Coffee

Considering I am a coffee addict, I cannot believe this was my first good cup of coffee on our cross country road trip. But I am so glad it was. The rise was so so good and the girls working there were so nice. Looking back on it, I should have tried something interesting like their vanilla almond latte or rosemary rise latte, but I am an avid chai tea latte drinker and theirs did not disappoint! If only they weren't on the other side of the country! I definitely recommend if you are ever in Charleston. 

The Coffee House is a hidden gem in the small town of Franklin. A literal house right off the main downtown street, The Coffee House made Hayley and I feel right at home after a long drive from Atlanta. What's better is that the staff were as hospital as if The Coffee House was their own home. Of course, the coffee was delicious. I got an iced chai late (because you can never go wrong with an iced chai) and I can definitely say it was not like the boring cups of coffee I make at my house. One of my favorite coffee shops on our trip across America.  

I still have dreams about Fido. I visited Fido back in 2016 on my first trip to Nashville. Back then, I was a big Taylor Swift fan and I had heard that this was one of her favorite coffee shops in Nashville. After going, I can see that it is almost everyone's favorite coffee shop in Nashville. The food is amazing and the varieties of coffees are amazing. Located just near Belmont and Vanderbilt, it gets pretty busy around breakfast time, especially on a weekend when Hayley and I were there, but it is definitely worth the wait. I got an iced chai latte and Hayley got the iced matcha latte. For breakfast, I had the steak scramble. Typically, I don't eat red meats with breakfast, but at Fido I would make an exception anytime. This breakfast was enough to make your mouth water back in California. I 100% recommend you make a trip to Fido if you ever find yourself in Nashville. 

Although Hayley and I didn't spot any, we were told that Frothy Monkey is a very popular place for celebrities, especially in the mornings before work hours. Located on the popular 12th street just past Draper James (Reece Witherspoon's store) and Dolly Parton's recording studio, Frothy Monkey screams tourist attraction. Yet, it seemed that pretty much everyone there was a local. Maybe it is the eccentric coffee choices that intimidate most tourists. Hayley ordered The Rabbit, which consists of lavender and lemongrass, while I ordered their most popular drink, the Havana Latte, which consists of vanilla, star anise, and cinnamon. Frothy Monkey left our taste buds buzzing, our minds craving, and our hearts happy. 

Not to be over dramatic, but Nexus has the world's best coffee. This is not an overstatement. Hayley and I still talk about this coffee. I know it might be shocking that this tiny hole in the wall coffee shop could possibly serve the best coffee ever, but it's true. If I were to go back and the prices had risen to $10 a cup, I would still pay for it. I got a vanilla lavender latte upon recommendation by the very friendly barista. I was also torn between the breakfast special or the sunrise sandwich because I wanted a bagel for the bread, but the breakfast special came with fruit. The barista made the choice easy for me and gave me a free side of fruit with the breakfast special, a delicious bagel sandwich with ham, cheese and avocado. Hayley got an avocado bagel. To make the already delicious food and drinks even better, everything was so incredibly cheap it could make a broke college girl cry! 

Our final coffee shop on our road trip was iconic to say the least ;) Iconik is a trendy looking coffee shop in Santa Fe that serves all kinds of tasty snacks and meals as well as delicious and innovative coffee flavors. It was so good Hayley and I actually went twice! The first time, I tried their Horchata iced latte. The Mexican inspired flavored was the perfect pick me up as we wandered the warm streets of New Mexico. Hayley stuck with her matcha iced latte. The next morning as we headed out of Santa Fe for Flagstaff, Arizona we stopped by Iconik to start our day off right. This time I got my trusty iced chai latte and their breakfast burrito. Hayley got the breakfast scramble bowl. Everything was amazing and just what we needed for the long drive ahead. 

I am just as much a Starbucks drinker as your next typical California girl, but pre-Milan Jordan would be ashamed to see Starbucks posted on her recommended coffee shops. However, I did not even know Starbucks Reserves were a thing until I went to Milan, and honestly it was magical so I had to share. There are only a few Starbucks Reserves in the world and Milan's is pretty new. Besides the brand name, there is nothing about this Starbucks that looks like Starbucks. This one can be found in an old post office right next to the famous Duomo. The architecture is stunning and unlike any normal restaurant or coffee shop, let alone a coffee chain. This Starbucks is unique in that it has an upper dining section, a full food menu to choose from and an entire bakery with in house made treats and breads. It also contains a full bar which serves alcoholic drinks and its own list of featured drinks, unique only to the Milanese Starbucks Reserve. The girls and I of course had to try something unique to Milan, so we ordered the Cold Brew Arancia Rossa. I am a new cold brew drinker, preferring my typical chai latte or black coffee, but Milan may have changed me. A usual cold brew mixed unusually with blood orange essence and orange juice for a refreshing taste in every sip, this was one of the best coffees I have ever had! Now do you see why I had to post about it? If not, or if you do, make it a priority to visit one of the world's Starbucks Reserves!