Coffee culture is big business in Kansas City

By Seanan Forbes

Certain cities invoke specific foods: Chicago, deep-dish pizza; Philadelphia, cheese steak; San Francisco, sourdough. But don’t sell yourself short and only think of barbecue when you think of Kansas City, because it’s a town with a serious caffeine scene. HERE’S A QUICK TOUR OF SOME OF KANSAS CITY’S BEST COFFEE BARS.

Start with the loft-like City Market Coffeehouse. With its exposed brick walls and wrought-iron spiral staircase, the café has a lovely air of calm during weekday afternoons, conducive to reading a good book or surfing the net on your laptop.

For those looking for something a little more lively, check out the Westport Coffeehouse, which is jammed with people on Friday and Saturday nights, when local bands play live and comedians try for the yuks, all at no cover charge. In the kitchen, Krystal, sporting a coffee mug tattoo on her ankle, works early, baking the day’s muffins, while the night crew bakes espresso brownies big enough for two meals. For coffee connoisseurs who like their java undercover, Crave Café is the place to be. Nooks lead to crannies that end in cubbies that reveal walk-in closets sheltering a table and chair. The furniture—mismatched couches, tables and chairs—has been battered into comfortable submission. The smoking section is a nest of rooms upstairs in this converted frame house. Ask to see a menu; the boards don’t list all of the house specials, such as the Devil’s Frenzy (mocha with cayenne and cinnamon, served very hot).

At Coffee Girls, which is more sprawling than cozy, owner Melissa Van Goethem has built the right balance of the welcoming, the quirky and the creative. Sit at the bar or choose one of the wooden tables, and peruse the hand-written menus that share space with vintage furniture and bright paintings on the wall. Customers come to drink, linger and work. There’s plenty of room for laptop computers and ample light for reading the day away.

If Coffee Girls is large, then Hi Hat Coffee is minuscule. The one-time gas station packs a counter, table and standing room into an eight-byfive-foot space.

The owner, T. Jensen, believes in friendliness, and Hi Hat’s customers respond. After school, between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., the shop is crowded with smoothie-seeking children. Pastries come from Kansas City’s Le Monde Bakery. The house blend contains Sumatran, Colombian, a little bit of Costa Rican and two “secret” beans.

Then, there are the coffeehouses that roast beans. Broadway Roasting Company’s head roaster, Brian Phillips, is in charge of all the shop’s beans, as well as the beans for several shops around town. BRC has a couple of tables and a slim counter, but much of the brick-walled room is taken up by burlap bags of coffee; even the fireplace is packed with sacks. Being in BRC is like sitting in someone’s kitchen: a good place to sit and take a breath. That you’re inhaling the scent of roasting beans is a bonus—one you can buy by the pound.

The masterminds (Sara Honan and Jon Cates) behind BRC also own Broadway Café. Pale walls, floor-to-ceiling windows and expansive layout give a good sense to the space. Kids are well served; a corner holds a bucket of toys and a shelf laden with books and drawing paper. Honan is usually around in the mornings—not keeping an eye on her staff, but simply hanging out. Chairs line the pavement outside and there’s an ever-full dish of water for thirsty dogs.

Bella Napoli’s coffee comes from the Broadway Roasting Company. Owner Jake Imperiale serves Luna, a blend of Guatemalan and Sumatran beans and Bella Napoli’s exclusive Il Tigre, which Brian describes as “an ode to the Italian espresso.” What’s more, every mug nets you one free refill of drip coffee.

Making you feel just as at home is the Filling Station, also a converted gas station. Order food and a barista will hand you a bent license plate as a table marker.
Cookies are baked on site, while pastries come from City Bakery. The Filling Station is a pet-friendly place; next to the sugar and cinnamon, there’s a large jar of dog biscuits for man’s hungry best friend.

If craving something artsy, you can read the words of Kansas City poet, Allen Heinrich, on the green slate tacked to Muddy’s Coffeehouse’s wall. Muddy’s is more than tolerant of lingering; nobody’s going to press you to finish your coffee, pay your bill and get out of (or on the road to) Dodge.

Planet Café also draws an artsy crowd, but younger and more alternative.

Says barista Joshua (whose top drink is Three Guys With Swords, made with Irish Cream syrup, chocolate and espresso), “We’re all friends here. We take pride in that.” If you have an idea for a new coffee drink, suggest it to the barista. If it’s popular, your drink will be added to the menu. Planet Café also has food for everybody from vegans to carnivores, and serves organic fair trade coffee.

If you’re in the mood for something a little more formal, head to Room 39, which is a full-service restaurant. Luckily, they don’t mind if you loiter over a latte. Room 39 is known for its iced coffee, which is cold-brewed, making for a full-flavored coffee with no bitterness. The proof is in the mouth of the buyer; Stephen, a hot coffee aficionado, said, “I don’t like iced coffee usually, but I like this.” Stay late enough to order a full meal and you can drop up to $450 on a bottle of wine, or just kick back and order another cappuccino.

Visually, it would be easy to mistake The Roasterie Café for a chain coffee shop—but don’t judge by sight. Owner Danny O’Neill learned about coffee by picking beans in Costa Rica. The Roasterie’s signature drinks invite curiosity: Who is the Robert behind the Brooksider Bob, a concoction involving espresso, chocolate and mint? To find out, grab a seat at one of the three outdoor patios or choose a table or armchair indoors.

Last but not least, Oak Street Coffee Shop is as comfortable as your favorite aunt’s living room. For children, there’s a basket filled with toy dinosaurs and stuffed animals. Scones (maple walnut is a house favorite) and cookies are baked in the shop; croissants come from Artisan Français in Overland Park. The house coffees—Kenya AA, East Indies and decaf espresso—come from the Broadway Roasting Company.

With all these coffeehouses to choose from, it would be silly not to treat yourself to the roast of the town next time you’re in KC. ■

COFFEE BREAK

City Market Coffeehouse
816-718-3005
www.citymarketcoffeecompany.com

Westport Coffeehouse
816-756-3222
www.westportcoffeehouse.com

Crave Café
816-931-5282

Coffee Girls
816-221-2326

Hi Hat Coffee
913-722-5000
www.hihatcoffee.com

Broadway Roasting Company
816-931-9955
www.broadwaycaféandroastery.com

Broadway Café
816-531-2432

Bella Napoli
816-444-5041

Filling Station
816-931-4335

Muddy’s Coffeehouse
816-756-3121

Planet Café
816-561-7287

Room 39 >>>>>>>>>>>
816-753-3939
www.rm39.com

The Roasterie Café
816-333-9700
www.theroasterie.com

Oak Street Coffee Shop
816-444-0731
www.oakstcoffee.com

TEA TIME

Tea-drinkers aren’t deprived in Kansas City. Teadrops has a substantial collection of loose and bubble teas—and the staff knows how to brew them. Teacups, pots, travel mugs, yerba mate gourds and more are available for purchase, as are loose-leaf teas. Whittle away the hours sniffing samples and trying to decide whether the Italian almond tea smells more like a peach cobbler or oatmeal cookies. Whichever you choose, the tea makes an excellent brew.

Teadrops
816-531-9600
www.teadrops.us