Retrograde Coffee

Retrograde.Coffee is hands down my favorite spot in East Nashville to grab a latte. Every time I go, it’s a great experience with a super friendly staff. The coffee is always on point and really consistent, which I appreciate. Honestly, I think it’s the best place in the area to grab a latte. If you’re looking for an awesome coffee spot, you’ve gotta check it out. Photo of latte art from a recent visit.

It’s not often that a coffee really impresses me, but I have to say the Shagbark Latte with oat milk was enjoyable from the first to the last sip. It’s also not often that I enjoy a coffee hot AND iced. The food was great too, but the service was awesome! Everyone was really helpful and nice. The atmosphere was great. I got the Bee-Hive vegan sausage, avocado, and sprouts bagel sandwich and a chocolate croissant, and both were great!

This coffee shop could have easily been a 5/5 but I’ve some strong reasons for a solid 3.5/5 (-0.5) basic: I paid $4.25 for a plain croissant and they had no decent way of heating it up other than putting it in an microwave and making it soggy AF. I don’t have any problems when coffee shops charge you a premium for simple bakery items or coffee, but I do expect a high quality product in those cases. I mean, just buy an air fryer, before you start charging a premium for bakery items so you can at least warm them up without screwing up the taste. (-0.5) $$: they are charging slightly more than most of the cafes I’ve been to in Nashville with an exception of a few that go above them. (-0.5) location: it’s not a great location. Parking is free however there’s a wood work shop right next door and you can find gravel/stones lying around in the parking area. (Neutral) staff: they aren’t the friendliest of all people. No one was rude, however. Apart from these, I must say, the coffee was top-notch; one of the best espresso I’ve had in Nashville. I got the Cortado over ice (iced espresso with oat milk) and it was out of this world. They do have avocado toast on their menu for $10 The coffee was good enough to make me give them another chance, so I might go there again and see if my experience is different but it won’t be my go-to place.

Fun coffee shop atmosphere, with plenty of nice seating and lots of light. I stepped outside my comfort zone with one of their special lattes, and really liked it! I also had a bagel sandwich, and their sourdough everything bagels are delicious.

Their sinaster blend makes the best coffee I have ever had in nashville. I used to roast coffee for a living... they nailed it with the ethipoian/Colombia blend. ... roasted perfectly, and brewed perfectly. but EXPENSIVE boi.

Visited 3 times over the 4th of July weekend and each time, they messed up my order or forgot to make food I ordered and had to be reminded. I like to try local coffee shops but the service from the 3 times I visited will ensure I never visit again.

NASHVILLE COFFEE TOUR #1: My friend and I tour different coffee places around Nashville that are new to me. ☕ We had a good experience overall. It was a well-lit, intimate coffee shop. The bar was a great place to converse and people watch. I had an Americano while my friend had a Latte. We both enjoyed the coffee for its freshness and size. The espresso leans towards the greener notes that people tend to favor in Nashville that it's not my fave, but I did like it. I do personally love a dark roast (scandalous!) but can definitely enjoy a well-roasted cup of coffee! ❤ Bestie had an egg sandwich that was pretty good, but I wasn't truly paying attention to cost and the details. The bagels are impressively made there and they were really good! I had a fantastic blueberry muffin! The staff could be friendlier and less condescending, but everyone is entitled to his own snarkiness every once in a while so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. We felt like we were a little too joyful to be there! If I was in the area, I would stop in to grab a cup, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go there.

The hot chocolate was exquisite as we only like good chocolate and nothing pre made. The tea was also so delicious as it was freshly steeped with a variety of different herbs. Our pastry was really good as well. Very nice

TL; DR: solid coffee, lots of tables and chairs They have great and quick service. Their drinks are also delicious. They have a good amount of seating if you want to stay and chat with others inside.

Staff were kind and helpful! The matcha was both aesthetically fun and delicious. The coffee shop was spacious, cute, and calm. My only note would be that the bagel was quite tough. Otherwise, a wonderful place!

