top 25 coffee shops in the midwest
REGULARS
STORY BY MEGAN GIBBONS AND BETHANY SPITZMILLER PHOTOS PROVIDED BY COFFEEHOUSES (except where indicated)
2) MUDHOUSE | SPRINGFIELD
Since opening in 1998, Mudhouse has been serving great coffee, and they have been voted Springfield’s Best Coffee Place 15 years in a row as proof. Mudhouse owners Brian King and Rob Weislocher were inspired to open the shop after they traveled to Asia and visited friends in South Korea. While they were there they visited multiple diverse coffeehouses and decided Springfield needed its own. Eventually Mudhouse grew into what it is today. Their full menu offers beverages such as coffee, smoothies and tea and food options including soup, salads and sandwiches. In 2001, they started roasting their own coffee beans, and Mudhouse Coffee Roasters opened. Their freshlyroasted beans are roasted in guest’s homes and at multiple local businesses. Soon after they started roasting, another interesting addition to the Mudhouse family was created — the MudLounge is a full bar only a three-minute walk from the coffeehouse. They serve beer, wine, martinis and coffee cocktails such as Devil’s White Mocha, Naughty Skipper and Twisted Chai. Guests can start their day at Mudhouse and end it at the MudLounge. There are great drinks to enjoy all day, from warm and creamy to cool and spiked.
1) FRETBOARD COFFEE | COLUMBIA Fretboard Coffee combines rock music and specialty coffee to create a harmonious atmosphere. Just as music combines multiple aspects to create an interesting blend, Fretboard combines coffee beans from around the world to create personalized, handcrafted drinks. They focus on custom roasting to accommodate the individual tastes of their customers. The atmosphere inside is reenergizing and relaxing at the same time. Customers can sit at the bar — which has a countertop that looks like the fretboard of a guitar — watch their coffee being made and chat with the barista or other guests sitting nearby. Fretboard is a great place to meet with friends or get to know new people. When customers feel like taking the conversation and their drink outside, the courtyard patio is just a few steps away. If guests are already outside and around Columbia, Fretboard has a trendy food truck named Marilyn that serves coffee and doughnuts. She’s been spotted on Mizzou’s campus and other places around town.
3) PICASSO’S COFFEE HOUSE | ST. CHARLES 28 Winter 2017
The perfect cup of coffee might seem like a work of art, and at Picasso’s they truly are. Picasso’s Coffee House uses fresh, micro-roasted coffee beans to create their masterpieces. Art is everywhere at Picasso’s. Each month local artists display their work, and at least twice a week live bands perform. From painters to photographers, multiple artists have come to Picasso’s to display their work, and each month a new artist is featured. Jazz, acoustic classics, blues and country play while the guests enjoy themselves. There’s a coffee and sound for everyone’s individual taste. Picasso’s focuses on supporting the local economy and nurturing a positive relationship with the community at their two locations on Main Street and Beale Street. detours magazine 29
