LiveWell Louisiana

Cool Coffee Spots

These local coffee shops offer some of the best specialty javas served cold.
September 1st, 2016 by: Tara Rozenkranz

If you love coffee and you love New Orleans, then you are familiar with the never-ending decision on how to enjoy your daily fix. The go-to selections are typically iced coffee, cold brew and the mom special (let hot coffee get cold and drink it anyway). Here’s a guide to the most refreshing, invigorating, caffeinated beverages in the city — including cold brew, coffee cocktails and even dessert-worthy coffee options.

STUMPTOWN COFFEE ROASTERS

610 Carondelet St., (504) 900-1180, stumptowncoffee.com

  1. Cold Shot: a cold-brewed hair-bender concentrate infused with nitrogen, yielding a cold, creamy shot of espresso
  2. Duane Sorenson: a cold-brew Arnold Palmer named after Stumptown’s founder — and my personal favorite
  3. Endless Summer: a lightly carbonated, Mint Julep-inspired beverage that caffeinates with a clean, cool feel
  4. Cold Brew: a traditional New Orleans-style cold brew
  5. Nitro: an original cold brew, infused with nitrogen — the rich foamy head cascades through the glass, leaving a wonderful Stumptown Nitro impression of the richness of the drink and its gorgeous presentation
  6. Small Batch, Single Origin: served over ice — simple, yet sophisticated

DISTRICT: DONUTS. SLIDERS. BREW

2209 Magazine St., (504) 570-6945, donutsandsliders.com

  1. Nitro: a smooth, chocolaty,creamy drink — served on draught
  2. Cold Brew: a New Orleans favorite, brewed with 1000 Faces Coffee beans produces a crisp, refreshing beverage
  3. Vietnamese Iced Coffee: served on tap, a sweet, non-coffee lover’s coffee drink that tastes like dessert

HiVOLT

1829 Sophie Wright Place, (504) 324-8818, hivoltcoffee.com

  1. Oji: brewed with a slow cold-drip process, one drop at a time, delivering Japanese-style deliciousness — producing a clean, traditional coffee flavor in which the toasty flavors improve as the ice melts
  2. Japanese Iced: traditional pour-over, brewed over ice yields bright citrus flavors with the choice Yirgacheffe — customizable and perfect for fans of the pour-over process
  3. Smoothie: think chocolate banana that you get at the zoo, but non-dairy and not too heavy, made with almond milk and Counter Culture Coffee beans

MOJO COFFEE HOUSE

1500 Magazine St., (504) 525-2244, mojocoffeeroasters.com

  1. Costa Rican: 20-hour cold brew, iced — a new take on cold brew with a distinct flavor that’s perfect for the sophisticated coffee drinker
  2. Espresso Cocktails: a perfect drink that’s made with espresso, mint julep, main squeeze syrup. The product is a clean, light, citrusy cocktail with a caffeinated flair.
  3. Espresso Tonic: We’ve had other Espresso Tonic but this one is set apart by the strong citrus flavor. If you like lemonade, this may be your drink of choice.

HEY! CAFÉ & COFFEE ROASTERY

4332 Magazine St., (504) 891-8682, heycafe.biz

  1. Nitro Cold Shot: a cold shot blended with nitrogen, producing a creamy, chocolaty experience
  2. Cold Brew: a crisp, refreshing cold brew to enjoy in an environment steeped in the smells of coffee beans

FRENCH TRUCK COFFEE

1200 Magazine St., (504) 298-1115,frenchtruckcoffee.com

  1. New Orleans Iced: a dark roast with chicory (to add complexity, not bitterness), shaken with milk and sugar, and poured over the city’s best crushed iced — available with coconut almond milk for a nondairy version
  2. Oji Drip Iced Coffee: a humble cold brew with a flashy story — this incredible coffee brews drip-by-drip though a brewer that stands approximately 3 feet tall with multiple chambers, reminiscent of a science experiment

THE ORANGE COUCH

2339 Royal St., (504) 267-7327, theorangecouchcoffee.com

  1. Vietnamese Iced Coffee: simple and delicious — your good ol’ Cafe Du Monde ground coffee with chicory, brewed in a traditional Vietnamese method, sweetened with condensed milk and stirred in ice
  2. Espresso Milkshake: vanilla ice cream, a shot of espresso and milk perfectly blended to create a rich, creamy drink, enhanced only by the ground coffee sprinkled on top
  3. Affogato (Italian for “Drowned”): an indulgent scoop of ice cream presented in a chocolate, white chocolate or caramel-lined bowl, covered with a shot of espresso and lightly garnished with coffee grounds

Whether you sip, dip or devour, you’re sure to find a coffee-based drink that will suit your fancy at one of these top-notch local establishments. And who knows? You’ll probably see me there!