There comes a morning every September when you step outside and something has changed.

It’s a little cooler. The leaves are thinking about turning. You consider wearing a sweater even though it’ll probably be 72 degrees by lunchtime. You hear a fait “la la, la laaa” in the background. 

It is time. And somewhere, someone is starting their annual Gilmore Girls rewatch.

You know what that means.

Coffee, coffee, coffee. Coffee in an IV. 

While we can’t promise you’ll run into Luke behind the counter or hear a town troubadour on your way in, Tug Hill has plenty of cozy local spots where you can grab a cup, order something sweet, and settle into your own small-town fall era.

So grab your coffee-loving friend, cue up your favorite early-2000s playlist, and let’s go.

St. Drogo’s Coffee & Bake House | Lowville

If we’re assigning Stars Hollow roles here, St. Drogo’s Coffee & Bake House is making a very strong case for main character.

Located inside Lowville’s historic Old Jail, St. Drogo’s serves coffee roasted right on site by Tug Hill Artisan Roasters alongside fresh bread, pastries, and baked goods.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Coffee shop. Bakery. Old jail.

Stars Hollow would absolutely have a town meeting about it.

The building itself has been given new life as a gathering place for the community, making this the kind of stop where you might come in for a coffee and accidentally stay awhile.

Order: Whatever coffee is calling your name and something from the pastry case. This is not the time for restraint. 

Moving Mountains Café | Croghan

Cozy? Check.

Small-town charm? Check.

Locally roasted coffee and fresh-baked goods? Also check.

Moving Mountains Café in Croghan is exactly the kind of place we’re looking for when September arrives.

The café was created as a welcoming gathering place for the community, and that spirit is still at the heart of it today. Stop in for a latte or cappuccino, add breakfast or lunch if you’re hungry, and enjoy one of those simple mornings where you don’t particularly need to be anywhere else.

Which is really the entire point of this blog.

Order: A latte and breakfast. Then reconsider every plan you had for the rest of the morning.

The PB&J Cafe | Lowville

Sometimes you need coffee.

Sometimes you need a bagel.

Sometimes you need both immediately.

The PB&J Cafe understands.

This family-owned Lowville café pairs locally roasted coffee and specialty drinks with New York-style bagels, bagel sandwiches, soups, salads, and baked goods.

It’s an easy stop for a morning coffee run or the kind of casual breakfast that turns into “Should we get another coffee for the road?”

The answer is yes. The answer is always yes.

Order: A specialty latte and a bagel sandwich.

Crumbs. Bakeshop | Lowville

Coffee and baked goods are a pairing that needs no explanation.

Crumbs. Bakeshop is a family-run bakery and café in downtown Lowville where you can grab locally roasted coffee alongside something sweet.

This is your “I’ll just stop in for coffee” stop.

We both know you’re leaving with a treat, too. Accept your fate.

Order: Coffee and whatever looks best in the case that morning.

Lloyd’s of Lowville | Lowville

Every Gilmore Girls-inspired coffee tour needs a proper diner.

Enter Lloyd’s of Lowville.

This classic small-town diner is the stop for anyone who wants their coffee alongside a full breakfast and a little hometown atmosphere.

Pancakes. Eggs. Home fries. French toast. Coffee refills.

Luke Danes would probably approve. He would not tell you that, obviously, but there might be a grunt and a head nod.

Order: A classic diner breakfast and keep the coffee coming.

Your Stars Hollow Era, Tug Hill Edition

The best part about a coffee tour through Tug Hill is that the coffee doesn’t have to be the whole adventure.

Grab your first cup and take the scenic route.

Walk around downtown. Browse a local shop. Take a drive as the first fall colors start showing themselves.

FInd yourself needing another coffee.This is a judgment-free itinerary.

Maybe that’s why Gilmore Girls feels so right every September.

It’s not really about the sweaters or the coffee or even the leaves.

It’s the small-town part.

The familiar faces. The local businesses where people know each other. The places where you can stop in and stay longer than you intended. The feeling that not everything needs to happen quite so quickly.

We have plenty of that around here, and man are we lucky. 

This project is supported by a grant awarded to Lewis County from New York State’s Empire State Development and the I LOVE NY Division of Tourism.