From the outside, artsy cafe Antiques and Coffee looks like any other café in the suburbs — the kind you might pass on your way to Target without a second glance. But step inside, and suddenly you’re somewhere else entirely.

The air smells faintly of fresh pastries and polished wood. Soft jazz drifts from the speakers, and every so often, a grandfather clock chimes in the background, as if reminding you to slow down. No two chairs are the same: velvet, leather, carved wood, slipcovered. Some tables wear crisp tablecloths, others are bare. It feels more like you’ve wandered into a charming old home than a coffee shop.

I kept thinking: this café practically asks for a book. Imagine curling up in a vintage chair, sipping your drink, and reading a classic novel — something atmospheric and romantic, like “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier, “The Portrait of a Lady” by Henry James, or “Tess of the d’Urbervilles” by Thomas Hardy. Pair that with a slice of cake and the gentle clink of cups nearby, and you might forget you’re in the middle of Johns Creek, Atlanta area.