Kansas City, Missouri

The best coffee in Kansas City

Six Kansas City roasters and cafés — a scene that outperforms the city's size.

6 places

Kansas City's specialty coffee rivals cities twice its size, and almost all of it sits in two districts. The Crossroads Arts District is ground zero: you can walk between three of the best roasters in minutes.

River Market is the other stop, and the scene's real distinction is range — Latin-Indigenous, Vietnamese and European-café traditions all operating seriously rather than as themes.

  1. 1.Messenger Coffee Co.

    Crossroads

    Roasting on Grand Boulevard since 2009 and building direct farmer relationships before that was a marketing line. The flagship building is worth seeing on its own.

  2. 2.Blip Roasters

    Crossroads

    Consistently named among the city's best roasters, and a short walk from Messenger.

  3. 3.Cafe Ca Phe

    Crossroads

    Vietnamese coffee done with intent rather than novelty, and one of the highest-rated rooms in the city.

    Order: the ube latte

  4. 4.Cafe Corazon

    Brings Latin-Indigenous coffee culture to the city, and rates as highly as anywhere on public reviews.

  5. 5.Thou Mayest

    River Market

    The greenhouse is the reason to go, and it works in any season — which in Kansas City is not a small claim.

  6. 6.Bisou

    European wine-bar energy applied to a coffee shop. The odd one out here, and useful for that.