ChampionSip: Iced Coffee

Sixteen iced coffees. Thirty-one days. Three ways to win.

It’s July and you know what to do. Stay cool all month long sippin’ on some iced coffee! That’s right—it’s time for the Edible Memphis ChampionSip: Iced Coffee competition! We have sixteen competitors who have brewed some really special drinks for you to sip. We can’t wait to see which ones are your favorites!

There are three ways for contestants to win: Overall Bracket Winner, Most Tagged Coffee, and Judges’ Choice.

Readers can win too! Tag photos of your iced coffees on Instagram throughout the month using both @ediblememphis and the coffee shop’s tag and get entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card to the participating coffee shop of your choice. (Each tag = one entry!) Tag all sixteen, and you can cast a vote as an official judge at the end of the month.

Use this guide to learn about our sixteen contestants. Watch our Instagram stories for the bracket matchups beginning July 17 (Sippin’ on Sixteen: July 17-24; Icy Eight: July 25-28; Pour of Four: July 29-30; and ChampionSipper: July 31).

Special thanks to our oat milk sponsor, Minor Figures!

Photography by Elly Weisenborn

Belltower Coffee
Lime After Lime 

Belltower Coffee’s flagship location on Highland is a hub of energy and creativity with open mics, trivia nights, and pottery classes in their attached studio. Just down the street from the University of Memphis, it’s the perfect spot to study, gather with friends, or unwind on the back patio. A second cafe location, set inside Shelby Farms Park, is a perfect stop for runners, families, and anyone who loves a lakeside view.

Lime After Lime is a cold brew mocktail designed by Nick Cromis, Belltower’s director of coffee, using mixology principles. This beverage, heavily inspired by a classic mojito, was crafted to be refreshing and invigorating—perfect for the Memphis summer heat! Lime juice and simple syrup complement the cold brew, while fresh mint adds a nice, cool, summertime pop. A treat to beat the heat! 

525 South Highland Street
Daily 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

6908 Great View Drive (Shelby Farms Park)
Daily 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Byway Coffee Company
Banana Bread Latte 

As their tagline says, Byway Coffee Company is “coffee worth chasing”! You’lll find their two Airstream trailers parked around town at events, parks, workplaces, and more with a colorful, caffeinated menu.

Imagine turning your favorite slice of warm homemade banana bread into a latte. That’s exactly what Byway set out to do with the Banana Bread Latte. This drink was created to feel cozy, nostalgic, and just a little bit addictive. Inspired by fresh banana bread cooling on the counter at grandma’s house, it combines smooth espresso with sweet banana flavor, warm cinnamon spice, rich maple notes, and a dreamy maple cinnamon cold foam that melts perfectly into every sip. What makes this drink special is how insanely accurate the flavor is. Customers say it tastes exactly like banana bread in liquid form. The espresso keeps it balanced while the cold foam adds a creamy, cinnamon-maple finish that gives the drink a soft, bakery-style sweetness without overpowering the coffee itself.

Weekdays 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Follow @bywaycoffee.co for their latest times and locations. The schedule is posted on Sundays.

Cafe 127
The Gilded Fog 

First and foremost, Cafe 127 is a coffee shop, serving locally roasted coffee. But, to help all families feel welcome, they also have an enclosed kids’ play area inside the cafe, along with an extensive food and drink menu. They’re working to give back to their Collierville community with good coffee, good food, and a great team. They also have a coffee trailer that rolls all over the southeastern U.S.

The Gilded Fog is an Earl Grey-inspired latte with vanilla lavender mascarpone cold foam topped with Earl Grey tea leaves, a drizzle of avocado oil, and flaky salt. Bella, Cafe 127’s bar lead, came up with the drink concept, and the team altered it to get the perfect level of Earl Grey shining through without being too sweet. The Gilded Fog is made with Ethnos Coffee’s Colombian beans, and roasted to a custom temperature. Cafe 127 makes all their syrups—like the Earl Grey syrup and vanilla lavender syrup—in house. 

