Local Coffee Shops Part 1

Hey guys! So if you haven’t picked up from my blog that I love a good cup of coffee, this is me telling you that I love a good cup of coffee. I’m pretty basic when it comes to my coffee drinks. If I’m checking out a local coffee shop I almost always get a vanilla latte with almond milk (iced or hot depends on the day). If I’m making coffee at home 99% of the time I’m brewing CoffeeOverCardio’s Messy Bun, adding a little of the vanilla caramel smart start powdered creamer, and a splash of hazelnut almond creamer.

My boyfriend is also a coffee connoisseur, so one of our favorite activities is to try the small, local coffee shops. So I thought I’d do a series of posts on local Kansas City metro coffee shops with my reviews of the neighborhood, overall atmosphere at the coffee shop, and of course the most important, the coffee itself. I’ve compiled a list of places to try, but feel free to add your suggestions in the comments! My list is not exhaustive. I’ll also include Instagram handles where possible for anyone interested in following them on social media.

Main Street Coffee — Independence

Whistle Stop Coffee — Lee’s Summit

Hammerhand Coffee — Liberty

Gusto Coffee Shop — Lee’s Summit

Thou Mayest

RJ’s Coffeeland — Independence

Post Coffee Co. — Lee’s Summit

The Roasterie Cafe — KCMO

Quay Coffee — River Market

Mildred’s Coffee House — Crossroads

Filling Station — Westport

Java Garage — West Bottoms

This post will talk about the first four on my list: Main Street Coffee, Whistle Stop Coffee, Hammerhand Coffee, and Gusto Coffee Shop. I’ve been to Thou Mayest, but I’m going to give it a second chance since it was right before they were getting ready to move out of their Crossroads location. And I’ve been drinking The Roasterie Coffee for years. In fact, it’s what my company’s coffee bar uses so I drink it several times a week. I’ve just never been to the cafe itself or done the tour of the roasterie.

Main Street Coffee — Independence

This is by far our favorite coffee shop. I think this has a lot to do with the overall experience, and it’s closer to where we live than some of the others. It’s located just off the main drag of the Independence Square which comes with its own sort of charm and small town feel. We’ve been in several times and the baristas are always friendly. They make a fantastic vanilla latte, but also have a selection of specialty drinks. The shop has a quiet and relaxing atmosphere. I’ve seen people out back doing yoga. There are books and board games on a shelf against the wall. I’ll go up and sit for a few hours working on a blog post and people watch. It is family friendly. The last weekend I was in there someone was doing face painting for the kids (no word on if an adult could have gotten his or her face painted). The one caveat is that you do have to request the bathroom key from behind the counter to use the restroom. But this is a minor inconvenience. The first time my boyfriend went he took his parents while they were in town visiting around Christmas. I didn’t get to go this time, but his mom had a seasonal special peppermint latte that she raved about for days. 10/10 recommend this local shop if you’re in Independence and looking for a great atmosphere and coffee.

Check out their Instagram page and give them a follow: @mainstreetindep

Whistle Stop Coffee — Lee’s Summit

I found this gem a few weeks ago while I was walking around the Lee’s Summit Square. I’m sure it wasn’t a hidden gem to some of you given that it’s been around for 25 years, but I had never heard of it before. I didn’t take time to go in that day, but went back a week later with my boyfriend so we could try it together. I branched out from my usual basic order and tried the salted caramel latte. It was delicious, and I was happy with my choice. My boyfriend tried the sugar-free vanilla latte and the walnut coffee cake. You should have seen his face when he took his first bite. I was cracking up, but it was apparent he was happy with his choice of pastry. Since I’m gluten-free I didn’t sample it for myself, but the shop does offer a few gluten-free options. Their menu also includes breakfast and lunch options, and you can buy the coffee in bags to take and brew at home. We went in early afternoon and sat there for about 45 minutes enjoying our drinks and quiet conversation. There was a steady flow of customers in and out, but the shop itself stayed relatively quiet. A couple enjoyed paninis in one booth, while an older woman read her newspaper in the back corner. Two people also sat working on their computers. 10/10 recommend this shop if you’re looking for a quiet place to enjoy conversation, read a book, or sit and get work done for a few hours.

Check out their Instagram page and give them a follow: @whistlestopcoffee

Hammerhand Coffee — Liberty

Does anyone else look at this name and want to call it Hammerhead? I keep calling it the wrong name when talking about it and have to stop and correct myself. The location of this shop holds a special place in my heart and had me feeling a little bit nostalgic. It’s situated on the northwest corner of the Liberty Square. I went to undergrad at William Jewell and we spent a lot of time on the square (although this was before Hammerhand opened) since it was walking distance from campus. So this was actually the second coffee shop of the day during a leisurely adventure around the eastern side of the Kansas City metro with my boyfriend. We got our usual orders, sugar-free vanilla latte and a vanilla latte with almond milk. The shop was busy the Saturday afternoon we stopped in. The crowd seemed to be mainly college-age (I assume coming over from Jewell for a change of scenery working on homework), with a few outliers. We sat and enjoyed one of the tables in the front window so we could people watch. This shop had a more youthful feel to it. Seating was limited because it was busy, but with most of the patrons working on computers or studying we were able to enjoy conversation without having to yell over background noise. 8/10 recommend this shop if you want a local place in Liberty.

Check out their Instagram page and give them a follow: @hammerhandcoffee

Gusto Coffee Shop — Lee’s Summit

I’m sitting writing this post from Gusto Coffee Shop on their patio. It’s 65 degrees today and perfect for being outside. The shop was busy when I got here. Inside was a little loud with music playing and people talking. There has been a steady flow of people in and out from the patio (which is dog friendly btw), but even with traffic and people visiting it seems quieter and more relaxing than inside. Given the weather and my decision to enjoy the patio, I went with an iced vanilla latte with almond milk. It was delicious. So much so that I finished it before I was done writing this post. I was also pleasantly surprised by the number of gluten-free pastry options in their case. I didn’t try any during this visit, but will the next time I’m here. The shop sits on the corner of Longview Road and Fascination Drive. Which seems appropriate with the fascinating people watching this has been providing. It also seems to be a popular stop for people for cyclists to stop and enjoy a cup of coffee after a bike ride. The coffee shop also has weeknight events and live music nights. 9/10 recommend that you stop in next time you’re in Lee’s Summit and looking for coffee, especially if the weather is nice.

Check out their Instagram page and give them a follow: @gustocoffeeshop

If you’ve tried any of these places let me know what you thought in the comments. Stay tuned for Part 2 of my coffee shop series coming sometime in May. Curious about the brand CoffeeOverCardio that I mentioned at the start of this post? Email me with questions or check out the page on Instagram @coffeeovercardio. Boss babe Abbey Scott is awesome.

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