coffeeshops Archives – Lost in Wanderland

Coffee Shop Love: Messenger Coffee Co.

February 25, 2020

If you’re in the Kansas City area and haven’t been living under a rock, chances are you’ve heard of Messenger Coffee. Honestly, I’m a little late to the party here (this one has been lingering on my coffeeshop list for a while), but seeing as how it’s in my neighborhood and I go there fairly frequently, I couldn’t pass up mentioning it here. Messenger has become something of a KC darling and gotten a lot of hype in the last few years, and for good reason. Though the roasting company was established in 2013 and supplies many local coffeeshops, they opened their flagship roasting facility and café in 2017 in the Crossroads district. As such, they’re first and foremost a roaster, focusing on farm-direct beans roasted right here in KC (in other words, they know their coffee). That said, the café has become a hotspot in its own right.

If hip and sleek is your coffeeshop jam, then Messenger has you covered. Their Crossroads café is hyper-cool and modern — think clean white palette, chic minimalist furniture, soaring ceilings, and lots of light. The décor is unfailingly hip. As an added bonus, there’s an open kitchen with views into the bakery and coffee roasting areas (so you know both your croissant and your java are fresh and homemade). And unlike many coffeeshops, there’s plenty of space and seating here, in the bustling first floor area or upstairs in one of the more studious enclaves. There’s even a much-Instagrammed rooftop patio with amazing views of the downtown KC skyline. The only downside to this is that it sometimes gets a bit loud — it’s never not been busy when I’m there — though there’s enough room that you can usually find a private corner.

For all the hype about Messenger, the baristas know their stuff. The coffee is always delicious, and they’re particularly on-point in the latte art game (even when it comes to my almond milk lattes). I have photographic proof — I’ve never received a less-than-gorgeous latte, and they taste as good as they look. And thanks to Ibis bakery, the menu is worth drooling over as well. The amazing baked goods are all made in-house (in fact, you can see them coming out of the oven in the open kitchen), and the menu is actually fairly extensive, which isn’t a given for coffeeshops. Good luck choosing between the range of carefully handcrafted breads, both classic and creative pastries, and a hot menu of toasts, tartines, eggs, and other breakfast yummies. Sacrilegious though it is, I’ve yet to test the pastries — though they always look incredible — but I can vouch for a decadent chocolate truffle. Considering Ibis’s rising fame, it’s probably safe to say the food is awesome.

All in all, I have to admit that smaller, slightly shabby cafes are more my style, but there’s no denying that Messenger Coffee is a cool spot, and definitely worth a visit. You know you’ll get a great cup of coffee (and likely a killer bite to eat as well), and really, it’s worth going just to check out the space. You’ll feel cooler just stepping into the café.

February 25, 2020

Food/ Javaholic/ Travel

The Best Paris Coffeeshops

November 29, 2019

What would a trip to Paris be without le café? Despite Paris’s vibrant café culture, it’s generally accepted that the coffee itself isn’t all that great. But in the past few years, the third-wave coffee movement has hit the city — with vigor — and these days there are legit roasters and more coffeeshops than even I could manage to hit in one trip. That’s not to say I didn’t try — I had a mile-long list going into my trip, and I drank enough coffee to fuel endless trekking around the city (which is a lot). Though I don’t want to think about how much of my trip budget went to coffee breaks, this did leave me with a pretty good sampling of the Paris coffee scene. Unlike years past, it’s pretty easy now to find a good latte or filter coffee in Paris (and the list of places offering alternative milks is also growing), not to mention that there’s a collection of friendly, charming cafés to visit. My list was a good one — I don’t think I drank a bad cup of coffee on my trip. That said, I narrowed it down to my top five picks for the best Paris coffeeshops (though the full list of spots I visited is included as well — all of which I would recommend, honestly). Thankfully, there’s never a need to wander Paris under-caffeinated again!

Boot Café

19 rue du Pont aux Choux

This might just be the tiniest coffeeshop in Paris — it’s also one of the cutest, and serves up delicious coffee to boot (no pun intended). Nestled in an old cordonnerie, or cobbler’s shop, in the Marais, this petite blue café has just enough room inside for the counter and a couple of tables. They manage to fit a lot of charm into a small space, though, with rustic-chic décor, art on the walls, and fresh flowers — plus delicious coffee and pastries, of course. Get a flat white to go as you meander through the Marais, or take a moment to perch on one of the outside seats and enjoy the charming street.

Paul et Rimbaud

40 rue Sedaine

Books and coffee — what’s not to love? Near Bastille in the hip 11e, this charming café is stocked floor to ceiling with books and filled with plants. It’s definitely worth taking your coffee to stay here — grab a seat at one of the eclectically mismatched tables or sofas and enjoy the tranquil vibes as you sip your café from a pastel-hued cup and munch on a house-made treat (I highly recommend the carrot cake — it was scrumptious). Though I generally think the rude Parisian stereotype is a myth, it’s also worth noting that the staff here are lovely (not a surly waiter in sight).

