The Memphis coffee scene may actually be my favorite part of Memphis. Ever since I began drinking coffee in the latter part of high school, I began to discover a whole new community of baristas and coffee-shop goers. These new relationships and atmospheres allowed me to escape my limited high school bubble and explore a new community, one of people who work hard and care deeply in all that they do, just through different outlets than I had previously known. While writing about my favorite coffee shops in this post, I was reminded of how much I grew up a little bit in each of them. They’re where I learned to love school rather than see it as an obligation, where I went to as an escape when the transition from high school to college seemed too much, and where I grew this platform from an idea to tangible reality. And, not to mention, the coffee at these places is killer. So, here is a list of my top five favorite coffee shops to go for studying, good conversations, and everything in between. I hope you are able to give them a try!

Belltower Artisans

I have been in love with this place ever since it opened. A pottery studio + a full coffee shop? There is nothing cuter. Belltower is especially my favorite place to go on Sundays because it is open later than most Memphis coffee shops and is a great place to study. Do be forewarned though, it is always pretty crowded since it is in walking distance of University of Memphis, but is for sure worth the close studying quarters. Their seasonal menu is always phenomenal (right now it is Harry Potter themed!!) so I typically order something from that. But, if not feeling one of the specialty seasonal drinks, I usually go for a matcha or an oat milk lavender latte.

Open Monday-Friday 7am-9pm, Saturday 8am-9pm, and Sunday 10am-8pm

Avenue Coffee

Avenue Coffee is, in my humble opinion, the best place to study in Memphis. I studied here all throughout high school and grew to love their friendly staff. They have lots of large tables with room for spreading out as well as an upstairs room that usually remains pretty quiet, especially throughout the week. The fact that it doesn’t close until 10:30pm during the week also separates it from many other coffee shops around Memphis that close as early as 6pm. I typically stick to my usual almond milk latte here, but a pot of tea is always a good move as an alternative to coffee. Also, the hummus and pita is all made in-house and is an absolute must.

Open Monday-Saturday 7:30am-10:30pm and Sunday 12pm-6pm

Comeback Coffee

Comeback is for sure a favorite of mine. They have delicious food, fantastic coffee, and the perfect porch for study sessions or catching up with friends. I sometimes have dreams about the oatmeal paired with an iced vanilla latte if we’re being quite honest. The owners and staff as a whole are all so kind and welcoming, making each time I go so enjoyable. Can’t recommend this place enough.

Open 7am-6pm Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm on Saturday, and closed Sunday.

Muddy’s Grindhouse

If you live in Memphis it is pretty hard to not love Muddy’s Grindhouse. Muddy’s Grindhouse is the Midtown location of Muddy’s bakeshop and sells coffee in addition to all of the baked goods available at the East Memphis location.The vibe is always cheery, the baked goods are always top-notch, and the quiet room is always the best place to study. Muddy’s Grindhouse is my favorite coffee shop to bring friends to because it combines two wonderful things: coffee and freshly baked goodies. I am addicted to the vegan peanut butter bars, especially paired with an almond milk matcha. I also am a huge fan of their Café Con Miel because nothing is better than a strong honey latte.

Open Tuesday-Saturday from 7am-9pm, closed Sunday and Monday.

Low Fi Coffee

If you find yourself in the South Main area Downtown, Low Fi is a definite must-go. Although it is a little further than the other coffee shops I frequent, I usually find myself stopping by every once in a while because the coffee and matcha are so amazing. I really love the fact that they do not use sweeteners in any of their coffee because it forces you to really taste the coffee for the quality it is, without any added syrups. Although this place is located within a retail store, it still has such a cool vibe and is a great place to chill with a book for an afternoon.

Open everyday of the week from 7am-5pm.

Although this list only includes my top five favorites, there are still so many that are worth checking out. I hope this list provides you with a variety of different coffee shops to test out, especially as the school year picks up steam and coffee shop study sessions make studying much more enjoyable. What is your favorite Memphis coffee shop?