Simply Southern Cafe Traditions: Coffee in the American South

Simply Southern cafe traditions come down to a few beloved habits: dark coffee with chicory in New Orleans, a cup of black coffee with a slice of pie, the big coffee urn at church fellowship hour, pecan flavors in everything, and even a gravy made with coffee. In the American South, coffee is less a fancy drink than a sign of hospitality. If you visit, someone will offer you a cup.

Here is a tour of those traditions, with tips for bringing a little Southern coffee culture into your own kitchen.

New Orleans: Chicory, Café au Lait and Café Brûlot

New Orleans has long been a major coffee port, and its coffee culture shows a strong French and Creole influence. Three drinks define it:

• Coffee and chicory. Roasted chicory root, once used to stretch coffee during shortages such as the Civil War, gives the city's coffee a slightly bitter, woody, chocolate-like note. Many locals still prefer it.
• Café au lait. Dark coffee with an equal amount of hot milk, often paired with sugar-dusted beignets.
• Café brûlot. A flaming, spiced coffee with citrus peel and brandy, made tableside as a show-stopping after-dinner drink (for adults of legal drinking age, 21+ in the US).

We tell each story in detail in New Orleans chicory coffee and café brûlot, so here we will simply say: if you love a deep, dark cup, the New Orleans style is worth a try.

Coffee and Pie: A Simply Southern Cafe Ritual

Across the South, a slice of pie and a cup of coffee is a classic way to end a meal or fill an afternoon. Diners, meat-and-three restaurants, church suppers and family kitchens all keep the tradition alive.

Southern pies tend to be rich and sweet, which is exactly why black coffee pairs so well with them: the bitterness balances the sugar.

For holiday pairings, see our guide to pairing coffee with pie.

Church Coffee Hour and the Fellowship Hall

In many Southern towns, Sunday means coffee after (or before) the service. A large percolator or urn sits in the fellowship hall, surrounded by foam or paper cups, powdered creamer, sugar and plates of cookies, pound cake or biscuits. The coffee is usually simple and medium-strong, made to please a crowd.

The point is not the brew; it is the gathering. Coffee hour is where newcomers get welcomed, news gets shared and plans for the week's potluck get made.

How to brew coffee for a crowd

1. Plan on about 55–60 g of ground coffee per liter of water, roughly 1 to 1.25 lb (450–570 g) for 40 eight-ounce (240 ml) cups.
2. Use a medium grind for a drip urn and a coarser grind for a percolator.
3. Start with fresh, cold water and a clean urn: old coffee oils make the whole batch taste stale.
4. Serve within about an hour. Coffee kept hot for too long turns bitter.
5. Set out a pot of decaf next to the regular for evening events.

Pecans, Praline and Sweet Southern Flavors

Pecan trees are native to the southern United States and Mexico, and Texas even made the pecan its state tree. It is no surprise that pecan, praline and caramel flavors show up in Southern kitchens and coffee cups alike.

Ways to add Southern sweetness to your coffee:

• Pecan flavored coffee for a ready-made pecan pie note with no syrup.
• Brown sugar and a splash of cream for a praline-like cup.
• Toasted pecans on the side, eaten with black coffee, for a simple porch snack.
• A pecan latte; our pecan pie latte recipe shows how to make the syrup.

Coffee on the Plate: Red-Eye Gravy

The South has one coffee tradition you eat with a fork. Red-eye gravy is made by deglazing a skillet of country ham drippings with black coffee, producing a thin, salty, slightly bitter sauce served over ham, biscuits or grits. It is a thrifty dish from a time when nothing went to waste, including the last of the morning pot. Get the full method in our red-eye gravy recipe.

Southern Hospitality Starts With “Can I Get You Some Coffee?”

From porch visits to funeral receptions, coffee is the default welcome. A few habits you will notice across the region:

• The pot is always on. Many households brew a full pot in the morning and keep it going for whoever stops by.
• Iced drinks rule summer. In the heat, many Southerners switch to iced coffee or the region's other icon, Southern sweet tea.
• Coffee goes with baking. Biscuits, pound cake, coffee cake and donuts all appear beside the pot.
• Bourbon-country flavors. In Kentucky and beyond, bourbon-inspired coffee notes are popular, with or without the bourbon.

Simply Southern Cafe Traditions FAQ

Why do people in New Orleans put chicory in coffee?

Chicory was used to stretch coffee during shortages, including the Civil War, and locals grew to love its flavor. It adds a roasted, slightly bitter and chocolatey note and body to the cup. Today it is a matter of taste and tradition rather than necessity.

What coffee goes best with pecan pie?

A dark roast served black is the classic choice, because its bitterness cuts through the pie's sweetness. If you prefer a softer pairing, try a nutty medium roast with a splash of cream.

What is church coffee?

Church coffee is the simple, medium-strength coffee served from a large urn or percolator during fellowship hour. It is made in big batches to please everyone and is usually served with cookies or cake.

What is red-eye gravy made of?

Red-eye gravy is made from the pan drippings of fried country ham deglazed with black coffee, sometimes with a little water or sugar. It is served over ham, biscuits or grits.

Pour a Southern Cup

Simply Southern cafe traditions are about generosity: a full pot, a slice of pie and time to sit. Feel Espresso roasts every order 1–5 days before delivery, so your pot is fresh when the neighbors stop by. Try our Pecan Pie flavored coffee, the caramel-pecan-chocolate Turtle, or the alcohol-free Whiskey Barrel Aged coffee rested in a bourbon barrel. For pie night, the easygoing Gourmet Donut Shop pleases a crowd.