Here’s what is happening at local coffee shops after hours
City Roots Coffee Bar
Once relegated to college crammers and midday pick-me-ups, the increasingly diverse Baton Rouge coffee shop scene has recently undergone a glow-up, with more shops keeping their lights on well beyond the hour most people begin cutting their caffeine intake. At City Roots Coffee Bar, that menu includes favorites like Irish Coffee or Espresso Martinis garnished with roasted espresso beans, plus beer options and wines that pair perfectly with people-watching outside the Electric Depot storefront. Order one of three shareable flatbreads to turn a quiet evening into a tasty excuse to chew on some gossip with friends.
Light House Coffee
In January 2022, Light House Coffee launched its “After Five” menu, keeping its Lee Drive doors open until 9 p.m. for a light and bright vibe customers won’t necessarily find at a bar. Middle Eastern-inspired small bites like Bacon Wrapped Dates and Cauliflower Steak with Labneh spill from the kitchen, while Hard Lemon Lavender Cold Brews and Hot Toddys replace typical coffee and tea orders. Even stopping by for some overtime email-writing can call for classic cocktails like Cosmopolitans and Rosemary Gin Martinis—not to mention a Truffle Flight crafted with flavors to share.
Rêve Coffee Lab
Willow Grove walkers may already be familiar with Rêve Coffee Lab’s boozy Sunday brunches, but the Monday-through-Thursday happy hour, 5@5, is when baristas begin mixing Instagrammable craft cocktails for only $5 each from 5 to 8 p.m. Rêve-specific concoctions offered in the evenings include the Moon Drip and Strawberry Fields Forever, plus the Rêve Coffee Stout. For an extra-local approach to libations, a Peach Margarita made with Gonzales-based Sugarfield Spirits sets a summery tone for sipping on the shop’s shaded patio.
The Vintage
Always more than a coffee shop, The Vintage has managed to curate a niche all its own downtown, with lattes and baked goods mingling with small bites and sandwiches, plus a mirrored cocktail bar serving customers until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The “Late Night” menu offers a three-cheese Charcuterie or dainty Beignet Bites served with sparkling cava, as well as mixed drinks like the Louisiana Lemon Drop and tart Bourbon Sour.
