Students at Augustana rave about coffee and energy bars that are close to campus, such as Awake or Atomic, but every now and then I crave something different. As I drove across Davenport to discover new cafes and restaurants to try, I often drove past one energy bar called The Coffee Revolution. I have never heard of it before and I doubt that many students on campus know about it either, but after glancing at their online menu, I decided to give it a try. I understand that it’s a far drive from campus, but trust me, the trek is worth it. The Coffee Revolution has a seemingly endless amount of different drinks to try, whether it’s your usual iced coffee or a unique monster frappuccino. In case you’re open to anything and everything and are having a difficult time just choosing one item, here are my top three recommendations from The Coffee Revolution.
- Strawberry Crushed Fruit Smoothie
At first glance, it seems like I am straying away from my typical energy drink order. However, what’s unique about the Coffee Revolution’s smoothies is that you can add Monster Energy to them and turn them into energy slushies. When I first saw this on the menu, I was curious if the Strawberry Smoothie would taste like the Strawberry Shortcake slush from Atomic (which is currently my favorite drink). While it does not have the “cake” flavor, this smoothie is equally delicious. It’s bursting with sweet and tangy strawberry flavors and the vanilla whipped cream on top of it balances out the strawberry. Plus, it gives me the much-needed boost I need in order to get through the rest of the day. So, whether you’re a caffeine junkie or just craving a fresh drink, the Strawberry Smoothie will satisfy all of your cravings.
- Flamingo
In my article about my top three recommendations from KickServe (which you should totally check out by the way!), I mentioned that one of my favorite drinks was their Cherry Limeade Italian Soda, mostly because I think anything with cherry limeade flavors is delicious. So when I saw that the Coffee Revolution offered a cherry limeade energy drink combined with pink lemonade, I knew that it was going to be my go-to from there. The Flamingo is fifty percent sour, fifty percent sweet, and one hundred percent delicious. I love the sour pop from the lime and lemon juices and it’s not so overwhelming to the point that it ruins the drink. I also love how the cherry and strawberry flavors balance out the sourness and create an explosion of flavor on my tongue. And, last but not least, it satisfies all my caffeine cravings. In need of an energy drink that will really wake you up with powerful flavors? The Flamingo has got you covered.
- Java Chip Frappe
Another type of drink that I love but don’t write about enough is the frappe. There is a seemingly endless amount of flavor variations regarding the frappe and they all are equally delectable. In my opinion, however, I love the ones that include a coffee base. I love frozen drinks, and I love coffee, so the combination of them rocks my world. The first time I visited the Coffee Revolution and was debating what drink sounded the most delicious, the Java Chip Frappe immediately caught my eye. The combination of chocolate chips, coffee, and milk sounds boring at first glance, but you honestly need to try it in order to understand my love for it. The frappe is a wonderful balance of bitter coffee and sweet milk chocolate to make a refreshing drink that is not too overwhelming with any flavor. Add some vanilla whipped cream on top and this drink reaches a whole new level. Yes, it’s very simple, but sometimes it’s the simple things that are the most loveable, so I highly recommend giving the Java Chip Frappe a try.
I hope this list can satisfy all of your drink cravings. As I mentioned before, the Coffee Revolution is far from Augustana’s campus, but the drive is worth it. You just need to try it to believe it.