Cool Springs Correspondent: Paccini’s Italian Caffe [Guest Posts]

Editor’s Note #1: Paccini’s has now been closed for several weeks, shortly after our guest contributor submitted this review. Below is the original guest post in its entirety.

Editor’s Note #2: Jeff Goins is a transplant Nashvillian working in nonprofit marketing; he loves reading, writing, and tinkering around on the guitar. You can find him blogging at Pilgrimage of the Heart or at his writing site.

In a town full of aspiring artists, a good, indie coffee shop is a necessity. Not too pretentious, and yet not too sloppy. Comfy, but also trendy. Those are the requirements (especially if you rely on such establishments for a free, creative work space).

In the epic quest for satisfying one’s caffeine addiction with style, there are three essentials: 1) really good coffee, 2) great ambience (which includes wireless internet for the wandering freelancer), and 3) affordable food (so that you don’t have to go home for lunch or spend the day pretending it’s Ramadan).

Whether you’re a starving musician or a businessperson looking for a break from the cubicle, Paccini’s Italian Cafe is a great place to park your laptop and chug some java. Started in the spring of 2008, Paccini’s serves locally hand-roasted Drew’s Brews Coffee and Intelligentsia tea. The drinks are great, the food’s affordable and delicious, and the wifi is free and fast.

Located on Meridian Boulevard off of Carothers in the Cool Springs area of Franklin with a host of other hip joints (like Bosco’s and Noshville), Paccini’s is in good company (and high competition). It continues to make a name for itself as both a casual and fun place to hang, eat, and chat at a surprisingly affordable price.

The comfy couches and chairs, along with your usual cadre of board games and used books make it a typical café environment; however, Paccini’s sets itself apart from other contenders with its high-quality, local brews and extra room for meal-time traffic (unlike your local Mermaid-sponsored café). Also open in the evenings, it’s the perfect locale for an after-dinner espresso drink, accompanied by live music.

Aside from the coffee, fun ambience, and snappy internet connection, Paccini’s has great paninis that refuse to disappoint. Unless you’re really hungry, a half sandwich (priced at a whopping $3) is enough for a meal (it comes with chips). Compared to nearly identical lunch offerings around the corner, these are a steal. Whoever thought that robbery could be so delicious?

Paccini’s is well worth checking out. My only complaints are that their hours seem to have been sporadic lately and that they don’t really have much of a website yet (a downer for those of us who’ve forgotten how to use a phonebook). Oh yeah, and no free refills, but that’s just because they respect the coffee too much not to charge for each cup.

Next time you visit, tell ‘em Jeff sent you (they will probably stare at you blankly, so you better be ready to order something).

Editor’s Note: Jeff Goins is a transplant Nashvillian working in nonprofit marketing; he loves reading, writing, and tinkering around on the guitar. You can find him blogging at Pilgrimage of the Heart or at his writing site.

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Cool Springs Correspondent: Paccini’s Italian Caffe [Guest Posts]