Brewed Awakening
Coffee & espresso, pastries, in-house roaster, City Market, breakfast, vegan & vegetarian, juices and smoothies, a place where everyone knows your name
The Coffeehouse opens right onto the City Market, the region’s largest open-aired farmer’s market continuously running since 1857 and located just north of the Missouri River in the historic River Market neighborhood. On sunny weekends, the coffee shop buzzes with shoppers shifting bags of local apples and potatoes from one arm to the other to free up a hand for a cinnamon mocha. Since 2001, the Coffeehouse has had a loyal following among neighborhood regulars, too, and you can stop in any weekday to listen to locals bemoan the downfall of the Royals while lifting enormous egg-and-cheese sandwiches to their mouths with both hands.
The City Market Coffeehouse serves up a comprehensive menu of caffeine, from traditional drip coffee and espresso to in-house specialties like the “Hippie,” a cold-pressed latte with honey and soymilk. The atmosphere is industrial-hip, all brick and concrete and iron—at least on the main floor. If you’re feeling brave, you can climb your way up the store’s steep spiral staircase to what looks like a living room. The second-story loft is full of homey touches, from throw rugs and table lamps to Scrabble sets and shelves of books you can flip through while sipping your coffee or tea. It’s the perfect place to escape and unwind from the bustle and crowds below. You can peer down at the City Market shoppers on the store’s first floor or stare out of the loft’s antique wooden windows into the City Market Park[1], where a combination of the usual suspects—rugged bridge dwellers and yuppies and their beagles—regularly patrol.
The Coffeehouse roasts its own beans, and you can buy a pound to take home if you sample something in-store you enjoy. I recommend the Brewed Awakening, a medium, slightly sweet roast with toasted caramel notes. The roasts aren’t particularly surprising or complex, but you can count on a decent, consistent cup every time you stop in—exactly what you need to jumpstart a day of shopping and sensory overload at the City Market’s open-air bazaar.