With finals just around the corner and the weather starting to warm up on Rocky Top, nothing pairs better with hitting the books than an iced coffee. Getting coffee is a daily ritual for many students, and trying new local spots can give you a taste of variety. It’s also a great opportunity to support local businesses.
Here are some spots you should try to satisfy that caffeine craving.
K Brew
With locations spread around Knoxville and a recently opened shop right on campus in the Haslam Business Building, K Brew is one of the staple coffee shops in Knoxville. K Brew was founded in 2008 by two brothers, Pierce and Michael LaMacchia, who both grew up in Knoxville and are UT graduates. They became infatuated with the coffee shops on the west coast and decided to bring their own back home to Knoxville.
K Brew offers an extensive menu with New York-style bagels and sandwiches along with their popular cold brew iced coffee.
Just Love Coffee Cafe
Right across the street from Chipotle on Cumberland Avenue is a newer addition to the community in Just Love Coffee Cafe. With other locations around the U.S., Knoxville is the latest location to open.
Just Love features your standard selection of drip coffees and teas but has a breakfast and lunch menu serving up nutritious options to get you through the day. Try their “Riptide” refresher, which is a pretty mix of blue curacao, coconut and sparkling water.
Honeybee Coffee & Brewery
One of the most popular coffee shops in Knoxville is located on Sevier Avenue only five minutes from campus and is called Honeybee Coffee & Brewery. The coffee shop is known for its relaxed atmosphere and proximity to not only campus but Downtown Knoxville as well.
Be sure to stop in for a coffee and study session as Honeybee has plenty of seating for everybody. One of the unique parts about Honeybee is its nitro cold brew coffee, which is house-made cold brew infused with nitrogen that adds a natural sweetness and reduces the bitterness in the coffee.
Capybara Coffee
Capybara Coffee lives up to its name, as it’s one of the most unique coffee shops around campus. When you walk in, you’re greeted by walls covered with photos, drawings and molds of capybaras. Located next to Publix at University Crossing Plaza, Capybara Coffee features a cozy seating area, free wifi and delicious lattes with unique art on the foam cover.
Capybara Coffee is a great place to meet with colleagues and friends.
The Golden Roast
The Golden Roast is a UT campus staple, located right beside Gus’s Good Time Deli and close to Hodges Library. Every time I walk by, the seating area is filled with students hard at work on their laptops.
The Golden Roast features a variety of bagels and flavors of cold brew including their delicious banana bread cold brew. It’s worth a stop inside if you’re exhausted from Starbucks.
Jacks
Known for its affordable prices and minimalist aesthetic, Jacks thrives with two locations in Downtown Knoxville, the closest to campus being the location on South Gay Street. With a simple menu featuring coffee, teas, seasonal drinks and bagels, Jacks succeeds in providing a welcoming cozy environment with some of the best drinks in the area.
Make sure to try their “Flower Bomb,” which is espresso and milk combined with house-made lavender and rose syrup.
