Kansas City Coffee

which coffee beverage are you based on your aesthetic? 📹🩴👜🌴🌤️🫐🍷🪕🚎🌃🎀📌 can i just plz be every single one??? 😭 • #coffee #kc #kansascity #whatcoffeeyouare #noahkahan

Just a check-in to say “happy first day of spring!” & to encourage you to spend some time outdoors this weekend to enjoy the weather. :) If you’re new here, hi, my name is Molly & I’ve been working on this project for about four years. It is just a side hobby because I haven’t worked in the coffee world since 2022, but I frequent the shops of the metro often. Kansas City has so many great local roasters and cafés and new ones are added to that number monthly, or so it seems. I know there are quite a few “Kansas City coffee influencers” online, so my goal for this page has always been more of an educational lean. I really love history and architecture, so I pull that into my posts as often as I can. You really won’t find me giving a rating to a coffee shop, or telling you what seasonal beverage I ordered, because tastes are just so subjective and two baristas might make your specialty latte slightly different, and it seems unfair to highlight happenstance & personal opinion. In the past, I have made posts featuring the seasonal menus from different shops, but that became very tedious and I always missed so many fantastic offerings. Instead, I just added a story highlight that I will now update as often as I have more information. It’ll be a one-click consolidated list of new drinks to try, changing seasonally. I will continue to stay on top of the newest shops opening up around Kansas City, but I’m not exactly sure what else this page might turn into. Only time will tell! Thanks for following along ♥️ • #coffee #kc #kansascity #explorekc #kcmo

We’ve reached 1500 coffee friends! January will be four years for me as the one-person engine behind this project. When I first moved to Kansas City, I did my time as a barista for a few years. This not only taught me the ins & outs of coffee, traditional menus, and the art of steaming milk, but it also gave me a more in-depth glimpse into how the Kansas City Coffee Machine runs. I always say I’ve written about close to 90% of the independent coffee shops in the metro, but that percentage really doesn’t budge because new shops are opening so often! It’s hard to keep pace with these new spots, plus second locations of existing shops now that I work a traditional 9-5, but I do try my best on any given weekend. At last count, there are 125+ indie shops and roasters in and around KC. In the rare instances I’m not in a coffee shop, you’ll probably find me running elsewhere around the city, undoubtedly still fully caffeinated. I frequent the museums of the metro, a good thrift or antique store, nose-deep in a book somewhere, or vibing at a concert, musical, or play. Like a true zillenial cusper, I often plan vacations & trips around visiting new coffee shops. We are so spoiled in Kansas City with the amount of good quality shops we get to choose from… I don’t have enough appendages to count the places I would recommend to someone coming here from out of town. While there are other blogs and pages out there documenting visiting the various cafes of KC, I bring more of an educational spin on things: As a lover of history and architecture, I focus a lot of my research on the stories & buildings that are now coffee shops. I simply try to give you as much information as I can, also including things about the brand, owners, or the mission. Honestly, exploring coffee shops has been the most unexpected way to explore the city, and I can follow navigational directions better if you tell me what the closest coffee shop is instead of the cross streets. Whether you are a visitor, or a lifelong Kansas Citian, I want this to be your go-to reference for all that is Kansas City Coffee… not just another “Top 10” list where you’re stuck only visiting shops in the Crossroads.

-- Garden House 1639 Southwest Blvd On the corner of Southwest Blvd & S Ferree St., Garden House has been serving coffee to the Rosedale neighborhood for years. Garden House has always been a collaborative space and through the years they’ve partnered with a number of small, local businesses to best utilize their space. Originally Foxtrot Studio occupied the back half of the shop, but now Earthen Vessel vintage, a combination antique + handcrafted collection, along with The Supply Closet eclectic stationary + gifty things can be found around the shop . A name like Garden House would be consistent with a plethora of plant life, and you won’t be disappointed on that front either. Much of the greenery around the shop is available for purchase, just scan the QR code. Garden House’s aesthetic is light & bright: a plethora of pale wood against a backdrop of green. Bench & bar seating coupled with a handful of tables are set up throughout their space, & most of the surrounding decor is for sale, just like the plants. The color scheme, graphic design work, & other visual choices lean into a southwestern, soft cowboy vibe. Through the back-corner door, a huge back garage space is open for additional seating. This space, too, has seen a few partnerships come & go but nevertheless has been a space for hosting events, storing merchandise, or acting as a kitchen-prep space for pop-ups. Garden House roasts their own beans & a cup of coffee can be paired with a selection of baked goods as well. Their current partnership with Casita de Lil Chingu - an extended-weekend pop-up of the now-closed-but-deeply-missed-Westport-restaurant Chingu - brings a Korean twist to sandwiches and burritos available for pick-up in the cafe. From the brainchild of the owners of West Bottom’s The Campground, “Sagebrush” is a cocktail lounge directly next door to Garden House. Inspired by the southwest high desert, it almost feels like a nighttime extension of the vibes of the adjacent coffee shop. Their fantastic drinks sipped against a background of music-played-only-on-vinyl has led to these two businesses really creating an atmospheric oasis right here on a quiet corner in Rosedale.