Retrograde just opened their new Germantown location and it's already a favorite. The space is perfect for coworking--tons of room to spread out and actually get stuff done. I tried the lavender honey latte and it was delicious, not overly sweet and super smooth. One thing I really appreciated: it wasn't too loud, even during the week. Quiet enough to focus, but still had a good vibe. I'll definitely be back!

It makes me happy to know that I have a coffee shop like Retrograde in my neighborhood. This is a great little spot - decent coffee, free parking, plenty of seats, and it's never too busy. I've been here a handful of times, and always appreciate chatting with the friendly cashiers and baristas. My go-to order an iced coffee, and occasionally one of their breakfast options. The Avocado Toast is served on a baguette and very tasty - and my husband likes their Bacon, Egg, and Cheese sandwich. I have also tried and enjoyed their Shagbark Latte, which is what they're known for. If you like maple syrup, it's definitely worth ordering (I recommend it hot!) Insider tip - if you love Dozen Bakery in WeHo but don't want to wait in a long line for their pasties, Retrograde actually carries several of them, and they're delivered fresh every day. They also carry Hi-Fi Cookies!

The guy interrupted me when ordering. Then my order was wrong. I asked for cream cheese 2x and didn't realize they left it off until after I drove off. The bacon, cheese and egg bagel was average.

Great coffee and delicious pastry. Also tried a sandwich at lunch..very good. Highly recommend

My lavender latte was great. My partner got a vanilla latte and you couldn't even taste the vanilla. We also got bagel sandwiches. They were okay for the price, our drinks came out about 5+ minutes after our drinks and they were not bust at all. The sandwiches are microwaved. Over all it was okay and walking distance but nothing amazing

We visited Nashville for a family trip. These can be wild as wrangling so many people together is a job itself. Then, we found Retrograde! Suddenly getting up that week was a treat since we stopped by here and started our day with their amazing brew. The staff is friendly and helped us find our favorite drinks. The atmosphere is very chill and perfect for studying or visiting with friends. I highly recommend the Shagbark Latte. Perfectly sweet but not too sweet, this iced coffee is one of my favorites of all time. Be sure to get a bagel with cream cheese, or better yet, egg and cheese. Satisfying, fresh and filling- you will not regret this one! Thank you Retrograde East Nashville, we appreciate your hospitality!

Pour over was spot on. Great coffee spot. Friendly baristas that enjoy what they do and talking coffee.

Retrograde has a lot of potential and is a cool spot to check out. I will note, have visited here a handful of times and it's been a wildcard every time but nooot in a good way? Quality of coffee is super super hit or miss. The space is really cozy, do love that. Service is rough. From pretentious comments around food, coffee culture, or maybe just not knowing how to do parts of the job? (Not in a mean way, like when it comes to coffee and shot pouring and prepping to go orders). Wouldn't recommend but hope they grow!

Delicious bagel but definitely pretty expensive for the size! Parking in the back was free but there are limited spots.

Very chill atmosphere and nice music. Very kind baristas. Delicious chai and really good iced coffee. The cookies are amazing!

Beautiful space, sweet baristas, wonderful coffee. Has a cute little side porch and greenery from the trees is refreshing

Great atmosphere, love the design and music (every time I'm in there the music is a vibe. Yes, different people are probably in charge of it on different days, I don't know how to explain it--likely magic). Great bagels, love the Selena sandwich. They have gf bread. A couple tall bars for solo folks to sit and work, as well as two and four tops. Parking in front and around back. Highly recommend!

Retrograde has been a staple of mine for like 6 years now. Pretty consistent espresso drinks, usually staff is very friendly. Today there was a guy who I've never seen before, slender build with curly black decently long hair. Was not very friendly but could have been having a bad day. Not a big deal just thought ownership would like to know. Anyway if you somehow haven't been here yet come check it out:) will continue to support these guys for years to come!

