“Upon seeing the menu at Nostalgia New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA), I knew I had to try the Iced Cinnamon Toast Crunch Latte. I received the latte with a perfect shade of brown and real pieces of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal sprinkled on top. I gave it a quick stir to make sure I had a proper first sip — a sip that had a healthy balance of coffee, sugar, and cinnamon to cut the sweetness. It was November in New Orleans, and although it was humid outside, the coffee reminded me of fall. Putting the coffee aside, the interactions with the staff alone made the visit well worth it.” — Alanna Rivera, Arts & Entertainment Asst. Editor
“When I first walked into Nostalgia NOLA, I knew it was a one-of-a-kind place. The menu had the perfect touch of nostalgia with the unique childhood cereal flavors, but the decor of the building caught my eye. I loved the designs on the wall, which reminded me of 80s TV show intros and room decor in those shows. They also had video games that you didn’t see anymore today, but they reminded me of my childhood and my mom, a big Pac-Man fan. During my five-day trip to New Orleans, I stopped by this coffee shop about three times. My favorite drink was the sour gummy lemonade. It was such a unique yet lovely flavor. With the wonderful menu, unique decor, and fantastic staff, if I ever found myself back in New Orleans, I would 100 percent stop by Nostalgia NOLA again.” — Arianna Bultsma, News Editor
Nostalgia is a word used to describe brief memories or reminders of our pasts, especially childhood. When walking into Nostalgia NOLA in New Orleans, memories of nostalgia were whipped right back to the forefront of your mind. The retro vibe and different elements of childhood, not many children had experienced anymore, like arcade games and older gaming systems like Nintendo and Game Boy, were displayed as decorations. There was even a basketball-shaped phone, a personal favorite of mine.
Other elements, such as DVDs and VHS tapes, were displayed under an old TV that, although I was too young to experience, I remembered watching movies on DVD. I even remembered asking for a movie on DVD when I was younger. While the atmosphere brought the vibes and safe feeling of childhood, the coffee only added to the experience. I decided to try the Honey Nut Cheerios Latte, and if you had ever had the cereal for breakfast and drank the milk after finishing the bowl, you would understand what I mean when I say that’s exactly the taste I got when drinking my latte.
Sprinkled on top of the latte were heart-shaped Honey Nut Cheerios, drizzled with real honey. The drink was so good I actually came back before we left New Orleans for a second try. Not only were the atmosphere and the coffee good, but the staff was great. The barista Monika made each of our drinks with grace, and even under the pressure of the morning breakfast rush, she had a smile on her face, happy to serve her hungry and tired customers in need of a nostalgic coffee.
Open for just a year and a half and already successful with its various food options, sentimental coffee drinks, and other teas and drink options, owner Jerry Bates was welcoming to our group from California Baptist University. Bates explained the vision behind what started Nostalgia NOLA.
“Long story. Had another business idea that was dealing with luggage and travel. COVID hit, travel went under. It was going to be just storing luggage,” Bates said. “My friend was like, ‘do a coffee shop. People love sitting around coffee shops, and you still can hold luggage.’ So that’s where the coffee shop came in. As far as how different it is, I just wanted to create something that everybody can feel a part of from kids to adults.”
While the atmosphere surrounding New Orleans was very different from coffee shops we were used to seeing on every corner in California, Nostalgia NOLA’s different look and feel were meant to be welcoming to everyone, even those not there to sit down and study. Who wanted to study when Pac-Man was sitting empty right behind you anyway?
“Usually, I went to a coffee shop, and they all felt the same, felt like I was supposed to go study, like a library with coffee. So I just wanted to do something different,” Bates said.
The not-so-hidden gem in New Orleans continued to grow as more people came across it. That’s one of Bates’ favorite things about Nostalgia.
“Seriously meeting people. You know, I never thought I would own a business. Just meeting different people from different walks of life and knowing that something was created that they enjoy,” Bates said.
New Orleans, a city full of culture and art, was no different from Nostalgia NOLA. Bates expressed himself and his childhood through the vintage magazine covers on the doors, the toys and technology he had owned, and serving coffee reminiscent of a popular breakfast cereal kids would eat while watching cartoons in the morning. All these vibrant elements contributed to the feeling of nostalgia that every guest felt as they walked through his doors and what Bates hoped to share with the city of New Orleans through his business.
Nostalgia NOLA was genuinely an incomparable coffee shop with the most genuine workers. Everything about Bates’ business was truly nostalgic, and you felt like a child again in the best way possible. If you ever found yourself in NOLA, you should take a few moments out of your day to check out Nostalgia NOLA. Find them on Instagram @NostalgiaNOLA
