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Category: Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: DowntownMon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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I am not what you'd consider a coffee person, but Crema makes me want to consider becoming more of a coffee person. I've been hearing about Crema for a long time, and finally I took the time to get on over to Hermitage Road and have a cup.
This is serious coffee. They have their selection of espresso drinks, but if you come to Crema looking for a macchiato, you are going to get a real macchiato in all of it's 4 oz. splendidness. Like I said, if you're more of a coffee drink person than an espresso shot person they've got an enticing selection of those as well. I had to ask the woman working at the counter what most of the menu items meant - "con panna", "cortado", "ristretto". These all sound like Italian musical terms, but they're all different way of serving espresso. All of my questions were answered extremely knowledgeably, and I now know a lot more about the true art of preparing espresso than I used to.
I ordered the Cafe Lutito, one of Crema's summer special drinks. It's a cafe au lait spiced with Crema's own simple syrup, infused with cinnamon and other powerful flavors. This was soo good and the quality of the homemade sugar syrup could not be denied. The other summer special drink being offered is the Cafe Tom Kai. Much like the Thai soup of the same name, it's characteristics are coconut and even kaffir lime leaves. Go Crema.
People thought this was:
OK, this place has hands-down the best espresso based drinks in Nashville. They make the best cappuccino I've had outside of Italy. The Cuban is great, iced or hot, the Americano is superb and their large is 3 shots!
Beware, frequenting CREMA will make your current favorite coffee shop feel inadequate!
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After my second attempt, I understood the mystique of CREMA. Perhaps the first time, I got a barista who was having a bad day, and I also believe my expectations were wrong. Now I know: this is truly a good place for coffee.
To begin with, the barista on my second trip was extremely friendly, and took his time explaining what the shop did and why they did it, which is always a draw for me. Second, the coffee in and of itself really is something special. Whether it's the quality of the bean, the process of making it, the skill of the barista, or all of the above, they make a really good brew. The Iced Mocha (my drink of choice) was not brimming with chocolate flavor, but that allowed the truly good coffee to shine through.
Now parking is nightmarish, and the store is just plain ugly. The addition of the outdoor deck was attractive, but it stole a couple of the front parking spots. I ended up parking reasonably close, even though my spot was behind the store. As for the store itself, it was as if they put the small kitchen and tables in a garage, painted the walls, and left it otherwise as is, and it is so bohemian, it's flat out ugly.
But, the coffee itself is worth the trip a mile down Hermitage Ave. to get to CREMA. Be prepared for the place to be packed. But, there's a reason for that, and when you take that first sip, you'll know why.
Great place to stop by for coffee, fresh baked goodies, and crush email or just relax. Good way to start a day.
I spend a lot of my time in Seattle and love great coffee. To me, Crema beats out many of the Seattle shops hands down. Pretty great coffee, and atmosphere. I'll be back.
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Crema is absoulutely the best coffee. I love going to this coffee shop.
hands down, this is the best cup of coffee in town - if you get it via the French Press. I'll order the large French Press and sit a spell to read or work. They also feature locally made pastries. The vibe is cool - all the woodwork and everything is reclaimed, so they've got a 'green' angle. They also support a lot of local nonprofits. Rachel (founder) is there most days, too, and she knows what she's doing.
I am sorry for you if you have never been to Crema. They are Nashville's coffee landmark for good reason. They're simply the best. The café Tom Kai is my favorite. I'm not going to describe the drink...because it would offend the coffee gods....just go and try one when it's available.
There are not many kind of days that Crema cannot make better.
I still don't quite know what's in it, but try the cafe tom kai. Smooth. Tasty. Kind of coconutty. Mmm...
Today I couldn't resist a brownie, well, a "brookie," and it was fresh and yum, and just the right size to gobble chocolate and still be a lady about it.
I love Crema. Really. So good.
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I almost gave up on this place, because it was never open when I thought to go, but I'm glad I tried… Read more »
Crema has kind of made me think of Starbucks as sub-par. It's kind of made every other coffee shop I've ever been to seem sub-par.
Crema serves finer coffee and espresso and has a menu full of things you may never have heard of before. I drilled poor Rachel upon my first visit for information on their drinks, and she explained everything patiently and thoroughly - so much so that I want to go back every day and try something new!
As soon as you walk in the door, you are welcomed by the yummy smell, the friendly service (suck that Bongo!) and the amazing menu full of so many different inspirations that you feel like you have to come back the next day to try another new one. I like the iced Cuban but it's an indulgence (condensed milk is all I'm saying). Their cappuccino is amazing, too. They also have some tasty summer specials up at the moment - try the Cafe Lutito iced.
My colleagues and I were looking for a place to kill some time before we left for the airport. Since there didn't appear to be any options for decent coffee near the airport, we decided to just find the best one around. Enter: Crema.
