I’ve lived in New Orleans now for about 10-11 years now, and you best believe I’ve dedicated a good amount of time to wandering around, drinking coffee. So it’s about time that I put in writing my list of best cafes in New Orleans.
Coffee shops have never been more important to me than throughout the time that I’ve spent living in New Orleans. When you set out on a long walk in 90 degree heat with 60% humidity, it’s actually incompatible with life to not stop and get an iced tea or a cold brew. Similarly, when you’re playing tour guide for visiting family or friend and you’ve been engaging in nothing but a food marathon, stopping off in a coffee shop to re-caffeinate is an important ritual.
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The Best Cafes in New Orleans – What Gives Me the Right?
And when I say “the best cafes in New Orleans,” please know that I am speaking of MY best cafes in New Orleans. I am leaving off some fantastic places, I’m sure of it. I’ve still got lots of exploring to do when it comes to perfecting my list of best cafes in New Orleans.
Without further ado, here is my list of best cafes in New Orleans. According to me.
1. HiVolt Cafe
HiVolt will always be number one on my list of best cafes in New Orleans. It’s tucked away in the Lower Garden District, making it a perfect spot to stop in when you’re taking a walk down Magazine. They now have a liquor license which means you can enjoy an adult beverage there.
I love HiVolt for their creative baked goods (see that pandan poundcake with coconut milk glaze?) and absolutely perfect espresso drinks. A lot of the food items are vegan and vegetarian which I love. At any given moment I might be daydreaming about an iced latte from HiVolt.
2. Coffee Science NOLA
Coffee Science is a GREAT spot in Mid City that holds food popups and sells baked goods from micro bakeries in the city. The coffee beans are freshly roasted AND they have WiFi again, allowing us all to sit in their spacious back room or outdoor space in the backyard to get some work done.
3. Coast Roast Coffee Shop
The first time I tried Coast Roast was at the St. Roch Market. They now have locations in the Garden District, Metairie, and they’re still in the St. Roch Market. They’ve even made their way into the Louis Armstrong International Airport. My good friends lived right around the corner from Coast Roast on Magazine, and the scene pictured below was a common one at their house on a Sunday morning.
I love Coast Roast because they’ve always got a coffee that borders on strange on the menu, but that turns out being delicious. One morning I was convinced to order a special that had one part cold brew and one part orange juice. I was mostly just morbidly fascinated by the concept, but shockingly it ended up tasting absolutely delicious.
4. Cherry Coffee Roasters
Cherry Coffee Roasters, which is uptown on quiet Laurel Street, is women owned and operated. When I think “best cafes in New Orleans” Cherry is always going to be high on my list. They have a mobile cafe outpost that they’ve named the “Cherry-iott” that you might see around town.
Cherry has always been one of my favorite spaces to spread out and work while enjoying a truly well made cup of coffee.
5. French Truck
French Truck has 5 or 6 locations in New Orleans, and they’ve expanded to Baton Rouge, LA and Memphis, TN. It has a bright, fresh interior where I spent studying and doing homework when I was working on becoming a dietitian. I love their pour overs and their New Orleans Iced Coffee that combines regular coffee with chicory cold brew, milk, and simply syrup.
6. Mojo Coffee House
I have such a strong emotional attachment to Mojo. I love their location in the Lower Garden District, but I spent my time as an undergrad at Tulane walking to the Freret Street location. They’ve got plenty of space to spread out and study, and you’ll be in good company there. The coffee is always great, but I like to go to Mojo for their broad selection of iced teas.
7. Rook Cafe
Rook is another one that’s so special to me. Their specialty drinks have chess-related names – my favorite is the Knight (I get it iced) with espresso, chocolate, vanilla, and whole milk. Rook is a great spot to stop in any time you find yourself uptown and need a comfy couch, a game, or a spot to read.
8. Park Island Brew Coffee House
When I lived in Mid City, I loved taking the 5 minute walk to Park Island Brew. Park Island has never disappointed me – their menu gets super creative and yet the quality is consistent. Think iced ube latte, ube matchas, and shakeratos with rosemary and lavender.
9. Pond Coffee
Pond Coffee shares a space with Small Mart on Chartres. There is nothing more delightful than getting a bagel sandwich at Small Mart, a cappuccino from Pond, and then taking a walk around the Bywater/Marigny area. Highly recommend.
10. Church Alley
Church Alley in Mid City has an incredible food menu and serves up reliably delicious coffee. The staff there is also the kindest. From their website: “Church Alley aims to empower a more peaceful, resilient and connected Gulf Coast through compassionate and forward-thinking hospitality products and services. We believe in our capacity to improve the health and wellbeing of our customers, staff, and environment.” We love a community-minded spot that also happens to make delicious beverages.
11. The Orange Couch
When I’m in the Marigny and I have some time to kill, I love going to The Orange Couch for a slice of poundcake and a cold brew. The interior is simple and clean which I think makes it a great place to get some work done or read a book.
12. Z’otz Cafe
I used to be able to frequent Z’otz Cafe more often back when I lived in the Carrollton neighborhood. As I write this I’m reminded of how much I miss it and I need to go back. It was a staple for my friends and I when we were students, and it remains a great place to stop and re-fuel/re-caffeinate when you’re taking a walk down Oak Street.
That’s a wrap on my list of best cafes in New Orleans!
End scene! If your favorite spot is missing from this list, leave a comment and tell me where to go next. Looking for more restaurant/food content? Click here.