Retrograde Coffee is one of my new Nashville coffee favorites. Not only do they have fantastic coffee, but they also make various coffee syrups from scratch. The team at Retrograde is always so friendly! The space is great for working, as it's never too crowded or noisy. They also have a fantastic food menu. Their homemade sourdough bagels offer enough reason to visit this coffee shop! Be sure to stop by and check out their unique coffees and menu offerings.

Got the BEC breakfast sandwich on an everything bagel and an iced coffee. Both were good, especially the bagel. Definitely one the softest and freshest bagels I've had. While the sandwich is good, there could be room for improvement. The sandwich didn't have any mayo or aoli and at times tasted a bit dry. Using fresh bacon would likely mitigate this issue if you didn't want to offer a condiment; however, the bacon used was pre-cooked microwaveable bacon. If they fixed these two things, it would be exponentially better.

Atmosphere and service was pleasant, but the food was awful. Like, truly, the worst breakfast sandwich I have every encountered. I got an everything bagel with sausage and egg and they essentially just threw everything in the microwave. The sausage tasted like a flavorless piece of rubber. The egg wasn't fresh. The bagel was kind of stale. Idk how you mess up a breakfast sandwich that bad, but I'm still salty about it almost a week later.

One of the best brewed iced coffees I've had for a minute. Barista was on today! And that blueberry muffin woah

I'm not trying to drag down the star average. Great coffee! Great atmosphere! Lovely staff! I love this place. This is just my plea for you guys to do something about the sandwich situation. These teeeeny tiny, mostly bread, goof troopin' flavorless impressions of a sandwich actually pull moisture out of your face and the vegan sausage will break your skull in half. They are hilarious YET very expensive. What's goin' on here guys? I'm sorry! I love you!

Retrograde is a conveniently located coffee shop in East. It boasts a brilliant view of downtown off the outdoor patio, and the smell of beans lures you inside. Charmingly decorated with great pops of color and plants, the eye is drawn to the gorgeous espresso machine on the coffee bar. With the amount of thought put into the design and functionality of the space, I wish more had been extended to the variety of the menu. However, when pressed for a choice you may select the drip coffee or their riff on an old fashioned. Both would be safe selections, but the mouth may drop at the cost to quantity ratio. Need a quick bite? Skip the choices here; all will take much too long to prepare if you are on the go. If you have 10 minutes to spare, opt for a warm breakfast sandwich on an everything bagel. Enjoy.

2.5 Loved the location, outdoor seating and the minimalism ambiance they had. With a cute mural on their outer wall it is easy to spot when driving down the main street. They have little parking in the front but have more in the back. I ordered a mocha which was very bitter, they used real cocoa, which I love but yikes bitter coffee with really bitter choclate is not a good mix.

Love the Scottish butter latte! Very smooth, not so sweet, and the milk foam brings the flavor to the next level. The lox bagel is crispy on the outside and chewy inside. They also give you lots of lox in the bagel! Definitely will come back here again

Oat milk chia latte was very good, peacan pie was delicious. Bacon , egg cheese bagel was alright . I wasn't asked what kind of bagels they had my sandwich was made with the salted bagel and was way to salty. Cool chill vibe

I've been to Retrograde a handful of times, usually around noon-3pm. Great atmosphere and seating, very nice employees, and the latte was great. On the other hand, they've ran out of bread EACH time, so haven't got to try their food. Maybe order more bread? Also, I've had lattes remade due to being luke warm, but they remade with a smile :) I'll stop by if I'm in the area, but wouldn't drive out of my way.

I felt really lucky to have Retrograde as my local coffee shop when I lived a couple blocks away, and it's a treat to stop in when I'm back in the neighborhood. There is quite a bit of indoor seating as well as seating on the patio outside, and (at least pre-pandemic) the vibe was energetic-but-quiet, making it a good place to get some reading or work done. I've liked the various drip coffee and espresso-based drinks I've had, and service is always friendly without being overbearing. The few pastries and bagels I've tried have also been tasty.