2130 West Poplar Ave, Suite 107
Monday – Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Closed Sunday

Coffee Central by Ethnos
Carmen

Coffee Central by Ethnos is a full-service coffeehouse with two DeSoto County locations. The restaurant features a full coffeehouse menu with a modest selection of comfort foods, healthy lifestyle offerings, and prepackaged to-go items, along with space for live performers. 

Carmen was inspired by adventure and flavors found throughout Hispanic and Latino cultures. The drink features an Ethnos Colombia cold brew with smooth chocolate-caramel notes. Lemonade adds citrus and brightness, while tamarind syrup brings complexity with sweet and tart flavor punches. Tajín enhances everything with chili, lime, and salt. Carmen was created by Sianeleez Campos-Sanchez, front of house and bar manager. Sianeleez says the name honors her grandmother, Carmen Milagros, whose personality inspired her. “This drink specifically reflects who she was to me—fun, sweet, spicy, and full of life. That is what you will encounter in this cup,” says Sianeleez. “It feels like a summer filled with endless sunny vibes, upbeat latin music and indescribable love only found at home.”

5627 Getwell Road, Southaven, Mississippi
Monday – Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Closed Sunday

Congregation Coffee
The Revival Tonic

Congregation Coffee was built to establish a comfortable environment in Germantown where social networking and coffee is at the center of families, friends, and festival. They serve specialty coffees, pastries, toasts, and build-your-own breakfasts and offer plenty of space to gather with friends. And each season, you can enjoy new additions to their menu, like specialty cold foams and house-made syrups.

The Revival Tonic is a sparkling gathering of flavors. It features vibrant hibiscus, juicy pineapple, and refreshing cold brew, crowned with creamy coconut foam and toasted coconut flakes. Bright, effervescent, and inviting, it’s a tropical celebration crafted for the Memphis community, one ChampionSip at a time.

3060 Forest Hill Irene Road
Monday – Friday 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cooper House Project
The Crystal Voyage

Cooper House Project invites neighbors to make themselves at home inside their Cooper-Young artisanal brewery, where you can enjoy coffee in the morning and artfully crafted beer at night. They bring variety to the neighborhood with small-batch beers, and they bring the same thoughtful approach to their coffee.

The Crystal Voyage is the stuff of myths. Literally. The name hails from the Irish folk tale of Connla, a king’s son who falls in love with a fairy maiden who gives him an apple that regenerates as it’s eaten. He pines for the maiden’s return, and eventually she comes back and takes him to the land of the apples on a crystal boat. The Crystal Voyage starts with a green apple co-fermented coffee, which is flash brewed. Then the drink is developed with Jamaican ginger beer, lemon, and angostura bitters, and topped with a mint bouquet and atomized angostura. The Crystal Voyage is also available kegged and carbonated as a coffee soda.

906 South Cooper Street
Wednesday & Thursday 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday & Sunday  8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Closed Monday & Tuesday

Dr. Beans Coffee & Tea
Nonna’s Caprese Cold Brew

Dr. Bean’s space includes a pour-over bar, cold brew on draft, beans for purchase, and plenty of room to hang in the heart of the South Main District. The Dr. Bean’s team pairs quality beans with a scientific approach to roasting, so you know that each sip will be first-rate! And if you like retail therapy with your latte, you’re in luck. Dr. Bean’s is located inside Stock & Belle, which offers apparel, art, furniture, and gifts.

Nonna’s Caprese Cold Brew is a sweet and savory cold brew tomato water, sweetened cheese cold foam, and brown sugar balsamic drizzle, with a basil leaf on top. The idea for the drink came to baristas Bailea and Casey when they were playing with the idea of a cheese-adjacent foam for their Fall 2025 menu. They started with the inspiration of cheesecake, worked to make it savory, and eventually ended up with Nonna’s Caprese Cold Brew. In a market saturated with sugar-filled drinks, they’re excited to offer an approachable, savory creation.

