Coffee and college students go together like a wink and a smile. In our article about BJU students’ coffee habits, we discovered a significant caffeine habit among the student body. No matter your major, finding your favorite coffee shop for either socializing or quiet study is one of the niceties of the college experience.
BJUtoday has put together a (non-exhaustive) list of coffee and tea houses near BJU to help you in your search for the perfect sip. We’ve limited our list to places fairly close to campus that are locally owned and one-of-a-kind—no Starbucks, here!
Coffee Shops Downtown
Coffee Underground is both coffee house and social hub. A Greenville institution since the early ’90s, Coffee Underground is both a purveyor of excellent coffee and a patron of the arts. CU offers coffee, tea, smoothies and pastries as well as improv comedy nights and poetry slams.
Spill the Beans takes a little cream with its coffee — ice cream, that is. Open and airy while still maintaining the industrial/eclectic aesthetic we love in coffee shops, Spill the Beans is a family treat. With a kid-friendly menu and a location convenient to Falls Park, this is the perfect place to bring friends of all ages for food and fun.
Methodical Coffee, like many of the shops on our list, sells coffee from its own associated roasting company. Located right off of Main Street, Methodical keeps an open, airy space with both ground floor and loft seating. They pride themselves on producing and selling ethically sourced coffee roasted for optimum flavor.
The Village Grind has been a part of the downtown coffee scene since 2014. They serve up beans from Due South Coffee Roasters as well as breakfast pastries from local bakeries. With a focus on community, The Village Grind is all about promoting other small-time, Greenville-based vendors. Co-owner and designer Lindsey George has crafted a serene third space for sharing coffee with friends.
Coffee Shops Not Downtown
Bridge City Coffee is within walking distance from campus, near the BJU Press mall. The Bridge City brand boasts both a coffee shop and a roasting company. Their coffee house features ample seating in a serene, thoughtfully designed space — and serves pastries from the popular Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery (including, occasionally, gluten-free options). This unique shop is quickly becoming a BJU student favorite. Ask about their student discount.
Due South Coffee Roasters is a company very familiar to BJU students. Due South is the official coffee supplier for the Cuppa Jones locations on campus. This local roasting company creates specialty roasts in Taylors. While the business focuses primarily on the roasting half of the coffee business, they have a shop at Hampton Station, outside downtown Greenville near the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery.
Methodical + Landmark Project is on Wade Hampton Boulevard, a short drive from campus. The shop is a coffee and retail store, featuring the best of both worlds. Methodical brews the same signature blends as its downtown location. The Landmark Project sells national parks apparel and gifts printed in Greenville.
Barista Alley is Greer’s favorite coffee stop. Located on downtown Greer’s main thoroughfare, Barista Alley boasts both coffee and crepes among other delicious treats. Relax in one of their comfy couches or perch at the bar in front of the wide window in the shopfront and people watch while you sip away.
The Forest Coffeehouse is the official coffee shop for Travelers Rest’s homegrown Leopard Forest Coffee Co. Leopard Forest got its start in Travelers Rest in 2004 and grew into a business that sells their carefully crafted custom roasts to retailers in Greenville and beyond. Their own coffee shop, The Forest, offers specialty drinks and brewed coffee put together by expert baristas. The Forest is a small and quiet space ideal for coffee and contemplation.
Junto is the star coffee house of the Taylors area. Junto is a coffee wholesaler that ships its in-house-roasted beans across the country. They also have a spacious coffee shop where you can try their thoughtful, sustainably sourced roasts.
Tea Houses
If a cup of joe is not your cup of tea, here are a few of Greenville’s tea houses:
Cosmic Rabbits Tea Co. is close to the hub of downtown’s wheel. A mother-daughter team founded the business to fulfill a shared dream. The Cosmic Rabbits Tea Co. shop sells its custom tea blends (including whimsical flavors like Birthday Cake and Blueberry Cobbler) in a variety of specialty drinks. Get a hot tea, a tea latte, bubble tea or even a tea smoothie in this fun, unique tea house.
O-CHA Tea Bar overlooks the Reedy River on the upper end of Falls Park. Specializing in bubble tea, this small and eclectic tea bar serves tea in a wide range of flavors alongside coffee and pastries. O-CHA is the perfect place to stop for a hot or cold tea on a riverside walk.