Strada Café

24 rue Monge

It should tell you something that I went out of my way to return to this little café several times during my trip. There are actually two locations, though I only checked out the bustling café near the Latin Quarter. This was one of the few places where I found a nearly-American-size latte (which is likely a point against me in javaholic cred but was a plus in my book). In any case, the coffee is delicious and the space lively and inviting. If you’re feeling peckish, definitely try the brownie, which is essentially death by chocolate and worth every bite. Strada is a little out of the way of the typical tourist spots, but if you’re exploring the Left Bank (which I highly recommend) — especially Jardin des Plantes or the ancient Roman Arènes de Lutèce — it’s definitely worth a stop (or two).

Le Peloton

17 rue du Pont Louis Philippe

You can’t visit Paris without stopping into this friendly spot in the Marais. It’s the sort of place where the patrons are regulars and the baristas chatty. I was barely there a minute before I was chatting about my trip with a fellow patron and the baristas, and the owners themselves are often behind the bar, making drinks and talking to people. With Aussie and New Zealand roots, it’s a favorite gathering spot for the expat crowd in Paris, and for good reason. Don’t miss the delicious waffles with your flat white, and if you’re looking for a little guidance around Paris, they also host bike tours around Paris and Versailles.

Café Oberkampf

3 rue Neuve Popincourt

If you’re looking for a mean flat white and a tasty bite in the up-and-coming Oberkampf district, look no further than Café Oberkampf. This Aussie-inspired café serves up top-notch coffee and fresh, healthy eats in a bright, friendly setting. It’s another tiny spot, but it’s definitely worth grabbing one of the few tables and staying for brunch or lunch. Their specialty is the tartine (an open-faced sandwich or toast) — a perfect accompaniment to a delicious cup of coffee.

There you have it — the best Paris coffeeshops! Here’s the list of all the coffeeshops I visited. Anyone fancy a cuppa?

November 29, 2019

Javaholic/ Kansas City/ Wanderings

Coffees Shop Love: Monarch Coffee

August 11, 2019

Monarch Coffee
3550 Broadway, Kansas City, MO

One of the top benefits of being a notorious javaholic is that people know to inform you immediately about new coffee spots. That’s how, thanks to some highly exclusive intel, Monarch Coffee came onto my radar early on. The petite café had only been open a couple of weeks when it started attracting attention in the KC coffee scene (us trendsetters made it in shortly after opening, of course), and the acclaim has held strong. When we stopped by on a Wednesday afternoon, the place was bustling — so much so that we almost had to chase away a few tea-drinkers for a table (just kidding).

Anyway, for someone who dreams constantly of Paris (ahem, guilty), it’s hard not to like this café. Monarch has the look of a hip Paris bistro — black and white subway tiles, white molding, dainty café tables, intimate booths. Chill and elegant, with just a bit of cute thrown in (let’s just say there are a few unicorn decor items around). Tucked into the lower level of the regal Art Deco Ambassador apartment building, it seems to fit perfectly into a glamorous 1920s scene, with an added touch of hipster coffeehouse. (If only you could walk out the door and see the Eiffel Tower). Even if you’re not an Art Deco nerd, the bright and airy space is perfect for sipping a leisurely cuppa. That said, it probably doesn’t make for the best workspace. Like I said, it was busy (and chatty) when we were there, at a hubbub level that would have distracted me, and holing up in a dark corner to get work done might be difficult.

Despite the newborn café, the Monarch owners are no coffee neophytes. Owner Tyler Roverstine, a Q-grade barista (think sommelier for coffee) has worked at the Roasterie, Oddly Correct, and Quay coffeeshops in KC and has won awards at several barista competitions. Monarch sources and roasts its own coffee, which is also sold in the café and online. All of this should add up to some pretty good coffee, right? And luckily, Monarch doesn’t disappoint. An iced and a regular latte (complete with lovely latte art, of course) both checked out. My iced latte was made with oat milk — which apparently they’re moving toward using exclusively — which was a new one for me. I think I prefer my usual almond milk, though the latte was still quite tasty. Unlike most coffeeshops, Monarch serves most of its drinks dine-in and hand-delivered to your table — part of a philosophy of “intentional service” focused more on the customer. One area that could use improvement (and would no doubt cause any true Parisian to frown) was the food. The food options were pretty limited, and though that’s hardly an anomaly for coffeeshops, the “berry” scone (it wasn’t berry, it was bacon and cheese) was a little dry and clearly had some identity issues.*

You might have noticed that I had a lot more to say about the Monarch space than the coffee itself. Take that as a clue. The coffee is good, but I wouldn’t deem it KC’s best latte, and I’m not sure I’d come back regularly for the coffee alone. For the charming space and opportunity to pretend I’m in a Paris cafe? Definitely.

*Since opening, Monarch has paired with 1900 Barker in Lawrence for baked goods, and it has been a while since I’ve been by, so to be fair, they might very well have upped their nosh game by now.

**This post originally appeared on my coffee blog, Beanopia, in July 2017.

August 11, 2019