In my first week at Vanderbilt I’ve had a lot of coffee. Every day has been action packed; I find myself walking miles back and forth across campus, waking up at 7 AM to light streaming through my blinds (note to self: order light blocking curtains!), and meeting so many great new people. In the name of making it through, I’ve allowed myself to indulge in a little caffeine every day. For this top 5, I’ve ranked all of the coffee places I have tried in my first two weeks at Vanderbilt! I still haven’t even tried a Susie’s cafe, so this is by no means a definitive list of the best options near Vanderbilt.
- Osa Coffee Roasters
While Osa Coffee Roasters is located about two blocks outside of campus, it’s still less than a ten minute walk from Commons, making it a convenient option for first years! This coffee shop is super cute; customers wait outside to order from a window while employees make the coffee inside the small establishment. I got an iced latte with oat milk and an extra shot of espresso and it was the perfect way to start my day.
- Coffee from Rand
I’m the kind of person who only drinks iced coffee, rain or shine, sun or snow, so I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy the dining hall options since they only offer hot coffee. But during my first week I saw upperclassmen make iced coffee by filling a plastic cup with ice, adding some hot coffee and then finishing it off with some syrup or milk. I don’t know much about the proper coffee making technique, but I’ve found that this method works pretty well! Coffee from Rand ranks pretty highly for me because it’s included with a meal swipe.
- Dunkin’
There are no Dunkin’s where I’m from in California so I was excited to try this popular chain once arriving in Nashville! I was pleasantly surprised by the sizes of the coffee cups… every time I’ve been (only twice so far), I’ve ordered a small and been handed a cup that would be a large at Starbucks. Not sure if both times it was an error but I’m happy to be paying less for more coffee! Dunkin’ also gets bonus points from me because they’ve already rolled out their fall specials, so I’ve been able to try their iced pumpkin spice latte. Sorry not sorry.
- Fido
Someone told me that Fido is one of Taylor Swift’s favorite coffee shops in Nashville and while I haven’t checked for a credible source to back it up I’m choosing to believe that it’s true. When I went on a Wednesday morning it was busy but I was able to find a seat by the window where I could sip my iced latte and enjoy a view of the fun shops and public art displays on the street.
- The Frothy Monkey Coffeehouse
My first morning in Nashville I went with my family to the Frothy Monkey Coffeehouse on 12th Ave South. Since it’s located about 2 miles away from campus I probably won’t be able to go back anytime soon, which is why this coffeehouse is rated lower. The Frothy Monkey offers a sit down breakfast menu as well as a bakery with to-go options. The breakfast and coffee were delicious and I’ll be sure to make my way back to 12 south before I head home to try some of their signature lattes like the “Golden Monkey” or the “Hummingbird.”