Coffee and Cafe Guide for Helen, Georgia

Coffee in Helen comes down to three kinds of stops: a roaster with a deck over the river, a valley coffeehouse that doubles as a pottery gallery, and a German bakery that serves a cup with a slice of torte. None of them takes more than 15 minutes to reach from downtown, and the drive south or east is half the pleasure on a cool October morning.

Here's how they compare, with hours in one table so you can plan around them.

Hours come from each business's own site or the Helen visitors bureau. Seasonal and holiday hours can differ, so call ahead.

JumpinGoat sources 100% AA-grade beans and sells them whole in flavored and unflavored roasts. The flavored list gets creative: the site sells a Bourbon Infused Pecan coffee, wine-infused roasts and seasonal blends, along with K-Cups, loose-leaf teas and gourmet candy. The name comes from the Ethiopian legend of Kaldi, the goatherd who noticed his flock getting lively after eating coffee berries.

The two locations feel very different. The Helen shop, at 7086 S Main St in Nacoochee Village, is small and built for grabbing a cup and a bag of beans. The back deck sits over the river, and the shop's own description promises coffee "while watching the trout swim." It's about a mile and a half south of downtown, so it's an easy add-on to a Nora Mill stop.

The Cleveland location at 2404 Helen Highway is where the coffee is roasted. It's roomier, with an espresso bar, mead tasting, a view of Mount Yonah, live music on weekends and a dog park called Millie and Junah's Playground. It's about 15 minutes south of downtown Helen. Phone 706-219-3854, and see the JumpinGoat page for more.

Sweetwater has been "keeping folks Sleepless in Sautee" since 1995, and it's the coffeehouse locals point you to. It's at 2242 GA-17 in Sautee Nacoochee, open seven days a week from 8 AM to 6 PM. The coffee is organic and fair-trade from Thanksgiving Coffee Company, and the milk is local whole milk from Mountain Fresh Creamery, with plant-based milks for 50 cents extra.

The Willows Pottery gallery is inside the coffeehouse, so you're drinking among stoneware that's microwave, oven and dishwasher safe. Food runs to fresh daily pastries, cheddar biscuits, quiche, bagels and sandwiches, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free choices.

Prices are from Sweetwater's online drink menu and vary by size. Add a flavor for 75 cents, an espresso shot for $1.50.

Hofer's Bakery & Cafe isn't a coffee shop first, but it's the best place to drink coffee the German way. The drink menu lists Hofer's German Coffee by the cup, plus hot chocolate with whipped cream and tea by the pot. Pair it with a Black Forest torte (Schwarzwaelder Kirsch), Sacher torte, hazelnut torte, German apple strudel or a large cream puff.

The bakery uses stone hearth ovens and sits in the old First National Bank of White County building on N Main St. Packaged whole-bean and ground coffee is sold in the shop. Remember that Hofer's is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Hoth Cafe at 8600 N Main St serves coffee, boba tea, pretzels and pastries, and it doubles as the shop for Honey on the Hill honey and bee pollen. It's a quick stop in the middle of downtown. Hours aren't published, so call 706-878-9982 if you're planning around it.