When I first moved to Louisville many years ago Day’s was the first coffee shop I fell in love with. It was comfortable, with wooden booths great for stretching out and studying in. The music selections could have come straight from one of my college era mix CDs including R.E.M., the Indigo Girls, Patty Griffin and James Taylor. The frequently changed art on the walls made me feel grown up and Day’s made the first really great cappuccino I ever had. I thought it was the coolest place in town.

Not much has changed at Day’s even after all these years. The booths are still really comfortable, the music is still fantastic and could come from one of my current iPod playlists including the Indigo Girls (still), Cat Power, John Mayer, and a slew of other WFPK favorites. Great art is still featured and they still make a really excellent cappuccino. My standards for coffee shops really aren’t that high. Give me friendly people (or at least non-surly ones), comfortable tables, good music, good cappuccino, free wifi and I’m pleased. Well ok, perhaps my standards are a little high but Day’s meets my needs and almost always surpasses my expectations.

You can usually find a comfortable mix of granola girls, gym boys,
couples you’d expect to drive Volvos with car seats in the back and a
variety of other grown ups. That is to say I’ve never come across
teenagers just hanging out or hipsters lounging about at Day’s. I never
feel too old or too young when I’m there.

Day’s is a great
place for a first date because it’s quiet enough to talk and the booths
let you sit across from each other comfortably. It’s also good for
meetings or just spending time with a book because the music and the
customer noise levels are low enough that you can easily have a
conversation or hear yourself think. If you snag one of the tables in
the front window you can also have a find time people watching the
traffic and pedestrians going up and down Bardstown Road.

*They have a selection of sandwiches and pastries I’ve never felt inclined to try so I can’t speak to their tastiness.

Day’s Espresso & Coffee Bar
1420 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40204