On Coffee

I’ve recently gotten into coffee as an almost thirty-year-old who really avidly avoided it for years. I was able to dodge the curiosity in high school and side step its lure in college but by my mid-twenties having succumbed to a nine-to-five cubicle job I thought I might see what this stuff is all about.

I don’t really even want to guess how many coffee shops there are in the United States but there must be thousands — okay, I looked it up on a potentially reputable site: there are around 75,000 coffee shops in the United States. Honestly, that feels low considering how many Starbucks I see everyday lurking on various busy streets. Starbucks, if you were wondering, has about 40,000 stores nationwide. But, still, as I grew up I would choose the green tea frappuccino over the mocha mostly due to the taste but coffee giants have tackled that too by offering sweeter and sweeter beverages or new flavors to keep us all hooked. The simple, local coffee shop — not unlike the one I sit in now — is a force against the big name brands. They offer a strong boost for the soccer mom or dad, a hippie hangout for the cooler youths, the angsty artist, or the tentative traveler eager to find the locals. It’s communal and common ground for us all to comfortably wear our beanies and Tevas and get wildly caffeinated without judgement. Five dollar espresso, you say? I’m in. And it does taste and feel better especially knowing it was ground nearby or in-house with beans coming from whatever exotic location we pretend to know the difference between while tasting our coffee.

I can’t say I’m confident when I order, though, and usually tend to hesitate and waiver as I get closer to the counter — a quirk (we’ll call it) that I struggle with when making most food and beverage decisions. You’re not buying a car, just order a beer!, as my dad would lovingly announce. I typically stick to an iced coffee with almond milk and vanilla because I’m basic and need to tame the bitter punch. When I’m feeling brave I’ll order an espresso or cortado and drink it slowly, terrified of the over-caffeinated nausea and quivers I’ve felt in the past. Pro-tip: If you do ever find yourself over-caffeinated, do not introduce THC to counter-act the affects. Yes, it makes it worse. Yes, you will feel as if you’re having a heart attack.

Drip coffee will always hold the utmost power for obvious affordable and approachable reasons, but espresso does seem to be more and more cool and Euro lately. Sabrina Carpenter — you know, the singer of Espresso — expressed that she never knew how caffeine-obsessed Americans were before she released her most popular song. And it may have been just this that my origin story with coffee begins.

The rhythm of a fine meal has always been fascinating and addictive to me. Admittedly, I’m that guest that likes my courses spaced out and slow and I will give my server specific instructions to make sure we pace (sorry). A full table, ultimately, is overwhelming, unpleasant, and rushed with my attention jumping from plate to plate unable to distinguish or dissect each individual plate. Clearly I’m a joy to dine with. The second most important part of a great meal is how you start it and to me, which I’ve learned from my mentors, it’s always with bubbles. It wakes up the digestive system and prepares it for the meal to come. I prefer sparkling rosé in the summer months and brut, champagne, cava, or whatever the bubble may be in every other month. And the third most important part of a great meal is — and there are many more that I will save for a future rant but for the sake of brevity — the post-meal digestif. Some go for a brandy or sherry, but I have found and learned by observation that the simple espresso served with a small brown sugar cube is the way to go. I did this, perhaps slightly intoxicated from the wine refilled throughout the meal and enthusiastically drank, without much thought and doing what I’ve always done in nice restaurants which is copying others. Listen, no one reaches for their first oyster without some fear and guidance. For me, that’s the same experience with my post-meal espresso and it’s been a fragile love affair ever since. To be honest, I adored the chic sophistication of having a little espresso at the end of the meal, blissfully unaware of it’s head-rushing impact tamed by all the food I had just eaten.

With all of this in mind, here are my favorite coffee shops to get completely caffeine-blistered in Savannah…

1. The Sentient Bean

Local, rotating art adorns the walls at The Sentient Bean, a Savannah staple on the fringe of Forsyth Park. My Saturday’s are not complete without an iced coffee and trip to the Forsyth Famer’s Market and this is a great place to get caffeinated to kick-start your day. Don’t be deterred by the winding line — be sure to stay on the line, you’ll know when you see it — it moves quickly and don’t skip the vegan breakfast burrito. They have a sneaky-delicious menu that’s filled with local, fresh ingredients that rarely misses the mark.

2. Henny Penny Art Space & Cafe

If you need a strong cold brew — comfortingly called “killer cold brew” on their menu — and a place to let your kids paint and create, this is your spot. It must be noted, though, that the cold brew is delicious and I drink a small cup, very slowly, black. The baguette sandwiches and pastries are easy grab-and-go options on your way to work or to Forsyth Park down the street. My dog especially loves to sit out front in the shade in hopes of a pet from a passerby.

3. Foxy Loxy Cafe

A favorite for students and remote workers, Foxy Loxy sits quietly on Bull Street next to E. Shaver Starland Bookstore. The cafe is built inside an old home, which is quintessentially Savannah, while the food and decor bring you South to Texas. It’s an inviting, chill vibe that makes my favorite iced matcha in the city.

4. PERC

If you want to know where most coffee shops in Savannah buy their beans from, go no further than PERC: a rustic, community coffee shop that sells and uses their own beans. The air is filled with zippy, caffeinated conversation that I love. This is a beloved spot that makes delicious coffee drinks, my personal favorite being a cortado.