Wow, this coffee blog has taken on wings and people are hitting the local establishments in droves! That's exactly what we hoped for. Just this week alone, Quills Coffee in St. Matthew, Fantes, and The Paddock in Shelbyville were rocking and slurping. Because of some of the feedback we received from YOU, we updated this post with new info and a few additional locations.
Coffee in the Ville...What’s open? What’s not?
My business life consisted of meeting in Louisville coffee shops for a long time. Then, the COVID-19 virus said “Nope, not going to happen for a while.” But I will not let the pandemic put our great local coffee shops under! So, with my mask in hand, sanitizer in my holster, and gas in the truck, I set out to visit my “old friends” and find information that will hopefully help you too.
Go on a journey with me now to these local places as I share updates on what you’ll find at each one for coffee, food, and seating for business meetings or hanging with a friend.
Note that the star (★) indicates my top choices for drinking coffee and going there to meet or work.
Pregame Coffee - This is the newest addition to the list. You must check it out. You can even book parties here. Yes, parties. Remember those?! They've got big TVs and baristas who seem to love what they do.
The Bean Roastery - The Bean has incredible seating and, in the summer, huge garage doors that open. They roast their own beans. Unfortunately, they are only take out right now and are not offering indoor seating. You can still drink up though!
★ Fante’s - 2501 Grinstead Drive
This is a staple of mine ever since I first heard of them. I love the atmosphere and the people. They have baked goods that are delicious. They’re not my favorite coffee roast in town but it’s still good. They are open for seating which is a win!
Please and Thank You - 2341 Frankfort Avenue
This place is just, plain cool, especially when you can sit inside. They aren’t currently allowing that. They’re doing pick-up only. But they love loud music. They don’t believe in caffeine-free. There are always lots of plants around. Good swag items. It’s a vibe.
Heine Bros - 2309 Frankfort Avenue
Formerly known as Vint, this small location had limited seating even before a pandemic. So it only makes sense they’d choose to only have their drive-thru open while social distancing is still encouraged.
Christmas Morning Cafe - 2359 Frankfort Avenue
The coziness of Christmas all year long – what a concept! They have outside heated tents which is great for meeting with someone, especially when social distancing is a concern. I believe the “Christmas” aesthetic is more evident inside though, and that’s the whole point. They have limited seating inside because it’s a small building.
They also offer a full breakfast and lunch menu, curbside service, takeout, and I am sure there is an Elf on the Shelf somewhere. I think of this place as “Griswald’s Coffee.” I wasn’t in the mood to go in when I was on this venture; however, I was fascinated by what I saw from afar. If you’re looking for that holiday kind of joy, I suggest checking this place out.
★ Quills Firehouse - 802 East Main Street
As always, this coffee brand provides customers with an awesome interior and a great atmosphere. That’s why this place has become a go-to for young professionals working around downtown. They are open for seating which is the biggest win in my book right now. They have modified their hours due to COVID which is 7AM-5PM most days.
Please and Thank You - 800 East Market
Like their location on Frankfort Avenue, they are doing pick-up only here. This was their original location before they expanded.
78 Coffee - 907 East Liberty Street
This is a business for wholesale and online orders. They no longer offer retail or a brick and mortar building you can frequent.
★ Quills - 930 Baxter Avenue
Thankfully this location follows suit with its other ones. Open seating and what a treat because their interiors are so well done. That’s why it’s my top choice if I’m in this part of town. It’s also their original location.
Highlands Coffee - is a comfy hangout spot, dog friendly, diet-friendly, with pastries, smoothies, and even some food. They love playing Death Cab music. The coffee is great! Right now, it’s not open for seating and only offers take out.
Day’s Expresso & Coffee - 1420 Bardstown Road
Day’s has tasty coffee but very limited seating. It’s a small shop but it’s been around for decades so it’s a staple.
Panera Bread - 1534 Bardstown Road
CLOSED FOREVER!
Heine Bros - 1250 Bardstown Road, 2200 Bardstown Road, and 3060 Bardstown Road.
Heine Brothers has 3 locations in this neck of the woods. All of them are drive-thru only right now.
Safai Coffee - 1707 Bardstown Road
Safai is currently focused on curbside service. When it’s open, I like to visit inside. It’s very small but it’s a great example of the Highlands aesthetic.
Sunergos - 1647 Norris Place
It doesn’t feel the same when you can’t hang out inside this place, and they only have a few outdoor chairs even when it’s warm enough. But their roasts are featured in many other restaurants and places, so they’re excellent coffee is easy to come by. It almost has a cult following! Don’t forget their original and extremely popular location not too far from there at 2122 S. Preston Street.
Why would you go here if you find yourself near so many other, local options mentioned above?
★ Quills Coffee - 117 St Matthews Ave #3117
I found that ALL Quills locations are open for great coffee and seating. They’ve done a great job blocking off certain seats so that no one is too close to each other. Plus, they still have their usual, homemade treats to accommodate the drinks. Enjoy!
Heine Bros - 4305 Shelbyville Road
This is one of my favorite coffee shops for its interior. COVID has them only serving via drive-thru right now. If the weather is nice, you can go through the drive-thru and then sit outside using the outdoor furniture they have.
