Dress: Old Navy || Heels: Target || Clutch: Turckernuck || Hat: Brixton || Sunglasses: Krewe || Earrings: Tory Burch
Normally when you think of drinking around the Gulf Coast, it involves a blender, a beach, and maybe one of those little umbrellas. Of course, there’s a time and place, but as someone who calls this vacation spot my home, I can’t always go for the fun cocktail (no matter how much I think I need it). During the Monday to Friday work week, coffee is the drink of choice and I’ve done my research to find all of the best local places to grab a strong one- coffee that is.
Over the past few years, I’ve seen the coffee culture really skyrocket in the Bay area. When I was a kid, even before Starbucks and Dunkin really became big, the only places to get coffee were home, a gas station, or the bagel shop. It seems like in such a short time, so many great local coffee shops jumped in to make their mark. Each has their own special signature and is truly its own. From Gulf to Bay, there’s so many to choose from. Let me share some of my favorites.
- Eco-Bean at 501 N Pinellas Avenue, Tarpon Springs (for their organic coffee): Let’s start our local coffee journey in the top point of Pinellas County, Tarpon Springs. Tucked away on Alt 19 is Eco-Bean. This little coffee shop prides itself on serving organic, earth friendly coffees in a wide range of drinks. When I was in my first year of teaching, I would drive out of my way to make Eco-Bean part of my daily commute. I’ll do anything for a soy latte, my favorite drink they offer.
- Art Smart Coffee Gallery at 1275 Bayshore Blvd, Dunedin (for their award winning ice coffee): Dunedin is the gem of my county. You are able to escape the crowds of tourists and snowbirds to find a little slice of small town, with the perk of being on the water. My love for local coffee all started at Art Smart Coffee. Their iced coffee is probably the best you’ll ever have. It’s even been voted the best by Southern Living and Tampa Bay Magazine. I don’t know what makes it so good, but I do love it!
- Dunedin Coffee Company and Bakery at 730 Broadway #3, Dunedin (for their lavender latte and biscuits): I will always connect this coffee shop with hurricanes. Sounds weird, but let me explain. Because of Hurricane Irma, I was without power for nearly a week and without internet for even longer. When life started returning back to normal, I was way behind with work and 100% caffeine deprived. Dunedin Coffee Company had its doors open and I sucked down their iced lavender latte like there was no tomorrow. The sweet potato biscuit only helped their cause. For a town of under 40,000 people to have two amazing coffee shops, I think Dunedin has hit the goldmine.
- Black Crow Coffee at 722 2nd Street N, St. Petersburg (for their cold brew and chai): Now that we’re back to my home turf, let me introduce you to my home away from home. Black Crow is my neighborhood coffee shop. David and I make our way their at least three times a week, with my standing order. I wish I could say I invented the Chai-Town, but I just order it constantly. It’s kind of the best of all worlds including cold brew, chai tea, and a splash of soy milk. To make this drink my own, I have them add a touch of banana flavoring for a coffee drink that is sweet and fruity.
- Bandit Coffee Co. at 2662 Central Ave, St. Petersburg (for their awesome pour over menu): If you’re trying to find us in a St. Pete coffee shop, and we’re not at Black Crow, then you might want to double check with Bandit Coffee. We sometimes choose this location because of it’s pour over selection, when we need an extra jolt of caffeine, and when we want to get a lot of work done. Because of it’s bright lighting and minimalistic space, David and I always go into productivity overdrive. For us, that means right when they open, after a Sunday morning photo shoot. Whatever the situation, this place is a great option.
- Buddy Brew at 2020 W. Kennedy Blvd (for their Old Florida Roast): It’s time to cross a bridge and give Tampa some coffee love. Let’s start with Buddy Brew, a staple. They have a few locations throughout the area, including the popular Oxford Exchange, but their OG spot on Kennedy is my favorite. Whenever I stop by, I just have to grab a cup of their Old Florida roast. It has all of the flavors that I look for in a coffee, a bold roast, fresh citrus flavors, and (according to the label) sunshine. I normally don’t buy bags of coffee to bring home, but this one is definitely worth it!
- Blind Tiger Café at 1901 E 7th Ave, Tampa (for their café con leche): Before venturing out to their Ybor location on a whim, David and I had both heard great things about the Blind Tiger Café. I just loved their café con leche, the ultimate Cuban coffee drink, but their speakeasy inspiration was both unique and comforting. Instead of jumping on the computer, like we normally do at coffee shops, David and I played a few games of Chinese Checkers to just enjoy the space we were in. I can’t wait to get back as soon as possible and devour another one of their Guava pastries.
- Caffeine Roasters at 212 E Cass Street (for their sparkling coffee): Located in downtown Tampa, David and I stumbled upon this place during our St. Patrick’s Day stay-cation. Unless you’re a coffee-phile like me, you might not notice it. The outside is a clean white wall with the word caffeine painted in bold black letters. Go inside, and you’ll find what a treat this little shop actually is. They are best known for their sparkling coffee which is just as refreshing (and perfect for Florida humidity) as it sounds. By combining espresso and sparkling lemonade, they’ve created a drink I might start copying at home. If a second drink is in order, I was blown away by their cold brew and orange. Yep, this place is Florida citrus heaven.
Even though I have come to know and love so many different coffee shops around town, the best cup of coffee I will ever find is the one that David makes for me in the morning. Corny? Yes, but still true. Definitely try to support your local coffee space the next time you can and if there’s a place not on here that I definitely need to try, be sure to comment below!
Love from Florida,
Katie