It's a little out of the way if you don't have a car, but it's not a far walk -- a little over half a mile -- from downtown.
When you walk in, you'll see only a few comfy chairs, a bar behind the counter, stools facing the window and view of the street, and small tables. It was cozy and spacious, if that makes any sense.
The menu is as straightforward as it can get, which is refreshing if you've ever ordered at any other chain coffeehouse or wannabe. Unfortunately, they were out of my first choice of drink, but my second choice -- an iced mocha -- did not disappoint. My colleague remarked that he wanted to try everything on the menu, which we could have and still not have broken the bank.
Crema is also a good place to get work done, especially if you have work to do online. Wi-fi is free; you just have to request the key from the friendly staff. The atmosphere is quiet, which makes sense. The location is out of the way, and you'd have to go out of your way to find it. Totally worth it. And when we go to the airport and found out our flight had been delayed by a couple of hours, we regretted leaving.
People thought this was:
So even though the location is slightly out of the way, I will definitely make the detour just for the drinks. Today I had lunch at Fido, but instead of getting coffee there, I stopped off at Crema on my way back to the East Side. Their coffee and espresso is just the best in town. They use Drew's Brew's which I do like better than Bongo Java and their specialty drinks have flavor not just sugar and whip cream on top. The service is great and the ladies that own the joint are so friendly every time I stop. Definitely check this place out.
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Without a doubt, best coffee and espresso drinks in and near town
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I've never been to Seattle, but this place is what I think of when I think of a true coffee shop. Defining name, excellent coffee, sweet staff, and industrial/modern/I don't give a rats behind about anything but our coffee vibe.
The place is constantly packed. But I have a secret for you (or not so secret). If you get your great cup of coffee to go, and park behind the market next door, you have one of the best views of down town. It's a great viewing spot for 1st Avenue and the Cumberland and the three hundred bridges that cross it. Seriously, early in the morning this is BEA-tiful.
People thought this was:
Deal with this as a fact. The best coffee in Nashville.
Opened up a little over a year ago by a true coffee lover who decided to infect everyone around with what great coffee tastes like. Ive kinda been ruined ever since cause, Im always comparing coffee I get other places with what I find here.
Rachel, the owner, uses Drews Brews Coffee, which is a local roaster who also truly loves his craft.
Be it the Cortado, Cuban, the destructive Car Bomb, or the drip, you will be happy with this quaint spot that truly cares.
People thought this was:
The best coffee shop in nashville, hands down. espresso pulled by people who know what they are doing and a drink menu that is not over-sugared and underflavoured. rachel and crew have a great think goin on.
I have to agree with much of what Brent W. says about this place. It has so much potential, so I really hope that it sticks around long enough to make something of itself. I am not a huge coffee drinker, so I usually order the sweeter drinks at coffee shops, or choose the non-coffee drinks like hot cocoa or apple cider. But I tried the iced mocha at Crema and it was just the perfect amount of coffee flavor for me.
What I loved about the place was the feel. The girl at the counter was super friendly, and the place just seemed like a spot where I could stay and read a book for a few hours and no one would mind. Unfortunately, my visits are usually to or from work, so I don't have much time to linger, but I have seen folks with laptops and folks reading the paper, and I'm just jealous they are not in a hurry.
They do not much in the way of snacks, but maybe my visits have been so late in the day that they are just out of pastries. They did have some organic muffins and cookies, which looked good, but I don't think they were made in-house. I am ALL for Brent's idea of having Sweet 16th snacks at Crema... It would also be dangerously close to my workplace, and distance is the one thing stopping me from gaining 5 pounds a week with my Sweet 16th addiction.
People thought this was:
i've only recently gotten into good coffee. and even more new to me than that is iced coffee. that's where i'll focus, because the iced vietnamese coffee here is, in a word:
resplendent.
as a man that prides himself on being able to express fully and explicitly every thought that is hatched in my grey matter, i simply cannot convey the experience that is this cup of iced coffee. miss/mrs proprietor of this business, i salute you. you have stifled me in a way only one other woman has been able to.
eric b
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Thank you again, Yelp community, for spreading the good word about a place like Crema.
I really don't know much about coffee, and what I do know comes from infrequent visits to Starbucks. So when I entered Crema and was asked by the very nice lady what I would like to drink all I could say was "I don't know, please make me something good." And she did.
I had some sort of expresso, and it was very enjoyable. Although I was corrected, and told that you are not actually supposed to shoot them, like a tequila shot. oh well. next time.
I also picked up a locally made muffin from The Wild Muffin.
People thought this was:
The best cup of coffee you will find in Nashville. Seriously. It reminds me of coffee you would get in France or Spain. 98% of the time your espresso will be pulled by the owner who actually cares about making a good cup of coffee.
