This cozy cafe is located in the smallest of towns—Labelle. If you never guessed that such a sweet little coffee shop would be here…guess again! Bridge Street Coffee and Tea Company, also known as Charlie’s, is the only local coffee shop here in LaBelle. For the size of this town, I didn’t suspect there would have been a local coffee shop here, but I was wrong (in fact, they have a lot more than just a local coffee shop. They even have a local honey company!). I’ve had coffee at this cafe many times, and every time I walk in, I still become awestruck by the environment. The room has a very antique feel to it. The colors most apparent in this room are red and brown with wooden tables and leather couches. The roof is a textured red walnut with red ceiling lanterns. The feeling of being here was incredibly comfortable, it almost felt as if I was at home. I was on a soft, fluffy couch, drinking coffee, and typing away on my laptop. It was the perfect combination of feeling at home while experiencing something new at the same time.

I ordered a regular oat milk latte while my sister ordered the fun, but very sweet drink, called the Bridge Street Freeze. If you love savory frozen drinks that contain lots of caramel you’re in the right place here in Bridge Street! This drink contains coffee, caramel, and ice cream. This cafe has brewed coffee, cold brews, espresso, non-coffee’s such as tea lattes, hot chocolate, teas, sodas, juice, and water. They also sell frozen drinks (like the Bridge Street drink my sister ordered), as well as food such as breakfast options, sandwiches, salads, soups, and delicious desserts. They have merchandise available for anyone wanting to support and wear this local small business. A neat little thing Bridge Street offers are meal combinations! You can use the lunch combination or the dinner combination. The lunch special comes with half a sandwich/salad or a cup of soup and half a sandwich/salad OR cup of soup, a drink, and a small cookie. It’s important to note that not all their soups are available everyday so it is encouraged to check their Facebook page or call their cafe (863-647-0104) for their soups of the day. Now, their dinner special comes with a full sandwich/salad or a bowl of soup and a half sandwich/salad OR cup of soup, a drink, and a small cookie. And like before, make sure to check in with them for their soups beforehand. The prices are what you would expect. What I ordered was a regular latte (oat milk + an extra shot of espresso = a little more expensive) without the extra additions I ordered for my latte, it would total $3.85–a large would make it $4.75. The Street Bridge Freeze is more on the pricier side, making the total out to be $4.80-$6.30, depending on the size of your choosing.

One drink I recommend trying if you are a fan of brewed coffee is their drink the “Caloosahatchee Crud”! On their website they call this local drink “an inspired take on a New Orleans Style Chicory coffee”. Bridge Street says their local inspired drink has a rich, sweet, creamy, and a little bit nutty taste. I’ve haven’t had the opportunity to taste authentic New Orleans coffee, but with a little research, New Orleans Style coffee taste very nutty with a hint of caramel/chocolate thanks to their secret ingredient–chicory. If you aren’t aware, Chicory is a flower that belongs to the daisy family. They roast this flower to a coffee consistency which gives the drink a nutty taste, you can drink chicory on its own (as it is caffeine-free) or with coffee, and it contains many health benefits. So, the next time you have a morning cafe craving, head over to Bridge Street Coffee and Tea and grab their local inspired New Orleans style chicory coffee, and if you’re feeling adventurous–take a trip to New Orleans to compare and contrast two great local takes!