Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at KU chapter.

I am addicted to coffee. Ever since that caramel frappuccino in sixth grade (and yes I count that as coffee), I have planned my morning routine around my beautiful cup of joe. Don’t worry, I keep it simple with a simple black cup and splash of milk in the morning and get more sophisticated as the day goes on with a latté in the afternoon with my favorite add-ins. Since I am pretty sure I live in one of the coffee capitals in the United States; I decided to “coffee crawl” around Kansas City to find the best cup of bliss in town.

Message board with funny motto and cup of coffee
Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

I started at Hattie’s Fine Coffee, located in the heart of Prairie Village. Hattie’s offers one of the best lattés to jumpstart your morning and 10/10 would recommend making a pitstop at this local favorite. I ordered an almond milk latté with a sprinkle of cinnamon and honey and cozily sat in the back booth while scrolling through my emails before the chaos of the day began. I continued my adventure down the road and discovered a hidden gem; Front Range Coffee. When I walked in, I was convinced I teleported to a quaint mountain town and I immediately was ready to hit the slopes. The ambiance of the shop was warm and along with the delicious coffee menu, they were equipped with a full bar. I ordered an iced mocha; sweet and crisp and totally would go for another one if I had the time…and spare cash.

As the coffee crawl continued, I decided to have a friend join me to ensure I would order outside the box for once in my coffee-loving life. I made my way to Hi-Hat Coffee right on the state line between Kansas and Missouri and sat outside at this adorable Westwood find. My order this time consisted of their iced sugar cookie, which I am pretty sure I swallowed in one bite, paired perfectly with an iced coffee. I was more than positive I had peaked in that moment. 

 

Latte in mug
Photo by Christiana Rivers from Unsplash

My final stop on the coffee crawl was a place I had heard a lot about; however, I had yet to try. I drove down Main Street and found the three story coffee house that is on everyone’s Instagram story every Sunday morning; Messenger Coffee. Now let me tell you, this place was the kingdom of all coffee shops. Their pastry case was full of scones and cookies, they had a full coffee bar, teas, and their weekend special; mimosas. I studied their menu and decided to order their housemade chai. I climbed what felt like 500 stairs to find no seating, because this place is a popping spot on Sundays apparently. 

Good morning written in coffee
Photo by Jonas Mohamadi from Pexels
I dedicated my coffee crawl to local favorites to support small businesses and discover delicious KC coffee right at my fingertips. I found new local goodies and spent quality time with friends over some of my favorite drinks. I feel as if I have barely touched the surface of the Kansas City coffee world and there are many more to try, but for now I know my bank account will appreciate the coffee shop hiatus.

Hey :) I'm Lauren and I am senior at the University of Kansas! When I am not writing for HER Campus, you can find me spending time with my friends and family, enjoying the outdoors, or drinking too much coffee ;)