Atlanta Shops Offering Coffee, Cocktails, and Community

Kristin Radcliffe and Mary Tveit opened the Reading Room in downtown Decatur intending to offer a variety of beverages at any time of day. Now, months later, their mission has been accomplished. Coffee options range from espresso shots to cold brew and cortados, while cocktails such as the Corpse Reviver and the flavorful, bright green Grasshopper invite patrons to stick around for a while. “During the day, we open at 7 a.m.,” Tveit says, “and we stay busy all day long.”

Choosing between a caffeine jolt and a cocktail has gotten easier for Atlantans recently with multiple spots implementing similar philosophies to the Reading Room. Over in Grant Park, Little Tart’s popular After Dark series has attracted customers eager to sample the menu of drinks and bites, while the monthly After Hours event at Harbor Coffee combines artistic programming with special beverages. And in Riverside, Bellwood Coffee offers neighbors a friendly space for working, studying, or barfly buzzing.

Though each spot has a unique story behind its post-coffee hours, the commonality is seeking community. In psychology, a “third place” suggests somewhere outside work or home to gather with others. Bellwood co-founder Charles Norman says Riverside was missing such a place.

“When we took on the space, we knew we wanted to do beer, wine, and cocktails; we really wanted to be that place for people past the afternoons and into the evenings,” he says. “It’s tough to do that with just coffee.”

Amy Gregg, director of operations at Little Tart, explains that After Dark is a combined effort she shares with managers Madi Bolton and Sofia Garcia, and the idea was born on a team-building trip to France. “Paris has great wine and small venues, and everything is executed with simplicity and elegance,” Gregg says. “We said we want to do this in Atlanta.”

The local artistic community has found an after-hours coffee shop at Inman Park’s Harbor Coffee thanks to co-owner Caitlin Hemmer. “I love and appreciate when cafes open their spaces to local artists — it’s my heart and soul,” she says. “We ask artists to curate events, and we have a stage at the front of the shop. It’s great to see people showcase what they’ve been working on.”

Though drinkers of black coffee might disagree, caffeinated beverages and cocktails can involve a creative touch, and these coffee shops are eager to share how. While patrons can still order a standard vodka-soda-lime, visiting a coffee shop at twilight is a great reason to branch out and order something made especially for that location by its baristas and mixologists.

The team at the Reading Room brought on lead barista Emmett Munzing because of his knowledge of both coffee and cocktails, as well as his local following. One of the shop’s bestsellers is Munzing’s take on a Grasshopper, adding ice cream, absinthe, and Fernet.

Little Tart’s use of seasonal produce and local products carries over to its evening drink menu. The Strawberry Spritz, for example, features berries from Georgia-based Love is Love Farm, and makes a refreshing strawberry frozen margarita. There are always a few rotating drinks for the season, as well as classic standbys.

For those craving an espresso martini — a logical whim at a coffee shop turned bar — the one concocted by Nathan Nerswick at Bellwood is a must-try. Also recommended is the Mermaid Magik: a drink consisting of dried seaweed-infused gin, sherry, lime cordial, Meletti, and soy. “It perfectly toes the line of balancing savory and sweet, and makes you feel like you just stepped out of the sea,” says Norman, who hired Nerswick as assistant manager at Bellwood’s Peachtree location, then promoted him to general beverage director.

“I’ve never met anyone who dives deeper into the things they’re passionate about than Nathan,” he says. “He’s extremely flavor-curious and is constantly coming up with unique drinks that most people would never think of.”

The Reading Room

Evening food menus for coffee shops are far from fries, tenders, and other standard bar fare. Instead, expect sophisticated options such as charcuterie boards and creative small plates. Little Tart visitors can indulge in homemade desserts or quell a savory craving with dips, pickled eggs, focaccia with onion jam, and more. And evening fare at the Reading Room includes the Bougie, Classic, feta, and veggie boards, all ideal for sharing.

For all four of these locations, the best is still brewing. Harbor Coffee looks forward to incorporating homemade coffee syrups into a creative mocktail menu, including a no-booze espresso martini; Bellwood Riverside is finessing a new food menu; Little Tart is planning more special events (similar to the one it had this past Valentine’s Day); and the Reading Room is welcoming local musical acts.

“Bellwood was a dream for a few years before we launched in 2018,” says Norman. “We wanted to create a place that people love going to because they were treated like friends – and where they could be blown away by the coffee and the signature drinks.”