Bongo Java (Belmont)

Open since 1993, Bongo Java on Belmont Boulevard is one of the oldest continuously operating independent cafes in the American South. The converted Victorian house across from Belmont University has served musicians, students, artists, and neighborhood regulars for more than three decades, roasting its own organic fair-trade coffee under the Bongo Roasting Co. label. The shaded outdoor porch and lived-in interior are a direct counterpoint to the wave of polished new openings, and the cafe's longevity speaks to something the newer places are still working toward.