Jackson Free Press logo

This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

While Cups Espresso Cafe in Fondren has been supplying us with needed caffeine, it’s got something new now: a mocktail menu. The four new drinks are $5 each. Barist Lauren Spigner recently walked us through how to make one of them, the Cherry Americola.

Spigner pours dark cherry grenadine into a cup. She says she originally made this drink during college because it had a lot of caffeine to help keep her and her friends awake. Credit: Marie Weidmayer
Spigner then pours two shots of espresso fill into the cups. The Cherry Americola mocktail 
features Coca-Cola, a shot of espresso and grenadine. Credit: Marie Weidmayer
Spigner pours the espresso and grenadine mixture into a cup of ice before adding the Coke. Credit: Marie Weidmayer
The completed Cherry Americola mocktail sits next to the full mocktail menu at Cups in Fondren. Credit: Marie Weidmayer

Best of Jackson: Best Place for Cocktails

Credit: Zilpha Young

Babalu Tapas & Tacos (622 Duling Ave., Suite 106, 601-366-5757, eatbabalu.com)

The Apothecary at Brent’s Drugs (655 Duling Ave., 769-257-3517, apothecaryjackson.com)

Barrelhouse (3009 N. State St., 769-216-3167, barrelhousems.com)

BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601-982-8111, bravobuzz.com)

CAET Wine Bar (3100 N. State St., Suite 102, 601-321-9169, caetwine
bar.com)

Mississippi native Donna Ladd and partner Todd Stauffer founded the Jackson Free Press in 2002 in the capital city. The heavily awarded local newspaper did many investigations heralded across the state and nation and served as a paper of record due to its diversity, inclusion, in-depth reporting and deep connection to readers and dedication to narrative change in and about Mississippi. In 2022, the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, founded by Ladd and JFP Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin in 2020, purchased the journalism assets and archives of the Jackson Free Press. A Google grant through AAN Publishers enabled Newspack's integration of the JFP archives into the Mississippi Free Press website to become part of a more searchable archive of recent Mississippi history and essential journalism.