It was a dark and stormy ni- Just kidding. It was a lively yet slightly bone-chilling night in downtown Nashville, Tenn. I had planned on dropping by another local shop in town, but they closed early. Fortunately, with me being there overnight, I had a surplus of time. This lead me to seek out an extra location in my quest for the perfect cup. 

The challenge was clear, find a shop that was open late on a Friday night that wasn’t “too crowded” (COVID-19 safety in mind). As I looked through the list of nearby coffee shops on maps, a recommendation from a friend came to mind. “Cafe Roze” is a coffee shop and a popular date spot as I would humorously discover. 

The shop itself is situated on a quiet corner in the east district neighborhoods of the city. Some may view this as a con, but I personally believe the opposite. The quiet situation is perfect for those looking to escape the “rat race” of the city. The location also offers the most sought after treasure in the Music City, free street-side parking.

In terms of aesthetic, Cafe Roze is unlike any establishment that serves coffee I have ever been to. The large windows flood the shop with light, and emit the warm glow of the numerous candlelit tables which fill it’s space at night. The space’s choice of white marble tile manages to contrast and compliment the various hues of different settings quite well. The establishment also has a bar customers can sit at, spaced apart for health safety (all employees were also masked as well). 

I arrived expecting a traditional coffee space, but my expectations were exceeded in this. The seating was done through online reservation, but fortunately I was able to get a table as a walk-in which was available for about an hour. I loved every single aspect of the look of the shop, from the illuminating glow of its multiple neon signs, to its formal, yet relaxed attitude and atmosphere. 

I would be remiss to mention that I was slightly out of place demographic-wise with the rest of the crowd at the shop at the time. I was the single photographer who found himself sharing a candlelit dinner with his Canon 80D camera. Some people reached out to me asking if I was sad and/or okay, but I assured them it was quite the opposite as I found the incident quite hilarious. The humor in this sentiment was further reflected when a TikTok I made featuring the photo of my table received over 4,000 views on TikTok, but I digress. 

The Menu at Cafe Roze also matches its simple aesthetic. Easily accessible via a QR code at every table, the virtual menu features a variety of alcoholic and virgin specialty drinks, accompanied with a small yet effective list of coffee drinks you won’t find anywhere else in Nashville. There are also plenty of snack and small meal items as well. The Rose Latte was my personal favorite. The waiter recommended it for it’s strawberry hues, which mixed well with the espresso drink. It was made with real rose extract, and actual rose petals in the drink itself.

Overall, Cafe Roze offered a very pleasant stop-in experience, with what I can only expect to equate to an even better longer-term sit down service. Whether you’re looking for a great spot to take a date in East Nashville, or just a quick place to grab a cup of coffee in your Tuxedo, Cafe Roze delivers a high class experience, in a local neighborhood corner. I definitely plan to return to this cozy corner of “Nashvegas”, albeit with a group of friends or an extra camera in tow.