Nashville, TN - For the Book and Coffee Lovers

McKays Books

McKays is a used booked store on the west side of Nashville. As a bibliophile, it is hard not to spend your entire day here. At McKays you will find DVDs, video games, board games, instruments, and of course books. This warehouse of a store can get busy on the weekends, but everyone is friendly and a ‘excuse me, pardon me’ goes a long way.

Coffee Near McKays:
8th & Roast: 8th & Roast started because two friends wanted to open a restaurant and met at a little cafe called 8th and Roast, and then they began dreaming. Eventually the restaurant was opened, but the coffee keeps them grounded. There ever rotating seasonal latte’s are worth it. Big but cozy, grab a cup, a couch and lets read!

Frothy Monkey The Nations: Frothy Monkey is one of the OG’s on the Nashville coffee scene, the roast their own beans and have multiple locations across town. The Nations location is great for reading and for eating!

Headquarters: Headquarters used to be an ally between two buildings. Then it was given a roof and a coffee shop was born. It serves Osa coffee and has some of the best coffee in town. If you’re lucky, there’ll be a table out back where you can sit and read all your new books!

Parnassus

Parnassus may be the most famous of the Nashville bookshops, this shop can be found on Hillsboro Road in Green Hills. Opened in 2011 by Ann Patchett and her business partner Karen Hayes, Parnassus has great in store Story Teller events and book clubs. Their staff have a wealth of knowledge and have created a really cozy space! (You can also find a Parnasus in the Nashville Airport)

Coffee Near Parnassus:
Fido: 1812 Hillsboro Rd turns into 21st Ave, where you can find Fido, one of the longest running coffee shops in Nashville. Serving their own Bonjo Java blends, if you like a drip coffee or a honey latte, you will not be disappointed. Also, don’t skip on the food!

Restoration Hardware Restaurant: The menu there can be pricey, but if you want water fountains and open air while you read, ask for a table and a coffee. It gives you all the ambiance without breaking the budget. (If you are there for a while, make sure to tip well. I know you know, but I had to say)

The Bookshop

The Bookshop in East Nashville is a small but mighty bookshop with a halfway to Hanna Bee’s coffee. You can pick up the latest fiction and waltz across the hall and pick up a honey bee latte. It’s a win win! And if you’re feeling adventurous, pick up a wrapped ‘blind date’ book. You don’t know the title til after the purchase! So fun!

Coffee near The Bookshop:
Hanna Bee’s is a woman-owned, family run coffee shop that opened during the pandemic. They use locally sourced ingredients in their food offers and organic beans. Hanna Bee’s loves her community and is a great spot to sip and read.

Ugly Mugs: An indoor/outdoor paradise for sipping hot coffee in the fall and iced coffee in the late spring, this is what you’ll find at Ugly Mugs. Grab a spot on the couch, pull out that new book, and settle in.

Slow Hand Coffee & Bakeshop: If you’ve worked up an appetite, or lost track of time while at the bookshop, you’ll want to make the half mile walk/drive to Slow Hand Bake Shop. The coffee is excellent and the food is massive, not to mention delicious.

And finally, one more coffee recommendation, because I cannot leave it off the list.

Crema: Crema has multiple locations around town, the flagship opened 2007 in downtown Nashville. They are a zero-waste facility and a gold-standard for what coffee should be. In Nashville and beyond.

There are many more great coffee places in Nashville, but I’ll save some of the exploring to you!