Tallahassee coffee shops and bakeries prepare treats to celebrate the boy wizard
Harry Potter may be turning 43 on July 31, but fans have not forgotten the boy wizard. More than 500 million copies of the Harry Potter books have sold worldwide, with more than 180 million copies sold in the United States alone.
Muggles everywhere, including Tallahassee, are still celebrating Harry’s birthday. Here are a few places you can join in – or at least grab a Butterbeer or maybe a chocolate frog. If you know of any other places with a Harry Potter theme for his birthday, please comment here.
The new site for Argonaut Coffee at Goodwood Museum & Gardens. Photo / Tallahassee Table
* Argonaut Coffee: The locally-owned coffee shop has extended its Harry Potter celebration to July 31, so you can still enjoy Butterbeer and “sorting hats” cupcakes. Argonaut celebrated its grand opening on July 29 and 30 at its new home in the Rough House cottage at Goodwood Museum & Gardens. Argonaut serves homemade doughnuts (available Friday-Sunday only), baked goods and breakfast and lunch items. The cafe is at 1600 Miccosukee Rd. Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
* Au Péché Mignon French Pastry Shop: The shop will be celebrating Harry’s birthday in a sweet way. Pick your favorite House and treat. For Gryffindor, there’s Butterbeer; Slytherin, watermelon mint Gillywater; Hufflepuff, canary cream – pineapple and marshmallow cream; Ravenclaw, Fizzing wizbees – that’s Fizzing candy in sherbet. The bakery will also be serving House macarons for a limited time. Au Péché Mignon is at 220 N. Duval St.; 850-668-5533. Top photo credit Au Péché Mignon.
The Frother’s Daughter will be serving a Butter Brew for Harry Potter’s birthday on July 31 and through August. Photo / Frother’s Daughter
* Look for two magical drinks from The Frother’s Daughter, a mobile coffee shop, which will be available for Harry’s birthday on July 31: “Butter Brew ” is an iced inspired Butterbeer cold brew topped with a caramel butterscotch foam and gold sprinkles. The “Espresso Patronum” is a caramel and pumpkin latte topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and pumpkin drizzle.They’ll be available through August so you can celebrate all month. Look for the Frother’s Daughter’s schedule on Facebook or Instagram.
RedEye Coffee is celebrating Harry Potter with three drinks. Photo credit / RedEye Coffee
* RedEye Coffee is showcasing three drinks to celebrate the boy who lived – through July 31 at both RedEye locations: 1122 Thomasville Rd. and 1196 Capital Circle NE. All drinks are topped with flecks of gold sprinkles and a chocolate frog. All for you, Harry!
* Butterbeer Cold Brew: bold cold brew sweetened with flavors of butterscotch and vanilla layered with cold foam.
* Butterbeer Latte (iced only): espresso and milk of your choice with butterscotch and vanilla, topped with whipped cream.
* Frozen Butterbeer: a rich blended beverage with butterscotch, caramel, and vanilla topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle (coffee-free).
My daughter and daugher-in-law at a Harry Potter store on Edinburgh’s Victoria Street, said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley. Photo / Tallahassee Table
I became a Harry Potter fan when my daughter fell in love with the books as a kid. We would read them together, then eventually we were both so hooked we had to each buy our own, the minute they were released. I think it’s pretty magical that the boy wizard inspired kids to tackle books that were as thick as a college textbook.
If we had any doubts about the long-lasting appeal of Harry Potter, we were reassured when we went to Scotland. We just got back from the beautiful country, where Harry Potter connections are very popular. My daughter and her husband took a Harry Potter tour with sites like Greyfriars Kirkyard where there are names that look familiar, such as Thomas Riddell, William McGonagall and Elizabeth Moodie on gravestones.
The Harry Potter steam train travels on this Glenfinnan Viaduct in the Scottish highlands. Photo / Tallahassee Table
We all walked along Victoria Street, said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley and there are a few Harry Potter related shops with lots of merchandise on the street. We drove to the Glenfinnan Viaduct where the The Jacobite Train has become known as the Harry Potter train because it was used in the films. Even though there wasn’t a train running the day we visited, the parking lot was full of fans snapping shots of the site (including us).
Happy Birthday Harry! We still love ya.
