Local Places to Go #1:
The Great Coffee Tour
Coffee isn’t a seasonal beverage, but there’s something truly special about enjoying a cup of joe as the leaves turn brown. As the last visages of summer fade away, people all around reach for the world’s greatest picker-upper. Whether this is an attempt to cure post-summer blues, or (as in the case of myself) an effort to quench an inexhaustible need for caffeine, coffee consumption skyrockets during the fall. Which leads me to my question: where is the best place to get coffee? While there’s a plethora of places in the KC Metro area to pick up a brew, the cafes closer to home are more limited. The six most heavily trafficked stops in the area are as follows: Brickhouse in Harrisonville, Espresso in Peculiar, Gusto! in Longview, and Love, Post, and Whistle Stop in Lees Summit. Each of these cafes have their fair share of fans, and an exceptional reputation to boot. Choosing a quintessential cup would be difficult, so I set off, excited for the delicious challenge that awaited me.
The first stop on the list was Brickhouse Cafe and Eatery in Harrisonville. The most striking thing about the coffee house is its location. Situated on the intersection of brick paved Lexington and Wall Streets, Brickhouse sits catty-corner from Harrisonville’s historic courthouse. As the name suggests, the building is made entirely out of red brick, giving it a robust appearance. The interior features memorabilia from an array of African nations, intricately placed to pay homage to Brickhouses “Orphan’s Hope” partnership. A portion of all earnings at Brickhouse go to the charity, which aims to establish orphanages in impoverished African nations. But does the Brickhouse’s coffee measure up to its appearance? But simply, yes. Brickhouse makes an especially well balanced mocha. It leans slightly to the sweet side, but does not sacrifice on coffee flavor either. It has a subtlety to its flavor that many places lack. That being said, to those who prefer a mocha with more of an edge, Brickhouse might come up short. In its simplicity, it sacrifices on bold flavor. Still, it’s a fantastic cup of coffee for those who are looking for a more modest drink. Rating: 4 out of 5 coffee beans.
Up next on my caffeine fueled journey was Tollbooth Coffee, a (surprisingly enough) tollbooth, outfitted with its own cafe. It can be identified by the giant “Espresso” sign, sitting on the roof. The most interesting thing about Tollbooth is its method of service. Customers drive up to the window of the booth then request their coffee. After a short wait, their beverage is handed out the window, before the next car pulls up. The booth’s miniature kitchen is messy adorned with half-empty cups containing various coffee and caramel concoctions. The product of this mad-barista’s lab is truly a drink for the bold. The Tollbooth mocha is the exact opposite of its Brickhouse counterpart. It doesn’t seek to strike a balance, rather, it goes all out on both coffee and chocolate flavor. Admittedly, it can be a bit much sometimes, but for those who are looking for a lot of flavor, Tollhouse is the place to go. Rating: 4.2 out of 5 coffee beans.
As the local coffee destinations seem to dwindle, changing directions and heading North opens up a whole new slew of options. Love Coffee, the closest cafe to Raymore, sits about 15 minutes from Rec Park. Put simply, it’s the cafe form of a Visco Girl. Its clean, cute, and maybe a little too sunny (probably due to three of its four walls being composed entirely out of windows). They also really like stickers. It’s coffee is reflective of this outward basicness. Love doesn’t make a bad mocha, there’s just nothing exciting about it. It leans towards the sweet side, but it lacks a deep chocolate flavor that makes other drinks so memorable. For those who prefer a diluted, mild mannered cup of coffee, Love might be the place to go. For those who prefer a drink that makes any kind of a statement, I would recommend traveling elsewhere. Rating: 2.8 out of 5 coffee beans.
Before I circled west towards Longview, I decided to quickly visit the two stops closest to Downtown Lee’s Summit. The the closest destination to Love was Post Coffee. Post’s exterior and interior are the more “grown up” equivalents of Love’s. Like most millennial-ran establishments, its clean and modern, both minimalistic and professional. This contemporary design doesn’t cause the roastery to appear cold and uninviting, but it doesn’t maintain the ordinary warm, rustic aesthetic. Post’s pride and joy are its warm lattes, which are famously topped with a frothy leaf. If I were to vote on the most beautiful drink I saw, the Post latte would doubtless be the champion. Unfortunately for post, my vote is strictly based on flavor. While purchasing this option was o-so-tempting, I ordered another iced mocha for continuity’s sake. The Post mocha is decent enough. The freshly roasted coffee is the most prevalent flavor in its profile, but the other elements taste a bit milkey. It takes a moment to get used to, and even after that it’s a little disappointing. There’s no rich chocolate, and coffee alone isn’t enough to make a truly delicious drink. Rating: 3 out of 5 coffee beans.
Even closer to Downtown Lee’s Summit is Whistle Stop Cafe. Whistle Stop’s name comes from its location across from the red brick train depot, a popular destination for students seeking cliche homecoming photos. The interior might be the most enthralling one of the day. It’s filled with the always expected glasses and scarf wearing cafe-typers, but who can blame them? The inside feels like home, with its orange wood trim, red brick walls, and playfully drawn on chalk boards. Coffee mugs and jars line the walls, placed neatly on simple stacked shelving. Whistle Stop’s mocha almost lives up to the cafes appearance. Almost. It flavorful and likeable, but doesn’t quite strike the right balance. Maybe it’s just too much chocolate for my personal taste, but the drink’s oh-so-slightly unsatisfying. I think Brickhouse executes the chocolate based mocha concept more successfully, even if the cafe itself a little less homey. Overall, I’m not mad about the Whistle Stop mocha, just disappointed. Rating: 3.6 out of 5 coffee beans.
The final coffee place has one of the most avid followings in the area. Sleep deprived students and professors alike love Longview’s Gusto! Coffee because of its location, drinks, and atmosphere. It’s modern, industrial decor should blend horribly with the cafe’s rock and wood base, but somehow the hodgepodge of styles clicks wonderfully. Gusto’s vaulted ceiling lined with colorful flags seems designed to bring people together. But what makes Gusto so special is its drinks. The Gusto mocha leans slightly to the coffee side, but implements the perfect amount of chocolate too. It’s a magical blend that’s sure to whisk you off to a smokey Fall bonfire or a cozy christmas tree (whichever you prefer). The drink strikes the essential balance perfectly, making it a coffee lover’s dream come true. I’ll definitely be coming back to Gusto! soon, ready to order my favorite mocha in the area. Rating: 5 out of 5 coffee beans.
If there’s one thing I learned from my journey as a coffee critic, it’s that there’s no truly wrong way to make a mocha. While Gusto! was my favorite stop of the day, I would return to each and every one of them for a different reason. Maybe that’s what makes coffee so magical. No two cups will ever taste the same, and it’s entirely up to the drinker which ones the best. So go on, try a cup for yourself. Explore a little, and see which place you like best. Maybe the best cafe of them all is sitting expectantly, just waiting to be discovered.