Retrograde is a cute, convenient, little coffee spot. The inside, like their menu, is fairly Spartan and straight-forward. There is some seating indoors as well as a small outdoor patio, but its clear that this isn't intended as a hangout or a spot to write your novel. The coffee was good, service was pleasant, and the experience was nice.

Food was delish, coffee excellent, service impeccable. Really cute restaurant and will visit again next time in Nashville.

4 stars just because it took a really long time to get a double shot espresso to be made. However, the sausage and egg bagel sandwich was very delicious! They must make their own bagels, because it was a bite of sourdough deliciousness. For real. It was crisp enough to bite into (without taking off the skin on the roof of your mouth,) but it was so soft and doughy inside more like bread than a bagel. Yum! Looking forward to trying their bagel and lox sandwich. Atmosphere clean, trendy, and with plenty of space to move around in. A very cute local spot.

Visiting my sister in the area and stopped in here. I adore that they sell Onyx Coffee! Wish it wasn't so expensive for coffee these days but meh, it's whatever. ‍ We ordered the rosemary scone, funfetti and cookies and cream cookies, chai tea, grilled ham and cheese sandwich (way overpriced) and latte with oat milk. The pear and rosemary scone was definitely interesting. Yummy though!

Chic modern brew house with simple menu and great tasting beverages. Nice to have a simple easy to get in and out caffeine hook up without a lot of extra thinking - menu is casually updated seasonally and offers milk alternatives suiting sweet and dairy needs. I enjoyed a healthy dose of go juice on my trip north and will look here again next time I'm in Nashville!

Another hipster coffee shop in another gentrifying (gentrified?) neighborhood of Nashville. I had a cafe con leche, and my husband tried one of their lattes. Both coffees were good. I liked that there appeared to be a lot of room to work, study, meet friends for coffee (they also have bar seating, which I love - if I want to read at a coffee shop, I'd rather not take up a whole table). We stopped by in the afternoon on a Saturday and there were two other people there - otherwise empty. I enjoyed our coffees, but Retrograde didn't really stand out from other similar coffee shops in Nashville to me and was similarly pricey to what we've come to expect from Nashville hipster coffee shops. Certainly not a bad place to stop in for a coffee to go or to hang out for a while, but nothing about it would make me go out of my way to go back (but if it's your neighborhood spot, you're lucky!).

Why has it taken me this long to visit Retrograde?!? Retrograde will now be my GO TO spot to get my work done. Can we talk about the fact that they have outlets at pretty much EVERY table/window seat and you don't even need an extension cord! I don't know how many times I've been to coffee shops and I cannot find a dang outlet. In regards to the food and coffee, it was pretty average pricing for the area and flavor was decent! Their menu didn't seem too expansive, but they did have wine (maybe beer??) for those wanting something a little more fun. In addition to ample outlets, there is also ample parking! I'd recommend the parking around back as the ones right in front are 15mins-1hour (besides a couple compact spots). Great place to get work done or have a meeting! Will definitely be back!

As much as I think about consuming delicious food and drinks, the folks at Retrograde think about producing the best cup of coffee. They have naturally evolved into roasting and serving their own beans (which tastes amazing) but the amount of attention and thought that goes into their drinks are mind blowing. Although I oscillate between their iced coffee with almond milk and an au lait (con leche) based on the temp I'm feeling for the day, their iced coffee is the best in town hands down. Its the only drink that I will continue to take my first sip in the morning and literally smile to myself because I know I am drinking the best damn coffee I could possibly be having. It's such a satisfying feeling. We come here every day and are so lucky to be able to call this our local coffeeshop. This is the kind of place you want for your neighborhood coffee shop: kind, friendly and knowledgeable team, delicious coffee & food, and easy place to post up all day and work if you need to.

