Sure, there's a Starbucks at practically every other intersection, but wouldn't you really rather patronize a coffee shop where you can soak up some local atmosphere? If so, your first stop should be downtown, to the Center for Southern Folklore, Pembroke Square (tel. 901/525-3655; www.southernfolklore.com). It's a one-of-a-kind cafe of culture where you can belt back a cappuccino while admiring local crafts, outsider art, and hear great music almost any time of the day. At the edge of the Cooper-Young neighborhood, you can quaff a cup o' joe and listen to live music or poetry at Otherlands, 641 S. Cooper St. (tel. 901/278-4994). Farther down the street, you'll find Java Cabana, 2170 Young Ave. (tel. 901/272-7210; www.javacabanacoffeehouse.com), a grungy little dive teeming with twentysomethings.
Up the street, Precious Cargo Exchange, 381 N. Main St. (tel. 901/578-8446), is a grittier, more soulful coffee shop that doubles as a funky corner bar and magnet for eccentrics.
For more substantial fare, such as meat-and-cheese sandwiches on grilled focaccia, head east toward Fratelli's in the Garden, 750 Cherry Rd. (tel. 901/685-1566, ext. 118; www.fratellisfinecatering.com). Relocated from downtown to the Memphis Botanic Garden, the market and deli offers tiramisu for dessert, and take-home gourmet pastas, olive oils, cheeses, and imported beers. If the coffee cravings hit while you're shopping in East Memphis, High Point Coffee, 4610 Poplar Ave. (tel. 901/761-6800) is convenient to Oak Court Mall and other upscale retail spots. Beware: Its drive-through is packed during morning rush hour.
The most bucolic view in town can be found inside the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, where the Brushmark Restaurant, 1934 Poplar (tel. 901/544-6225; www.brooksmuseum.org), overlooks the lush greenery of Overton Park. One of the café's signature dishes is the spicy African peanut soup, but the menu is being augmented with other enticing Southern specialties by renowned local chef Wally Joe, who took over in 2007. A special-occasion lunch spot, the bistro is open for lunch daily except Monday, when the museum is closed, and Thursday evening by reservation.
Exquisite quiche Lorraine, zesty tomato bisque, and chicken salad sandwiches on chewy loaves of freshly baked French bread are delectable choices at La Baguette, 3088 Poplar Ave. (tel. 901/458-0900). Well-to-do ladies lunch regularly at this bistro inside tony Chickasaw Oaks shopping center adjacent to the new library. Best of all are the luscious pastries, including photo-worthy fruit tarts, croissants, and éclairs. Farther east, be on the lookout for Davis-Kidd Booksellers. Part coffee shop, part wine bar and cafe with indoor/outdoor seating, Bronte Bistro, 387 Perkins Rd. Extension (tel. 901/374-0881; www.daviskidd.com), located inside the bookstore, is where the intelligentsia gather for delectable salads and sandwiches, conversation, and liquid refreshment.
