Friends and fellow coffee fanatics Hannah and Alexa review Nashville’s new and lesser-known coffee shops in their column “Hannah, Alexa and Joe.” Alexa writes, and Hannah is behind the camera. Check back each Tuesday to find your new favorite cup of joe!
Everyone knows about Pastaria— the Italian restaurant is locally famous for its delicious pasta and classy atmosphere. Equal in quality yet lesser in notoriety is Sump Coffee, located right next door.
On the floor level of an office building, both Pastaria and Sump place a high value on quality (you know a coffee shop is fancy when its least expensive pour over coffee costs five dollars). That being said, their proximity and quality are where the similarities end.
Sump focuses on coffee, something it does extremely well. They offer several specialty pour over coffees from around the world, espresso drinks and seasonal drinks. Keep reading for our assessments of the menu.
Hannah’s order: “Sumpkin” Spice Latte
Being the first cool day of the fall, I figured I would get the Sump version of a classic Pumpkin Spice Latte to match the mood outside. I am usually wary of these drinks because of the overwhelming sweetness, but that was not the case with this drink– it was the perfect combination of pumpkin flavor and espresso with no accompanying sugar rush. The espresso had a smooth flavor that was able to hold its own and I was still able to enjoy the abundance of fall flavors in my drink. It was on the pricey side for a latte, but if you are craving a fall drink and are willing to splurge, this is definitely the drink to order.
Score: 5 out of 5 cups
Alexa’s order: Chocolate Latte
This drink was listed as the “Chocolate Milk Latte,” but the barista referred to it as the “Chocolate Latte” so I’m going to go with that name. This latte was just sweet enough to cover the bitterness of the espresso. The chocolate was smooth, rich and definitely the dominant flavor. I’m not sure how it was different than a mocha, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. My only complaint is the price—six dollars for a glorified mocha.
Score: 4 out of 5 cups
The interior of Sump is simple and industrial without feeling too dark or cold. The coffee bar is mostly exposed to the shop, which is just one room. The simplicity of the red chairs and simple wood tables reminded us of Ikea.
The eastern-facing wall of Sump is entirely made up of windows, which reminded us of Cafe Ma’kai’s abundant sunlight. It was a cloudy day when we visited Sump, but neither the weather nor the gray interior made it feel too dark. I thought I would prefer a cozier spot like Frothy Monkey on such a gloomy day, but the interior of Sump was still conducive to doing homework. Rain or shine, Sump Coffee would be a great coffee shop to go to if you need to sit and get things done.
The outside area had a bocce ball area and several tables, so on a warmer day I would definitely take advantage of the seating outside.
Overall, Sump was a quality coffee shop that we definitely plan to visit again!
