Seattle's Best Coffee

4322 Harding Pike

Nashville, TN 37205

(615) 891-3671

My first experience with Seattle's Best was at the Border's Books around the Nashville area. I was really impressed at the good flavor of the coffees, and wished that there were more in the Nashville area.

I did a little research, and found out that Seattle's Best is actually a subsidiary of Starbucks, but focuses on the milder flavors of coffee, and this makes it much better than Starbuck's brand of coffees. Starbucks makes a point of roasting all of their coffees much darker than anyone else, and this gives it a burnt, bitter flavor. Seattle's Best roasts their coffees much lighter, which allows for the natural flavors to stand out

Beyond the better coffees, the staff at Seattle's Best in Belle Meade is great. Marlon, the owner, is really smart, remembers his customers, and always has a smile for everyone. Beth knows coffee really well, knows the Nashville coffee scene, and has time for everyone who comes through the door. When I asked for a brew, she offered both the darker and medium roasts. I made a point that I always preferred medium roasts, but Beth made a point of offering me a sample of the dark roast without being asked. I still preferred the medium, but she made a point that she believed in the product and wanted me to give it a chance. She was a superior barista, and a benefit to the store.

At this point, it should not be need be stated that Seattle's Best is a great place for a cup of coffee. I've been multiple times, enjoyed the experience every time, and appreciated how much the people behind the counter enjoy what they do. If you're in Belle Meade, there's no reason to go anywhere else.

Dunn Brothers: a Chain with no weak links

Dunn Brothers Coffee
401 Church Street
Nashville, TN 37219
615-252-2567
Local Nashville Website

I'm going to tell you a secret. This bit of information is something that runs deep in me, and has grown in me as long as I've been drinking coffee regularly. I really can't stand Starbucks. It's not because it's a chain, but I have every reason to believe it doesn't help. I find their coffee bitter, overpriced, and uncreative. Generally, I think the snobbery at Starbucks is just as great at some of the Hillsboro coffee spots, and for no good reason. I consider it the McDonald's of coffee: ubiquitous, over-branded, and just greedy.

But chains don't have to be bad: Dunn Brother's, downtown on 4th Ave. N, is definitely a great coffee shop that is also a chain, and definitely gives you your money's worth for good coffee.

To begin, the place is deceptively large: at first you think it might just be this tiny store, but when you find the steps down to the back, it actually holds far more with their small couch areas and their restaurant-style tables. A place that first feels dark and cramped suddenly becomes open and brightly lit. That's especially welcome when coming in from the brutally hot Nashville summer downtown.

They roast their coffee onsite, so it's going to be fresh. They have a wife variety of coffee drinks, ranging from basic brews, all the way to the high end frappes and flavored espresso creations. They have several fine baked goods, excellent wifi, and friendly and knowledgeable staff. If I have a question, not only do they have the answer, they often volunteer information about making it yourself or how to enjoy it better.

Something else that's neat is when you walk in and find the owner roasting his own beans. He'll talk about his methods, and make recommendations. It adds to the experience greatly.

Now my main caveat (and the main reason I don't go more often) is the fact that it's in the L&C building downtown: therefore, no parking. There's just no cheap way to get there if you come by car. So I really only go there when I have more pressing reasons to get downtown. Also, due to the awkward layout of one-way streets, it might be slightly hard to find. My best recommendation is to take Church St., then turn south (the only direction to go) onto 4th Ave., and it will be on the right in the blink of an eye. Don't miss it.

Beyond complexities of getting there, Dunn Brother's Coffee is a great place to get your java on. It's tasty, reasonably priced, and fun to hang out at. If you can get there, you should really enjoy it.

Starbucks Cafe Via: Great but Expensive

Not many moons ago, Starbucks started marketing their own line of Instant Coffee, called Via. It is not sold in cannister, plastic jars, or small tubs, like most others are, but in small sealed packets, much like the sugar-free drink packets you drop into bottle of water.

Now, I found a way to get a free sample via the mail (pun intended), so I ordered it, and waited. I was at the grocery store not longer after, and checked it out: my eyes nearly popped out of my head: it came to about a dollar a packet. One dollar for a cup of coffee. Out-freaking-rageous.

Now, I'll go to a coffeeshop, and spend $2 for a brew, $3.50 for a espresso-based drink, or up to five dollars for a frappe of one kind or another, but I will not spend $1 for a drink I have to make myself under any circumstances. If I am going to have coffee that's a little pricier, I want it to be the highest quality, and no instant can ever do that.

That being said, I will say that it is the best instant coffee I have ever had. No question about it. When the sample came in the mail, I boiled some water, dumped it in, stirred, and tried it. I also let my wife sample it. We agreed that it is definitely the best instant coffee we've ever had. You can even taste the Starbucks roast coming through.

Now, it is still not worth the cost in my eyes. First, I am not a Starbucks aficionado. Starbucks is very bitter and more expensive than necessary. Second, it's not as good as several of the local roasters and coffeeshops. If I can support a Crema, a Billy Goat Coffee, or a Bongo Java, I would prefer to whenever I can. Third, there are so many things you can do at home to make an easy and tasty simple cup of joe.

If you're a Starbucks fan, and you're willing to put up the premium for the best instant coffee around, then Via is a good choice. I just won't be buying it myself.