I'm from NJ visiting one of my local branches and discovered Retrograde via Yelp. I rely heavily upon Yelp when I travel and the reviews from other consumers. The coffee and presentation are second to none. Nathan, please consider opening a cafe in north Jersey, specifically Morristown. I will be your first and most loyal customer.

Found this place while visiting Nashville. Very stylish design which I appreciate. The vibe was chill. But, the coffee menu was very limited. The coffee was decent but not anything special. The guy behind the counter was friendly enough but not overly helpful. The menu was actually on the side wall & I didn't see it at first so I felt stupid & his attitude didn't make me feel any more comfortable. The wait to get my coffee was overly long too & I couldn't see what took so long. I saw people getting breakfast sandwiches & I have to say they looked really good but I only ordered coffee so no opinion on that. My advice: go for the vibe & keep your expectations in line.

Best coffee in East Nashville. And the breakfast sandwiches are to-die-for. We always love coming here. It's tucked in a building next to a wood shop. The whole aesthetic of the place is fantastic. Grab a coffee, a cookie, and go explore the handmade wooden goodies next door.

The smoked latte was just okay imo. AWESOME galettes. They have a nice atmosphere too.

3.5 Potential, so I'm rounding up. There's a lot of potential here at Retrograde, in Cleveland Park, and across the street in East View.* I'll try not to pin the evolution of the city on the back of this coffee shop but there's a lot to that point of view. I mean, even three years ago, would you have considered having an expensive cup of coffee at this exact location? No. No you wouldn't have. A large part of the Retrograde appeal is cosmetic. The store is gorgeous and incredibly Instagrammable. The floors, windows, seating, and cups all lend themselves to wish-you-were-here digital photography. And in this landscape, that's a huge part of the battle for customers. But before you can take in the photo op, you need to park. Parking is a bit of a challenge on the first go 'round. A large number of the spots in front are timed (hour parking) and were taken up by people who weren't patrons of the coffee shop. This required me to park in back. If you're headed northwest on Dickerson, go past Retrograde to Eastmoreland, turn right and park back there. From there, walk up the wooden steps and into the shop. None of this was particularly intuitive so I'm here to help out. Once I was inside, the divide between picture and real life started to take shape. While the place was decently full with people, many of the tables were dirty which wasn't the first impression for which I'd hoped. I made my way to the cleanest table - which was topped by someone's possessions. I asked the neighboring table if it was theirs. Turns out, it was one of the baristas. #concernedface They moved their items and I was able to sit (with my coffee/business date). The female barista couldn't have been nicer: smiling, clearing the table, making small talk. The fellow behind the counter was the yin to her yang. He was dour, curt, unfriendly, and not helpful. But for committing to being at the shop, I would have left. He was that off-putting. I needed to maintain a facade of control, so I leaned in to the experience and worked around him but, yeah: no bueno. I ordered the shagbark latte and my guest ordered a smoothie. The kind female barista brought the latte to our table. The smoothie was readied without so much as a 'smoothie up!' It sat there until I thought to look/ask about it. Sigh. The latte was nice. It wasn't an entirely new drinking experience but it was pleasant. I would have liked it to have been a touch hotter, as it was almost lukewarm when it reached me. My friend enjoyed her smoothie, so that's a win. Retrograde offers a small amount of baked goods but were out of gluten-free options by the time I made my way to the counter (1115 am on a Friday morning). If that's a make-or-break, plan accordingly. I can see myself returning. I like that the shop is here, from an aesthetic point of view. I hope that it can incorporate more of a (native) neighborhood feel as time goes on. I'd also love to see the shop step up in terms of cleanliness and overall customer service. There's potential here. I hope it's fully realized. *The name made a lot more sense before the interstate decimated so much of it.

Oatmilk Latte with a splash of simple syrup was perfect! They also have the bottle out for you to do yourself or add more. Cute space / has cacti for sale.

