New Orleans has a long and storied past with coffee, at one time being one of the largest receiving ports in the country for the raw beans. Thanks to European immigrants, a taste for heady dark-roasted coffee, often flavored with bitter chicory, took root and steered Crescent City coffee culture for generations. Big steaming cups of café au lait paired with powdery beignets are, and will always be, an essentially New Orleanian treat.
In the wake of the culinary revolution that flourished during the city’s revitalization, a new crop of coffee-obsessed individuals has set up shop. Now more than ever, from New Orleans to Lafayette, Baton Rouge to Shreveport and Monroe, coffee lovers can get their old familiar cup or try any of the small-batch craft-brewed versions from these top-notch purveyors.
Coffee, though, is only part of the overall coffee culture. Coffee shops continue to act as gathering places for citizens to relax, share ideas, and commune over the energizing potion. Coffee roasters/brewers Rêve Coffee Roasters in Lafayette, Rhino Coffee in Shreveport, and Roela Roaster in Monroe see the community aspect as an essential part of their mission.
From quotidian drip to geeky pour-overs, espresso to 24-hour cold brews, Louisiana’s coffee shops have a lot to offer traditionalists and cutting-edge fanatics alike.
