A Coffee Shop For All Seasons

Tucked into bustling Hillsboro Village amongst a handful of other coffee establishments sits an unobtrusive little shop, bare-boned but welcoming. It is simply, Hot & Cold. Another in the city's famed Bongo Java chain, Hot & Cold keeps it simple: hot drinks, cold treats. Sounds like a play on the Dairy Queen slogan, but the result is anything but kitschy.

The small shop is edgy, contemporary, with an almost industrial warehouse-turned-loft vibe. The coffee menu features a few staples and some Fido favorites (the two coffeehouses are on the same block on 21st Ave. S) while the tea and desserts are scrawled in chalk on blackboard paint. The shop serves Partners Tea, made right here in Nashville.

For those with a hankering for something sweet, the cold side of Hot & Cold serves up local favorite Las Paletas (Mexican-style popsicles) and Jeni's Ice Cream. Based in Ohio, Jeni's uses natural ingredients and inventive combinations to create flavors like bourbon butter pecan and sweet potato with marshmallows. Yummy! And what a wonderful treat when paired with Bongo Java's coffee!

Chocolate lovers will enjoy local Olive & Sinclair chocolate either poured atop your ice cream, mixed into your coffee, or simply served in a cup for your sipping enjoyment. Yes, Hot & Cold has a  vat of warmed drinking chocolate. Like espresso, a little goes a long way but is worth the indulgence.

Hot & Cold is not only a great place to get coffee, it's a one-stop shop for several Nashville favorites. If you don't want to wait in the long lines at those other coffee shops in the Village, stop into Hot & Cold for your pick-me-up treat!

The End Notes:

• Friendly staff spend time making sure you get just the drink you're craving--even if you aren't quite sure what it is you're in the mood for!
• Modern atmosphere is fun, but not good for cozying up to discuss great American literature, theological issues, or that group project that's due at the end of the semester. 
• Because of it's location right in the middle of the block on busy 21st Ave. it is near-to-impossible make a special trip to visit Hot & Cold. This place thrives on foot traffic.