Well appointed coffeehouse with superb espresso drinks and atmosphere. I had two drinks and loved them both: 1. Espresso with chocolate and seltzer water 2. Shagbark Latte The espresso is hardcore coffee drinking. But, the coffee Retrograde uses and way they make it takes out the bitterness from the espresso shot leaving a flair of coffee flavor. Drink with a nip of chocolate in your mouth and you'll be in love. Shagbark syrup makes for a sweet latte with a smokey flavor. It's a flavor unto its own! The baristas tell me it is made locally in middle Tennessee. For atmosphere, this shop has the seating to accommodate many with feeling crammed yet retain an intimate cafe scene. Whether working on a paper, arriving with a group or a table for two, it will work here. Subtle sophisticated music played. Enjoy!

What a great little coffee shop. Friendly and informative staff and some great coffee. The atmosphere is modern, trendy, and very well lit. I had an almond milk (sorry lactose) cappuccino that was thick and foamy. It had notes of dark chocolate and blueberries without being too overwhelming. Would definitely get again. My only complaint is that the size is pretty small for the price. Other than that, a great little coffee shop!

Beautiful place. Service was great. Person who took our order explained drinks & waiting patiently for us to decide. I ordered an espresso made with naturally washed Ethiopia beans, tasted like toasted blueberries. Served with cold club soda & a piece of chocolate. Amazing. Also ordered a shagbark lattte, which was a latte sweeter with shagbark hickory syrup. Smoky, maple flavor. Fantastic. My wife ordered an Equinox, which was espresso served with sugar, a toasted sweet potato marshmallow, and soda water with shagbark bitters! She also ordered a regular latte. Amazing drinks. We loved the coffee. The barista who made our drinks took the time to chat with us about ingredients & bean sourcing, and recommended a couple of other local coffee shops to check out during our visit to Nashville. Can't recommend this place enough.

the bagels and breakfast sandwiches are great, but jeez... the staff is incredibly aloof and slow. We ordered 2 bagels - it was not even that busy and it took nearly 20 mins waiting. This has happened multiple times. If you don't hanging out and waiting go for it , but if you're in a rush, id avoid.

The atmosphere is stunning- a mix of retro and modern style. The baristas were very down to earth, warm, welcoming, & skilled at their craft. We consider ourselves coffee snobs (I.e. coffee connoisseurs), and this coffee was phenomenal. We ordered a traditional macchiato (2shots with a splash of milk), and a cortado (2 ounces of espresso, two ounce of milk or cream). The chocolate-y notes in the espresso were on point. We also splurged and got a chocolate croissant- and it was absolutely phenomenal! We had them warm it up, and it literally melted in our mouth. Do yourself a favor and check these guys out!

So glad to have more coffee shops in east Nashville and on this side. It'll be great for Dickerson to grow some steam so the appeal of what's down Gallatin and Dickerson can be avenues of where people want to eat and hang out. This little establishment is quaint and next to a cool wood shop. Their staff is nice and the setup is pretty standard but there's ample seating if you want to do some work or hang out with friends. They have the usual espresso drinks and pour overs but they have their specialty lattes if that tickles your fancy as well. I love the old school feel to the place and the tones of the spot. The place gets plenty of light as well so it makes the cafe feel very open. I wish they were open a little later, at least til 8 and open at 6 so I can stop by on my way to work or after work but the hours make sense for its location and for what they do.

Landed here for breakfast during a quick trip to Nashville. Wish I'd had more time to enjoy the coffee but had to keep moving and didn't ask for it to go. The bagel with cream cheese was great. Service was fast and friendly enough. Super strange location, though- hopefully people can find it and take advantage of a good breakfast spot!

The coffee here is great! Be sure to ask what milk is in your latte if you have allergies, as my coffee was supposed to have pistachio milk in it, which I am allergic to. It was not marked on the menu

Coffee was good; the bagel sandwich was nothing special. The day old cookies were my favorite and only $1! However It took quite a long time to get 3 coffees and two bagels but it looked like they were doing the best they can with a short staff. The inside was very nice looking and overall we enjoyed our time there and would return!