By Keith Pipes

“Did you know August is National Coffee Month? You should write a post about your favorite coffee shop or about Nashville’s coffee scene for my blog?” That was the text I got from Carol, my lovely wife and owner of this blog.

August? was all I could think about.

Coffee should be celebrated year round. But if you’re going to single out just one month, August seems like the most inappropriate time to bring attention to a (typically) hot beverage. Like a commercial for kale during the Super Bowl, it seems misplaced. And the two minutes I spent Googling why August is coffee month was no help. I did find this and will devote much of my time trying to figure out how to trick them into letting me join the team. But I digress.

If you love coffee, there has never been a more exciting time to be in Nashville than right now, and the arrow only points up from here. I won’t go into the history or the “scene,” nor will I list all the coffee shops you need to hit up when living in or visiting Nashville. I’ve dedicated this post to the one place I find myself most every time I need my coffee fix. Crema.

When Carol and I moved to Nashville, a co-worker of hers recommended Crema. It was my first stop on the local coffeehouse tour. From the first sip of their Cuban— a perfectly balanced blend of espresso, sweetened condensed milk, and steamed milk—I was hooked.

Crema offers both fresh-brewed coffee and pour overs. This isn’t your local chain with every manner of flavors and syrups. What they offer is classic, well-crafted coffee and coffee drinks brewed from beans responsibly sourced and roasted in house. If you enjoy a little adventure, step outside the box and order one of their seasonal drinks. My current favorite is the Kaffe Yen (espresso and steamed milk with cardamom, almond extract and Demerara).

The Kaffe Yen

They also have amazing pastries made by Dozen Bakery, quiches, and granola (order it with yogurt and bananas). The baristas are friendly, though typically very busy weighing grounds and timing shots with the precision of an aerospace engineer. In addition to serving a great cup of java, Crema believes in educating their customers. Seriously, take one (or all) of their coffee classes and thank me later.

The crowd at the converted cinderblock garage is a good mix of hipsters, business professionals, church planters, and tourists. As a man whose coolest years are in the rear view mirror, I don’t feel out of place as I do in some other local spots.

If you’re close to downtown, be sure to stop by Crema; and if Raleigh is behind the bar, ask him about my latte art prowess.

Keith Pipes is a worship leader and avid coffee drinker.