The Cuban is made with condensed milk, giving it a nice edge of sweetness, without becoming a syrupy mess. She uses locally roasted beans from Drew's Brews.
The lattes are outstanding too.
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Crema is located on the industrial-feeling stretch of Hermitage Ave. that's just getting discovered by developers. From the front porch, you can see the arcs of the Gateway Blvd Bridge, which is a pretty neat and unique view. The decor is minimal but comfortable, with colorful abstract paintings by a local artist on the wall, fresh flowers in vases, pop indie music playing on the stereo, and solid wooden tables and chairs.
My coffee came in a pleasant clay cup, and was pretty tasty (medium, $1.50). Crema feels like it's run by someone who has her act together and an eye for detail: there's a recycling receptacle next to the trash can, and notices asking customers to vote for Crema in the Scene's Best of Nashville contest and blurbs about the artist who painted the pictures on the walls are distributed throughout the cafe.
In addition to coffee, Crema has Honest Tea, soda, and pastries. I lingered for a couple of hours working on my laptop, and it was quiet enough that I didn't get distracted. Crema is kind of out of the way for me, but I think I'll be motivated to go back and support this new local coffee shop that's ventured to establish itself in a neighborhood that's largely unknown.
So far, I've had 2 drinks.. the Cuban, and the Chai Mate.. and I recommend both. I'm glad these local coffee shops are popping up.
edit: the view/location, though a bit industrial, sets this place apart from the other nashville coffee shops.
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I, stupidly, went somewhere else this morning and instantly regretted it. Rachel & Co. have spoiled me for life.
My new favorite coffee shop. I had a melya and a macchiato this morning (piggy, but all the interest of a good review). The espresso tasted different in each drink, but both times it was rich and slightly sweet, making me want to close my eyes and just enjoy. Not overly bitter, and not, as Starbucks so often is, watery. Like beer, good espresso is a little thick. Also, a double cappuccino is $2.75. Seriously.
I've also tried the biscotti and coffee cakes. They're great. The service was extremely friendly and the shop was bright, clean and welcoming. Free wi-fi and plenty of plugs. Fabulous.
I hope this place makes it. They've established business, but I would like to see them offer less advice and more blends and brands of coffee...especially if they aren't going to go with their own private label. Maybe the coffee they have is just too good for my white-trash taster? I also wish they would go exclusive with somebody like Sweet 16th Bakery and get some honkin' sweets in there. I've tried a few organic muffins...and...um...well...I figured I could might as well go over to a construction site with a jar of molasses and ball me up some sawdust and sheet-rock trim and have just as good-a-time with some hand packed eats.
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Crema, for those not in the know, is the lighter brown rising surface near the top of a shot of Espresso. The fact that the person who started this cafe knew this, and did not name their shop "THE COFFEE BEANERY" or "KICKIN' COFFEE" or "BRUISIN BREWS'" speaks volumes.
This is the coffee shop for the coffee snob - the design and architecture is impecably clean, nothing gimmicky or ultra-modern, just clean and reserved. The espresso is literally perfect, better than the fresh intellegentsia I've had in Chicago, or the best day at Bongo Java - if you're an espresso snob, this is the only place in town.
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I stopped into Crema on my way to go vote today. I had never been able to find the place so when I saw it I made a point to step in. The service was great (and she even gave me directions to the voting place). She suggested the dark chocolate-blueberry mocha (there was a fancier name but I dont remember it). It was lovely, not too sweet, and a little on the welcomed-bitter side. I also had a "brookie", half-cookie, half-brownie that was a nice afternoon bite of something sweet.
i concur with other reviewers that it would be great if they got some more sweet-treat options like cupcakes or fresh cookies (the cookies and muffins looked pre-packaged).
Crema is a newer coffee house in the down town area of Nashville. I like this place it has a fresh interior that is conducive to hanging out and getting in some good coffee drinkage. After reading some of the Yelp reviews for this place, I was surprised to see a lot of people saying "I hope this place makes it". I don't see how it could not make it. The service there is spectacular and they are very friendly, without being cheesy and over friendly. Not to mention, their drinks are very good. The day I went, I had the Chai Mate, which was not too frothy and spot on in the taste department. As long as they keep serving good drinks coupled with their fantastic service, I see no reason why this place would go under. I will be back next Saturday!
People thought this was:
loved it! great little folksy coffee house that really puts an emphasis on quality. would like to return if i pass through again
Proprietor Rachel Lehman loves hot espresso talk. Ask her about her distinctive espresso offerings or that strong coffee in general and she'll tell you what you don't know, if other customers have been served. Rachel is a coffee pioneer in this downtown nabe which is budding up new condo homes. The ambiance is austere, but the espresso is tops.
Neighborhood: Belmont/Hillsboro
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Belmont/Hillsboro
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Downtown
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Neighborhood: Downtown
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