HEY Coffee Co.

Several members of HEY Coffee's staff are also members of the local band Bad Operation. That should give you a read on the place before you walk in. The shop sits on St. Louis Street near the Lafitte Greenway in New Orleans, a corner space that roasts its own beans on-site and, thanks to a grandfathered license, sells THC drinks alongside coffee. No exaggeration.

The room is bright and welcoming, the kind of corner shop that catches morning light and holds it. House-made syrups on the back bar. A small handful of indoor tables, a few chairs outside. The music selection gets specific, repeated praise from customers, which makes sense once you remember who's running the place. The roaster and grinder are part of the space rather than hidden in back, and one customer named Tom as the roaster who'll walk you through what's in the bag if you ask.

What to order. The cortado. Cold brew. Espresso. An iced latte. The salted vanilla cold brew, which has a following beyond the regulars. Whatever seasonal latte is running on the chalkboard, because the house-made syrups are doing the heavy lifting on the seasonal side and the syrup-driven drinks reward attention. A biscuit on the side if you want something to go with it.

Eco-friendly cups and lids, the THC drinks for anyone in a hemp-rec frame of mind, and a staff that knows the coffee, the bands, and the neighborhood by name. Indoor seating is sparse, which is the main caveat for anyone planning a group hangout. Not the room for a party of eight. Two or three people works fine, more than that gets tight.

If you're exploring New Orleans beyond the French Quarter, biking the Lafitte Greenway, or just want a cup of coffee from a shop that treats both coffee and music as a craft, this is the stop. The grandfathered THC license is the unusual detail, but the regular coffee is what brings customers back day after day, and that's the right balance for the place.