Hippie Bean sits on Sorrento Road, on the run-in to the Key — which makes it the natural first stop of a beach day if you’d rather your coffee come from a locally owned cafe than a drive-through chain. It’s a small, independent shop, and it’s earned an outsized reputation: locals rate it near the top of the area’s coffee spots.
What to order
Espresso drinks and cold brew handle the coffee side, but the acai and pitaya bowls are what people actually talk about — reviewers call them the best acai in the area, and the consistent theme is the fruit is actually good, which is the whole game with an acai bowl. Smoothies, matcha, and locally made pastries fill out the case.
The vibe
Bright colors, boho paintings on every wall, friendly people behind the counter. It’s a sit-a-minute cafe, not an assembly line, though it works fine as a grab-and-go on the way to the sand.
Good to know
It’s a Perdido Chamber member and genuinely local-owned. Prices run reasonable for what you get — a recurring note in the reviews, and rare enough this close to the beach to be worth saying.