Coffee 🤝 Patio While at least a table or two of outdoor seating is becoming the norm to make the most of shops with smaller interior square footage, there is an extra-special place in my heart for shops that really lean into a dedicated space outside that isn’t just an afterthought of a table and two chairs. A good exterior space offers extensive seating outside on a patio, in a courtyard, or sometimes even up on the roof. Here are a few of my favorite shops that have unique outdoor patio spaces. Some are covered, some sport umbrellas, some might even offer a rooftop view of the city, but the only real stipulation is each one will let you sip your coffee in the midst of a soft breeze and some sunshine: Housewife @housewife.kc Bear Necessities @bearnecessitiescoffeebar Neighbors @neighborskc Bisou @bisoukc Hattie’s Fine Coffee @hattiesfinecoffee Hi Hat @hihatcoffee The Market @themarket_kc Oddly Correct @oddly Penrose @penrose_kc Splitlog @splitlogcoffee Le Champion @lechampionkc Seleno @selenocoffee Messenger @messengercoffee Station 3 @station3coffee Cafe Ca Phe @cafecaphe Three Bee’s @threebeeskck Two Sugars @twosugarscoffee The Filling Station - Midtown @fillingstationcoffee City Market @citymarketkc Headrush @headrushroasters Rebel @rebelcoffeeon39th 1888 @1888.coffee Part II is coming soon for the true coffee-shop-roofed porches of our city, so just know if it’s raining, the aforementioned spots might not keep you completely dry. #porchseason #patioseason #spring #kansascity #coffee

— PH Coffee 2200 Lexington Ave. Hidden away in a mostly residential area of the Pendleton Heights neighborhood, PH Coffee sits on a corner-lot brick building built in 1920 that supposedly housed a United Television office, furniture shop, market, and restaurant at various points in its centennial history. While the neighborhood is tucked right underneath the river, further north than many other shops in the city, it’s under a ten-minute drive directly east of the River Market. If you’re looking for a cozy and quiet spot away from the chaotic hustle of downtown, Pendleton Heights is a perfect solution. Coined “the gathering place for Pendleton Heights,” PH Coffee has quite a bit of space and seating dedicated to living up to this motto. The main area of the shop is extremely open with tall ceilings, unique light fixtures, and numerous tables and bar seating options. These coupled with the large windows that line the front of the shop make the space feel extremely bright and clean. They are also one of only a handful of shops in the metro that have a dedicated children’s area with toys & books for the little ones. PH serves Hammerhand Coffee, a roaster out of Liberty, MO. They are creative with their seasonals, and make most of their syrups in-house. PH also has a glass jar program for to-go drinks and free alt milks. The front of the shop nearest the register houses an eclectic offering of foreign snacks for purchase. If you’re looking for a quiet space off the beaten path that is still close to all of your favorite busy areas of the city, PH could be a great option for you. After grabbing your beverage, why not make the five minute drive to The Museum of Kansas City in the Scarritt Renaissance neighborhood. It’s free and housed in a beautiful estate, Corinthian Hall, that was the home of lumber baron Robert A. Long. It is located right along Kessler Park and in a neighborhood of some of Kansas City’s oldest and most stunning homes from the City Beautiful Movement of the Gilded Age. #phcoffee #kc #kansascity #explorekc #kccoffee

the scent of which is up there with petrichor or fresh cut grass 😍 honestly, there’s no way I’d rather start my day. • #coffee #readysteadygo #kc #kccoffee #kansascity