Starbucks - 4400 Shelbyville Road
Working around a bunch of young coffee experts, I have come to realize that Starbucks falls way down the list for good coffee; however, it’s a great meeting spot in most cities. Unfortunately, all Starbucks are drive-thru or walk-in/walk-out right now in Louisville. If you need to bring coffee to a meeting, this might be your most efficient option. But it’s not the place to host a meeting with someone nor will it offer the quality options you can get from many local places.
★ Panera Bread - 13000 Shelbyville Rd
The best place for meeting and coffee right now. Food is excellent, coffee is not artisanal, but it gets the job done with consistent quality plus free refills (whoop-whoop). The seating is usually easy to come by.
Heine Bros - 805 Blankenbaker Parkway
This location is Drive-Thru only as of January. It’s my away from home office/meeting space; however, COVID has them only serving drive-thru right now. It’s where you will find me when things are back to “normal” (That’s kind of a funny statement now.) It’s only a few miles from our office (The Marketing Squad’s HQ) which is located at 13040 Eastgate Park Way Suite 108.
Cafe 920 (within Southeast Christian Church) - 920 Blankenbaker Parkway
A hidden secret in Louisville for connecting with someone over a warm drink! There’s nothing like mixing coffee and Jesus! This space is closed for now, but in the past, on an average weekday it was an easy place to find a seat. It’s much larger and more open than most of our local coffee shops. There’s never a line, except on Sundays.
Starbucks - Corner of Blakenbaker and Shelbyville Road
From my research, I’ve heard this location is CLOSED for good!
Starbucks - 12620 Shelbyville Road
Just a minute or two down the road from the places I just referenced, you’ll find a Starbucks branch that’s only been around a couple years. Right now, it’s drive-thru only. In the past, the drive-thru line has been so long, it cuts into Middletown traffic. It seems to be more of a grab-and-go location anyways, which means when they’re open for seating again, it’s not a bad place to check out if you need to meet with someone.
JW Cafe and Coffee - This is a small bakery with baked goods and coffee. So because of it's size, it may not always provide ample room for meeting someone, but our team has worked here before when our wi-fi went out. It was very close to our old office. It's also a good place to stop in and grab something to go for breakfast or lunch. Their food is tasty with many East Asian-inspired recipes including bibimbap.
Panera Bread on Hurstbourne This one falls in line with the other Panera’s as a top spot to meet people and do business. I ran into several people I had not seen in years while working. Not gonna lie, I bring my own vanilla creamer to put in the coffee….(shh, don’t tell my wife!)
★ Panera Bread - 10451 Champion Farms Drive
Again, this restaurant is always one of my first choices to meet someone for lunch or just coffee, especially right now. The details on food, drink, and perks that I mentioned above apply here.
★ Ntaba Coffee House - 2407 Brownsboro Road
I wasn’t familiar with this place prior to last year. They specialize in African coffee. It is open for seating and I highly recommend it! They have additional locations in Mellwood Art Center and Mom’s Music.
Heine Bros - 4901 Brownsboro Road
It’s another drive-thru only option but, as I’ve said, I’m fond of their brand. If you’re passing by, it’s at the first corner just off Exit 22 from the Watterson. It’s an easy in and out.
★ Please and Thank You - 9561 US-42
This location is offering open Seating. They also have heated, outdoor seating. Go get some coffee from here ASAP!
Mozza Pi - 12102 LaGrange Road
This is a hidden gem. Incredible food – authentic, artisanal pizza – and good coffee. The atmosphere is the best, but there are no outlets for plugging in, so you can’t work from there very long. Right now, it’s take-out only. This place is also near The Marketing Squad office. So you’ll find me here a lot when we can dine-in again.
Same details as the Starbuck locations in other neighborhoods
The Fix - 10616 Meeting Street
They serve 78 Coffee and they are open for seating. It’s very small and quiet here.
Brick and Mortar. I love this little gem in the heart of Simpsonville on Shelbyville Road. The venue is cool, seating is a little limited, but the Tumeric Chai Latte with pepper is a MUST. It may sound wild, but that's what makes it so awesome. You can even buy tea towels here and they ARE open for seating. Woo!
★ The Paddock - 700 Main Street
Their interior is best described as Kentucky distillery-inspired. They are open for seating with ample room. This kind of place is great to have in a small town like Shelbyville so let’s show them our support!
6th and Main - 547 Main Street
They have limited seating but you can meet in here. They focus only on coffee rather than dining. Their old building has been used for many different businesses for over 150 years! So it’s worth a visit.
Pearl Street Game and Coffee - I love this venue because it's a quaint, house-like setting. They have lots of games available for you to play and great coffee, of course. I highly recommend. Sometimes you can even run into a specialty cabinet and shutter extraordinaire. They are open to seating so meet up with a friend or colleague here soon.
Coffee Crossings - They have 4 locations in Southern, IN, so they're kind of a local staple. They've got a great atmosphere, great community values, and they're open to seating.
I’m hoping to meet with people one-on-one more often these next few months, as safely as possible, to talk about business growth AND to support these local places. If you’d like to meet to talk about your own business goals, let me know here! I’d be honored to have a cup of coffee with you.
My only other question is, now that you’ve read my updates, which coffee are you craving the most right now?
Copyright 2024 The Marketing Squad | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Terms of Service
