Forks Down: Coffee Edition

Forks Down: C ffee Edition

Spilling the beans on four locally-owned coffee shops

+ by Emily Alexander

If you have a slight caffeine addiction like me, then you’re always on the lookout for a new spot to get a warm drink that soothes the soul. Look no further, because I went out and tried four local coffee shops. For a fair comparison, I ordered a small caramel latte at each stop.

RevoCup Lenexa:

Just off 87th and I-435, Revocup Lenexa is a small streetside coffee house in the heart of the Lenexa City Center. This is just one of five locations in the metro area with a sixth in St. Louis. Although I drive past Revocup nearly every day on my way to work, this was my first time actually going inside. The couch seating and art made me feel at home the second I walked in the door. The service was probably the best of the four places. My order came out very quickly. As far as the drink itself, I was slightly underwhelmed. The coffee tasted a bit watered down and did not meet my expectations.

Filling Station Coffee Garage:

Filling Station is a small coffee shop on Johnson Drive, across from SM North. The shop is basically an old car garage filled with rustic decor, making it a vintage lover’s dream. I had heard many great things about Filling Station, however, my experience did not live up to the dozens of five-star Yelp reviews. Not only was my drink watered down, but it left a horrible aftertaste in my mouth. It’s easy to say that this latte was definitely not my favorite.

Urban Prairie Coffee:

Just a mile down the road from Filling Station is Urban Prairie Coffee. It is located right in the middle of Mission, Johnson County’s fast food hotspot. I instantly fell in love with this place. Seating was limited so this one is best for grab-and-go coffee runs. The latte I received was filled with flavor and easily the best I had. My favorite part of Urban Prairie is that it is connected to Mission Board Games, a small store filled with any board game you could dream of. My only problem with this location is that diagonal parking in the middle of Johnson Drive can be quite terrifying for a fairly new driver like myself, but once I get over that I’ll definitely be coming back.

Café Equinox:

Cafe Equinox, located in Shawnee, was definitely the most unique of the four locations. This coffee house is known for being one of the most “Instagrammable” coffee shops in the metro area. Because it is located inside of Family Tree Nursery, near Nieman Road and 71st St., the atmosphere is strictly nature-oriented. Here you can sip on coffee, socialize or do your work while sitting amongst dozens of plants inside their greenhouse. The coffee itself wasn’t anything special but it was still a very enjoyable experience. A caramel latte is placed on a table March 26 at Revocup Coffee Shop. Revocup has 6 locations throughout Kansas and Missouri. + photo by Sidra Sakati

A 12 ounce caramel latte sits inside the Filling Station March 25. The Filling Station is located next to SM North high school on Johnson Drive. + photo by Claire Moore

A large caramel latte is positioned next to plants March 26 in Urban Prairie. Urban Prairie is a local coffee shop located on Johnson Drive. + photo by Sidra Sakati

On a table, a caramel latte stands March 25 in Café Equinox. This coffee shop is attached to the Family Tree Nursery on Nieman. + photo by Claire Moore