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 Combine creamy, natural ice cream with the delicious jolt of caffeine and you’ve got The Caffeine Bar at Ben & Jerry’s, the newest coffee conception on Archer Road. Formerly known as Bourbon Street Coffee Co., the Caffeine Bar has reinvented its entire menu to fit the fun, upbeat atmosphere that locals are looking for.
By Amelia Marty; Photo by Tim Carswell
“We get families, students on dates, people just hanging out playing board games,” says Jen Zimek, owner and operator of the store.
“The fun of Ben & Jerry’s attracts people and we wanted to mimic that with the Caffeine Bar,” Jen says. “Not only can you get Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, but we offer drinks and shakes you can’t get anywhere else.”
Fast Facts
Phone: 352-240-6222
Address: 3773 SW Archer Rd.
Directions/Landmarks: Across from Target
Parking: Plenty
Hours: Mon-Thurs 6:30am-11:30pm; Fri 6:30am-midnight, Sat & Sun 8am-midnight
Signature dish: Java Ritas (various flavors) ($3.45)
Price Range: $ (out of $$$$)
Dress code: Casual
Delivery/takeout: Take out, drive through or dine in
Specials: Every Sunday from 8pm to midnight is B&J’s in your PJs. Come dressed in pajamas and get “Buy One Get One Free” on anything in the store.
Outdoor Seating: Available
 Keeping it Cool
Whether you take your frosty treats iced or frozen, the Caffeine Bar can cater to you. Their signature dish, the Java Rita ($3.45, small), is a frozen coffee funneled out of a margarita machine and topped with whipped cream. If the caramel or mocha doesn’t suit your fancy, you can customize your drink with your choice of flavor.
Try a Mudslide iced coffee ($2.50, small): classic coffee over ice with mocha, Irish cream and vanilla in a chocolate-lined cup. It’s also available in their “skinny” variety, with less fat and fewer calories.
Heating Things Up
Forget what you know about lattes. Once you’ve seen the espresso mixes on this menu, your sweet tooth will start to tingle. The S’Mores ($3.45, small) is a mocha and marshmallow latte topped with fudge and graham cracker and piled high with a mountain of miniature marshmallows in lieu of whipped cream. You can also get your sugar fix on the Candy Bar ($3.45, small), a mocha, caramel and white chocolate latte with chocolate whipped cream, a splash of caramel and chocolate sprinkles. Try each of the lattes hot or iced.
Wakey, Wakey
If you’ve stopped in on your way to work or school, try a classic coffee, espresso, cappuccino or tea with a hot breakfast sandwich. Available on a bagel or a buttery croissant, the sandwiches have egg, cheese and your choice between ham, bacon and sausage for $4. Or if you’re feeling sweet, try a Cinnamuffin ($2), a cross between a breakfast muffin and a cinnamon roll, drizzled with icing. Feel like keeping it simple? Bagels ($1.50) and cream cheese are also available.
Re-Mixed
Jen helped design the new concoctions offered on the menus, and she said the process took a lot of experimentation.
“We just thought of all the flavor combinations we liked in real life and tried to put them into coffee,” she said.
One of Jen’s favorites is the Rockstar Hard Lemonade ($5), a frozen combination of Rockstar energy drink and lemonade sorbet. It’s also available with mango sorbet and a splash of strawberry flavor.
There are even more flavor combinations of ice cream and caffeine, all for less than $5. Try the Cookie Monster, in which a cream and cookies milkshake meets espresso and a generous serving of Oreo cookies, or warm yourself up with a Hot Mess, a classic hot chocolate with two scoops of ice cream. Sounds delicious.
If you’re looking for a sweet fix or a buzz on a budget, stop by Caffeine Bar for a morning, afternoon or nighttime treat.
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