Coffee Grounds: Flat White Or in layman’s terms, the drink that confounds the most people. A flat white is a beverage of Australian/New Zealandish origin and is a popular drink in many of the Commonwealth countries. Especially in the UK, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a menu lacking the option. Traditionally a flat white is around 5-6 oz, although I’ve seen specialty menus that offer an 8oz. & now I climb on my soapbox: The flat white isn’t “SiMpLy JuSt A sMaLlEr LaTtE”. While close in size to the cappuccino, the entire idea of a flat white as a distinct beverage is built upon the idea that it lacks foam. Typically when you steam milk three layers form: the heated liquid milk, the microfoam in the middle, and the thicker froth, or foam, on top. Along with a variation in the liquid oz of the dairy, the texture of the milk varies between traditional espresso beverages. A cappuccino has more foam than a latte. In a flat white, the dairy component is steamed to a velvety microfoam with a uniform texture throughout: the two shots of espresso topped with a glossy microfoam. This means in theory it should have even less foam than a latte. Sure, some seasoned baristas will steam all of their latte milk to a similar texture, but the designation of “flat white” comes with an understanding that the drink will be smaller than a latte. If a shop serves a wet cappuccino in a 6oz size, you’ve come pretty close, but I tend to order a “flat white” to deter the foam that typically accompanies a traditional capp. I concede that this might be the most pretentious Coffee Grounds showcase to date, but a true flat white is factually the best drink and I will not be taking any criticism. Starbucks has unfortunately misconstrued yet another beverage as their “Flat White” consists of 2-3 ristretto shots - shots pulled with the same amount of coffee grounds with half the water. This results in a “more concentrated flavor”, but also creates a fundamentally different beverage than the original, Australian offering, and is probably the leading cause of the beverage’s confusion. #flatwhite #coffee #kc #kansascity #explorekc

-- Café Equinox 8424 Farley Street (Overland Park) 7036 Nieman Rd. (Shawnee) 830 W Liberty Dr. (Liberty) Caffeine & Chlorophyll: Café Equinox cafes are where a coffee shop meets a greenhouse. Located inside Family Tree Nursery’s locations around the metro, this eccentric coffee experience allows you to sit amongst greenery regardless of season. As the greenhouses are kept at moderate temps to allow for the growth of plant life year round, it’s always comfortable and balmy at Café Equinox. If you’ve never been to a Family Tree Nursery, once you walk through the florals out front, the main building is a garden supply store with soil, seeds, outdoor decor, etc. Attached, you’ll find the climate-controlled greenhouse where the majority of the plants are. Throughout the years, the ordering counter for the cafe has moved around the building, and varies from location to location. Sometimes it’s a walk-up window, or hidden in the heart of the greenhouse, or even as a dedicated corner of the garden store. The newest remodel can be found in their OP location, which has its own space next to the wall of seedlings. Café Equinox is a subsidiary of Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters, a long-time staple in the KC coffee community. You can also find their coffee at their River Quay location as well as their shop connected to the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. Alongside their coffee, the cafes offer a variety of baked goods, including both GF & DF options. On occasion, Café Equinox holds special promotions that offer a free plant when you purchase a drink from one of their cafes. Lines can wrap throughout the greenhouse, because people have finally figured out what cafe Equinox has known for a long time: coffee + a plant is a perfect combination. Seating is typically available throughout both the cafe & greenhouse portions of the business so you can dine amongst succulents, trees, and other vegetational herbages in both the dead of winter and heat of summer alike. If anything, the flora is a sensational backdrop for many-an-instagram post. Need a breath of (quite literally) fresh air? Café Equinox has you covered. #caffeine #coffee #kansascity #explorekc #kc

EVERYTHING HALLELUJAH 🙌🏼 • #everythinghallelujah #kansascity #kc #coffee #explorekc

⚽️☕️⚽️☕️⚽️ Kickoff to Coffee Break: Fueling Your World Cup Experience We are just under 2 months until the World Cup comes to Kansas City. Teams from three of the biggest soccer/football countries around the world have chosen to make KC their home base. Argentina, The Netherlands, & England will be training at pitches at the Sporting KC Facility, The Current’s CPKC Stadium, and Swope Park, respectively. Algeria’s national team will be training in nearby Lawrence, KS. While the players themselves might not have a lot of downtime to explore the city or coffee crawl around the metro, there are thousands of expected spectators and fans who will be traveling here to watch the matches. While a quick exploration of my page will give visitors a lot of options for caffeination, no matter where they choose to stay in the city, why not compile a short list for each team choosing to train in KC for the next few months. Over the next few weeks, be on the lookout for three posts inspired by Argentina, The Netherlands, and England, as well as some interesting history and tidbits about coffee in that country. Alongside coffee shops that somehow reflect the culture and history of that nation, I’ll give a few cafe ideas that are close by to each training facility on the off chance a player finds this and needs a caffeine pitstop. ⚽️🇦🇷⚽️🇳🇱⚽️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚽️ #worldcup #soccer #futbol #kansascity #explorekc

👻 didn’t mean to scare you, but these cafe spooks make me want to turn around & run the other way #horrormovie #kc #kansascity #coffee #mytop5horrormovies