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!
Located in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, Americano Lounge is a coffee and cocktails hotspot. This past Tuesday afternoon, we opted for coffee, although our homework load this midterms season made that a tough decision.
Hannah’s Order: Americano
Given the name, I felt trying the americano was necessary. In terms of flavor I thought it was very nice without any burnt taste that many americanos succumb to. The only negative was that, when I was halfway through the drink, there were some coffee grounds in the cup, which made the following sips somewhat unpleasant. Overall though, I thought the americano lived up to its namesake and the rouge coffee grounds were likely an unfortunate, one-time incident.
Score: 4 cups
Americano’s brewed coffee was strong in flavor, but nothing to rave about.
Alexa’s Order: Brewed coffee
Looking for my caffeine fix, I ordered a brewed coffee. I was disappointed that it came in a latte mug instead of the taller type of mug that drip coffee usually comes in. For $3.55 including tax, this was a pricy drink for how simple it was; in comparison, I bought a drip coffee for $1.91 at Portland Brew on 12 South on Sunday. All things considered, I enjoyed the taste of my coffee but wouldn’t pay for it again.
Score: 3 cups
The interior of Americano Lounge is classic and refined, with velvet and leather details that harken back to 1930’s New York. It’s easy to imagine how the space transitions into a jazz bar on weekends. However, the dark interior and more formal decorations felt a little stuffy for a coffee shop. Its dim lighting made for a less than desirable study space.
Americano Lounge shines in its interior decor, which gives the location a refined and antique style.
If you’re in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood and trying to get some homework done, I would recommend going to Humphrey’s Street Coffee, which is just a few blocks from Americano Lounge. And if you’re looking for an alcoholic drink, Jackalope Brewing Company is right across the street from Americano Lounge.
This coffee shop had a unique theme but wasn’t our favorite in the area.
The venue also features “jazzy” cocktails if you’re looking for something a little stronger than coffee at happy hour.
