Moonshot Coffee Bar Has High Hopes in Nashville

The new Moonshot Coffee Bar at 300 Gay St. in downtown Nashville. All images courtesy of Big Little Fish/Moonshot Coffee Bar.

Getting any new business off the ground requires boundless optimism — the belief that almost anything is possible. Embracing this spirit, Moonshot Coffee Bar is currently lifting off in downtown Nashville, serving fresh coffee and high hopes.

Located among the offices and residences of the North Capitol neighborhood, the cheery shop gleams with white tile, a marble counter and splashes of pastel pink and green.

Topped by a pair of potted plants, a Bellwether cloud-connected roasting machine tumbles green coffees into shades of brown in the background of the 600-square-foot space. At the bar, Compak grinders are paired with a La Marzocco Linea espresso machine for a concise and creative menu of pick-me-ups.

“The space itself has a natural light brightness,” Scott Baird, a founding partner in hospitality group and Moonshot developer Big Little Fish, told Daily Coffee News. “[It is] colorful in a palette of soft hues, and eclectic, featuring a variety of plants, custom display cases, and found objects.”

Moonshot is one among a variety of food and beverage projects developed or co-developed by Big Little Fish, including the forthcoming Zeppelin, a cocktail bar on the roof of the Moonshot building. Later this Fall, Zeppelin will incorporate Moonshot Coffee into cocktails such as the Cafe Chrono (tequila, cream sherry, coffee and salted white chocolate).

One floor down, Moonshot concoctions include the Colada (espresso with pineapple, coconut and lime) and The Roxy (espresso combined with orange and orange blossom in bubbly tonic). These are in addition to a selection of traditional espresso and drip coffee drinks.

Green coffees for the roasting operation are sourced using the tools and resources provided by Bellwether. Baird, who resides in Berkeley, California, said he’s also engaging with Bay Area import companies Sweet Maria’s and Royal Coffee to shape future plans for the roasting business.

“We are nailing down what the ‘house’ cup is and from there we hope to play with the machine as much as our customers’ demand invites it,” said Baird. “The conversation in the shop is very open and all opinions are welcome.”

Moonshot Coffee Bar is located at 300 Gay St. in Nashville.