I used to go to Fido in Hillsboro Village quite a bit, but now, it's too much like hanging out with the kids...all with laptops and studying the finer points of nuclear medicine or other ways to save the world. Not my cup of tea much...saving my own "world" is hard enough. Portland Brew and Frothy Monkey are two favorites in the 12South area as the crowds are quite mixed ... laptop huggers and fogies like me blend together like a fine latte. The food's tasty too. Bongo Java Belmont is too young for me and I often don't mind being professorial appearing, but I'd rather avoid it most of the time. Bongo at Five Points in East Nashville is a bit liberal for my right leaning nature. I often can't help but feel there's a scarlet W burned into my forehead even though I'm not THAT conservative. I use a trash can for a rain barrel instead of the $100 job proposed by the Bongo crowd. I have been known to throw a toaster into the trash instead of whatever you do with worn out toasters. I voted Republican...they have a stockade there for people like me. (this is all really a bit melodramatic, but not too far from true). Crema downtown is a favorite. I need to stop, there's just too many to make sense out of. Provence pleases me, downtown and the Village. Sip, in my Inglewood neighborhood is pretty cool too and a very close to the house. So, whatever your tastes, I'm sure you can find that one "Cheers" type coffee shop that will tickle your beans.

[bluesky42day]

Dave that was funny but true! To the OP my favorite is Bongo Java in Hillsboro Village, it probably does tend to attract a younger crowd because it's directly across from Belmont University but to me their deck can't be beat to hang out at. If you're wanting to get in & get out & not chat then depending on where you live I'd say Sip because it's a small space & they get you in & out (unlike Bongo East in 5 Points).

[alleycat]

Out in my area (Bellevue), one of the favorites is City Limits Bakery & Cafe. I don't go in the morning, and don't even know when it opens, but it's a great little place to have lunch or a light dinner.

It's not a coffee shop or bakery, but another nice place is the cafe at the Frist Center. The food is good and it's usually not crowded, so you can just sit and look out, or sit outside in the little "courtyard".

When I was younger, I use to spend part of just about every Saturday morning at the Davis-Kidd bookstore in Green Hills, and sometimes got a bite to eat at the little cafe they had inside (they called it a bistro).

[bluesky42day]

Yes! The cafe at the Frist is SO good. Like alleycat said it's not a coffee shop or a bakery but it's definitely worth visiting. In fact, it may be one of Nashville's best kept secrets because it's never super crowded. My office is attached to Union Station across the street so in the Summer I love to sit in the courtyard.

[mia_magination]

AWSOME tips! Thanks! We are looking at a house in the Old Hickory area but I would like to get to know the entire area

We are planning on visiting the Frist when we bring the kids for a visit in March so we will definately be checking out that little place as well.

IngleDave: great sense of humor I have found that to be true here as well with the different shops until you find your little nitch it's always interesting to see what all have to offer.

Can't wait till our weekend getaway

[akm4]

I love taking the kids to the Frist. We either get lunch at the cafe or pack a lunch and eat it outside. Best fruit tea! Today would be a perfect day for it, actually......

[suecen]

A little out of Nashville, in Franklin - Merridee's!!!!!!!!!! We go there every time we visit your wonderful area!

[akm4]

Ah, yes, Merridee's. Special place, special people.

[mia_magination]

Since I don't drink alcohol I look forward to socializing in the coffee shops

I can't wait to start checking out some of these great suggestions!