387 South Main Street
Monday – Saturday  7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hive Bagel & Deli
Mysuru Latte

Hive Bagel & Deli is a seed-to-plate concept that uses local, high-quality ingredients, including their own local and seasonally harvested honey! Whatever you choose from their menu, you won’t go wrong. Josh Steiner’s bagel spot on Front Street has so much more than just a perfect B.E.C. There are pastries galore, sandwiches, salads, and a full coffee bar, featuring Pinewood Coffee out of Franklin, Tennessee.

Inspired by a South Indian drink, the Mysuru Latte is an iced latte with Hive’s house-made cardamom and chicory syrup, house-made brown sugar cold foam, and fresh orange zest. Hive’s Mysuru started as a cocktail. The staff loved the flavors and morphed it into the Mysuru Latte, which highlights cardamom, orange, and almond.

276 South Front Street, Suite 105
Daily 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Hustle & Dough
Meadow Iced Latte

You’ll find Hustle & Dough downtown inside the lobby of the Arrive Hotel. In addition to a full coffee menu, Hustle & Dough offers housemade pastries, breakfast, and lunch. It’s a great place to fuel up with a friend or caffeinate while you work.

The Meadow Iced Latte features espresso, honeysuckle syrup, pine bitters, and lavender whipped cold foam topped with edible flowers. The cafe team started with the idea of a bright, nature-inspired latte. “Growing up in the mountains of North Georgia, I was inspired to use ingredients that reminded me of spending time outside during the summer,” says lead barista Isabella Caro. For the Meadow Iced Latte, they use Double Trouble blend espresso, roasted by Mammoth Coffee Company in New Orleans. And, as with all their coffees, they use house-made syrups. “We try to keep our ingredients as simple and natural as possible, while still creating exciting and robust flavors—a sentiment that helped inspire our summer latte,” says Isabella.

477 South Main Street (inside Arrive Hotel)
Weekdays 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Liquor Store
Blueberry Pie Latte

The Liquor Store was founded on Broad Avenue, where the owners turned a former liquor store into a cozy diner. Now located in East Memphis, The Liquor Store brings comfort food, coffee, brunch cocktails, and tropical vibes. Their coffee program started with the belief that great breakfast includes great coffee. To keep their coffee local, they teamed up with Dr. Bean’s. And to stay true to their Latin-American and Filipino roots, they feature specials like the Cubano Con Leche and Ube Matcha Latte.

This summer’s Blueberry Pie Latte—featuring Dr. Bean’s espresso, macerated blueberry syrup, graham cracker syrup, and milk—is an ode to their diner theme. It plays on the nostalgia often associated with pies and diners. The Blueberry Pie Latte is a refreshing summer drink that has hints of sweetness with the blueberry, texture and crunch with the graham cracker, and a nice bite with espresso! Perfectly balanced to hit all the notes!

669 S. Mendenhall Road
Daily 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

LuLu’s Cafe & Bakery
Horchatamé

LuLu’s is Memphis’s first and only vegan cafe and bakery. In addition to their “brekky sandwich,” pastries, and specials, they have a full coffee bar featuring Boycott Coffee. From the coffee to the food, to the cups and plates they are served on, their commitment to using locally sourced ingredients and scratch cooking shines through.⁠ They also set themselves apart by being employee-owned.

Lead barista Irby Irby created the Horchatamé with inspiration from a recipe from a former coworker’s abuelo. They start with a horchata made in the traditional way by first soaking white rice with water and cinnamon sticks; then they make it their own with the additions of star anise and sweetened condensed coconut milk. The Horchatamé base is then blended and ready to combine with Boycott Coffee Colombia washed espresso. The name Horchatamé is a reference to bésame, meaning “kiss me,” as this dirty horchata is a refreshing kiss of caffeine in the summer heat.

3119 Poplar Avenue
Wednesday – Friday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.⁠, closed Sunday – Tuesday

Memphis Brooks Museum Cafe
Turbulent Skies Latte

The Brooks Museum Café and Store—inside the rotunda of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art—is Overton park’s oasis. You’ll find a full coffee menu, fresh pastries, and a curated selection of art books, unique gifts, postcards, and more! Fuel up with a friend, browse for inspiration, or grab a quick bite between errands. No admission ticket required!

