It doesn’t matter if my bank account is in the negatives; there will always be some monetary room for a cup of coffee. I’ve traveled the lengths of Tallahassee in pursuit of the perfect cup of joe, and I arguably must say, I think I’ve got a solid list down.
Whether it’s the atmosphere or the magical bean that may juice your veins and transcend your spirit into some sort of roid rat at the gym, the places I’ll tell you about are practically unbeatable. They’re so good, you’ll probably go back to your hometown and reflect on the impossible: Tallanasty has some respectable brew.
lucky goat coffee
My first place might seem pretty basic amongst the Tally locals, but I swear the stuff they put in there is out of this world. It’s so freaking delectable that I could order two cups in one sitting, which is very poor judgment, particularly for my wallet. You can probably guess it — it’s Lucky Goat Coffee.
Lucky Goat is what’s on the other side of the rainbow because you’ll feel pretty lucky after taking that first sip. I swear Lucky Goat is like the underhand distributor for all of the coffee shops. It’s the Walter White of Tallahassee.
Although they have shops sprinkled around the area, my favorite one has to be at 1210 S Adams St, right by Cascades Park. They have big windows that give you an early bird-gets-the-worm kind of light. If I want to get to grinding, working at Lucky Goat on Adams St falls closely behind Strozier Library.
the power plant cafe
This brings me to my next coffee shop, which is just a skip and a hop from Lucky Goat. The Power Plant Café has the single-handedly best bagel sandwich I’ve ever had. It soothes the soul. Not to sound dirty, but they spread that cream cheese on so thick and I swear it’s the best breakfast my tastebuds have ever faced. Yes, I know this technically isn’t coffee, but they also have a whole assortment of whatever brewed creation your temperament may crave.
The café itself is quaint. Its wide tables are great for throwing your bookbag on and getting right to business. The music in there is great too; it’s soft enough to where you don’t need to jam your noise-canceling earbuds into your ear canal. Plus, if you feel like you might need a little stretch break, the café overlooks Cascades Park. You could take a quick (or slow) lap around the lake, reveling in the mystifying beauty of Tallahassee.
calvin’s coffee house
Ah, now this one’s a hidden gem if you haven’t been before, and even better yet, it’s practically on campus. It’s got recliners and couches that’ll make you sink into another world (beware), music from plucky pianists and guitarists, and dimly lit lights (though ill-advised) that’ll make you want to take a power nap.
Calvin’s is buried right next to the Tri Delta house, and the atmosphere is incomparable to any other coffee shop that you’ll find in Tallahassee. Once I went during the winter, and just imagine sipping on a warm cup of coffee while studying by the fire. I mean c’mon, life doesn’t get much better than that. If I had to choose one coffee shop that I had to go to for the rest of eternity, Calvin’s would be the one.
So, there you have it, my top three favorite coffee shops of all time. Who knew Tallahassee could pull through with a good ole’ cuppa Joe? So go forth, and let your mouth explore the wonderous mysteries of the boundless bean juice, it’s right at the tip of your tongue.
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