Lannae's Food and Travel

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November 18, 2010

On the Edge Take 4


Welcome to the new iteration of the Edgehill Cafe!

tea bar - there are a bunch more now

Edgehill Cafe is under new ownership (again), and the owner wants to and has made Edgehill Cafe into a REAL Respectable Coffee Shop! They are selling Drew's Brews, loose leaf tea, homemade granola bars, dessert bars, housemade curry chicken salad, salads, sandwiches, sodas, bottle water, breakfast bagels, and the other items you expect to find in a breakfast and lunch coffee cafe. The big step up is Drew's Brews and real leaf tea. Now, the only problems are to fix the hours of operation, and to sell coffee beans ground or un-ground by the pound. This place is only open M-F 7am-6pm, and Sat 9am-6pm. M-F I never get out of work before then, so I cannot possibly make it to this coffee shop. There is no Sunday, there is no evening time, which is when I would go to a coffee shop. When I was there, they were not equipped to sell coffee by the pound. That poses a problem because when I stop in for a cup of coffee, and want to buy beans for my home, I want to do one stop shopping. At the old tried and true competition, I actually get a free cup of coffee with every pound of beans I buy. Also at the tried and true place, I can go at 9:30 pm, see a bunch of college kids drinking coffee and studying, get my free decaf and pound of coffee, and fight for parking on the street because there is no parking for this joint. If Edgehill were open later, say to 10 pm, advertise to the Belmont and Vandy crowd to come and drink coffee and study, and sell coffee beans, I would probably make Edgehill my coffee shop of choice because of all the parking available near Edgehill. Also, one Friday evening I met friends at the restaurants across the street for drinks and a bite, we wanted to continue socializing over some coffee before driving home. Alas, we found Edgehill closed after 6 pm. If they were open, there would have been a bunch of us grabbing a coffee or tea and maybe dessert before closing our evening.

some desserts

Other than being closed at all the convenient hours I would go to a coffee shop, there is a lot going for the "Under New Management" Edgehill Cafe. 1st being, the concept is clear. This is a breakfast, lunch and coffee and tea place. It is clear where you go to the counter to order, it is clear where you can go sit and enjoy your food and beverage. It is clear where you can go to the bathroom. It is a clear concept.

The above paragraph may seem strange, but if you had been to any of the previous permutations of past Edgehill Cafe, you would know the former owners were mis-firing at best. Version 1 was a copy shop coffee shop serving generic bad coffee no better than Folgers. It was odd and uncomfortable, and it was impossible to tell who was working, and who was a client. Version 2 was a issues documentary viewing and coffee shop. Yet again, it was not clear where you would order a drink, the seating was uncomfortable, and they never had anything in stock that I wanted. I wanted to like this place, but every single time I went in, it was bad Seattle's Best (aka WORST) coffee, and they never had the sandwich, cookie bar, or soda I wanted. I never bought anything because they never had it in stock. Bad sign, so they went under. Version 3 was some version of a singer/song writer venue. The only people singing at Version 3 were bad song writers singing dribble that no one wants to hear. Also, Version 3 had issues with keeping the fundamental menu items in stock to sell. I grimaced at Version 3.

seating nook before, seating nook after I arranged pillows

Version 4, and current Version 4 is the best permutation of the Edgehill Cafe so far. I really want Version 4 to succeed. I really want to have a nice coffee shop place to go to and relax in. This Version 4 space has been made into something really comfortable and nice. Version 4 is really trying to make decent food (it still as a little ways to go), but if I were ever in this part of town for a quick grab and go lunch, I would stop in and grab some chicken curry salad sandwich and maybe a soda or a coffee or a tea.

more seating

Forget all the bad experiences you may have had at Version 1, Version 2 and Version 3. There is a new Version in town, and it is the all new Edgehill Cafe. Now, if only they could stay open later, I would be really happy.

Edgehill Cafe on Urbanspoon

4 Comments:

At 11/18/10, 9:48 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm intrigued. But what is the deal with places being closed on Sunday in the South - it drives me crazy! Same with the late hours. I was so spoiled living in Chicago.

 
At 11/18/10, 10:01 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Nicole, if only I could go when they are open. I really do like this version of this Coffee Shop.

 
At 11/19/10, 2:16 PM, Blogger Erin said...

I have to giggle at your pillow arrangement - too funny!

I only went there twice while I lived in Nashville, and that was during the Phase 3 you describe. Nothing to really brag about.

 
At 11/20/10, 9:36 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Thank you Erin! (about the pillows) Keep your fingers crossed for this coffee shop, it is really good, but I am afraid that the other versions of Edgehill Coffee may keep people away.

 

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