Turbulent Skies Latte mirrors the deep, vibrant palette of the museum’s David Uzochukwu exhibition, Bodies of Water. The beverage is served with a sweet marshmallow fluff-lined glass filled with naturally sweet, nutty coconut water. A smooth, milky latte base is then charged with a bold, rich shot of espresso that cuts through the sweetness like lightning. The storm is finished with a velvety, cascading blanket of marshmallow cold foam infused with antioxidant-rich blue spirulina, creating an electric-blue cloud that sits dramatically over the dark coffee depths. Just like the hybrid figures in the gallery, this iced drink is an invitation to explore unexpected depths where contrasting elements seamlessly merge.

1934 Poplar Avenue
Wednesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Closed Monday & Tuesday

Monkeygrass Mayhem
Memphis Sunset 

Monkeygrass Mayhem invites you to follow their hot-pink trailer for caffeinated chaos! They post their upcoming locations weekly. Wherever they are, you can count on a menu of classic coffee and tea drinks, plus Monkeygrass Mayhem specialties like the Monkeygrass Latte and Bananagram Latte, and pastries.

Memphis Sunset was inspired by Jones Orchard, where Monkeygrass Mayhem owners regularly pick up produce orders for Magnolia & May, the restaurant they own. Memphis Sunset includes house-made vanilla syrup, peach puree, espresso, milk, and a blackberry chocolate chip cold foam. All of the fruit components are grown locally at Jones Orchard. The drink looks like your favorite Memphis sunset in a cup. And Monkeygrass Mayhem hopes it will encourage you to stop and savor your Memphis nights and days.

Find the schedule

Ritual
Ritual Reset

New to South Main, every detail of Ritual has been thoughtfully considered. Warm lighting. Comfortable seating. Beautiful textures. Spaces that invite conversation. Ritual is designed to be a place where people feel comfortable staying awhile, whether they are meeting friends, working quietly with a cup of coffee, or enjoying cocktails late into the evening. Ritual is a place where connections happen naturally.

The Ritual Reset is a tropical, bright twist on cold brew. This juicy, bright drink includes pineapple, passion fruit, and house-made cold brew with Rigby Roastery beans, topped with a coconut cold foam. The result is a refreshing, balanced, energizing drink—a tropical vacation in a glass. Ritual Reset reflects what Ritual is all about. They want to create moments worth returning to. Whether it’s your morning coffee, an afternoon pause, or a gathering with friends, rituals are the routines that connect us. This drink is an invitation to reset, recharge, and make space for the moments that matter.

505 South Main Street
Monday – Friday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday 8 to 2 p.m., Closed Sunday

Sweet LaLa’s Bakery
Nutty Nana

Sweet LaLa’s is a family-owned bakery that’s always working to “Make Life Sweeter.” The bakery offers coffee, brunch, event space, custom cakes, Memphis delivery, and nationwide shipping. You can also pick up products from local brands such as Shepherd’s Haven and My Cup of Tea, as they strongly believe “we all rise together when we work together.” 

To get ready for the ChampionSip, Sweet LaLa’s front of house leaders, Molly and Taylor, tested drinks for months! The result, chosen by the whole Sweet LaLa’s team, is Nutty Nana, a delicious banana latte with hints of honey and white chocolate, topped with a pistachio cold foam, garnished with pistachio crumbles and a freeze-dried banana. Nutty Nana is smooth, creamy, and refreshing, and the notes of banana and pistachio blend perfectly with their locally roasted Vinculo Connection Blend espresso. You can taste it at Sweet LaLa’s, or at their sister space, Second Helpings Cafe. 

6150 Poplar Avenue, Suite 118
Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Closed Sunday

4688 Walnut Grove Road (Second Helpings Cafe)
Monday 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Closed Saturday & Sunday