JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Banana is showing up in more than smoothies and banana bread. Google searches for “banana coffee” and “banana matcha” have reached record highs, and restaurant chains introduced 100 new banana items from July 2025 through July 2026, according to market data highlighted by Axios.
The numbers point to a growing appetite for banana-flavored drinks and desserts. At Hilite Coffee in Jacksonville’s San Marco neighborhood, owner Nate Mayo is pairing banana with matcha, miso caramel and even ube banana pudding.
One of the shop’s creations is a banana miso matcha topped with house-made tiramisu. Mayo recommends sipping from the bottom first to taste the banana, then from the top for the matcha — without stirring the tiramisu topping into the drink.
“It brings such richness to it,” News4JAX Anchor Joy Purdy said after trying it.
Another menu item takes the dessert route: S’mores with ube banana pudding and a toasted vanilla bean marshmallow. The shop makes its chocolate and toasted marshmallow syrup in-house, Mayo said.
A coffee shop built on exploration
Mayo said his interest in coffee and matcha grew from traveling with his wife. They met in a coffee shop in Jacksonville and later sought out cafes across the country, Japan and Europe.
After returning home, they began testing drinks and hosting small coffee gatherings. Those pop-ups grew into larger events, including Saturday takeovers at a restaurant. Hilite opened in January 2026, Mayo said.
The shop’s menu is shaped by travel, customer suggestions and experimentation. A regular sent Mayo a video of tiramisu served on a drink, inspiring him to develop his own version. He also draws ideas from other cafes and chefs, then tests recipes and adjusts them with customer feedback.
Miso caramel became a signature flavor after Mayo tried miso caramel served over vanilla ice cream at a cafe. The idea has since inspired variations, including banana miso caramel.
“We’re all about quality,” Mayo said, describing the shop’s approach. He said Hilite makes its syrups from scratch, uses organic strawberries in its strawberry offerings and weighs and times each espresso shot.
Community is part of the menu
Social media helped customers find the shop, Mayo said, even before it had a sign outside. Hilite also brings local vendors into weekend events, including makers of cookies, bread and ceramics, and a mobile bookseller.
The shop has also started a neighborhood run club, pairing the activity with coffee and matcha. Mayo said the idea came together with help from a regular customer who had already been running in the area.
Banana-flavored launches are also appearing at national chains. Starbucks and Wawa have added banana items, while Sonic Drive-In launched a nationwide “Banana Collection” that includes a Banana Dirty Dr Pepper, according to the TV report.
For a closer look at Mayo’s menu and the story behind Hilite Coffee, watch Joy Purdy’s extended conversation on News4JAX-PLUS Thursdays at 3 p.m. and Sundays at 630 p.m., or on the News4JAX YouTube channel.
Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.