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04 January 2012
Looking for a place to study, just hang out or to grab a great cup of coffee? Here are some area suggestions.
Steam rises from the surface of the dark liquid. You inhale deeply, breathing in a dozen different scents at once. You gingerly lift the cup to your lips and try not to burn your tongue as you sip. As the liquid hits your taste buds, you pick up hints of flavors – spicy, smoky, cocoa. After a moment you feel the liquid hit your blood stream and the effects set in.
Focus. Calm. Determination.
What are you drinking? Coffee.
This may be a slight over-dramatization of the typical coffee drinking experience. But odds are that you and your fellow Spartans are using coffee to help you get through the stress of academic life.
Missouri Baptist University is fortunate to have its own great coffee shop – thePerk – on campus. The drinks are affordable and it’s the ultimate in convenience.
Occasionally, a Spartan may want to venture off campus to get their caffeine fix. Each coffee shop has its strengths and weaknesses and even coffee novices can learn to appreciate them.
To help students who are unfamiliar with coffee shops near MBU, here are a few great locations and what makes them unique.
Photo by Taylor Webb
Starbucks
13448 Clayton Road
Town & Country, Mo.
Distance from campus: 2.3 miles
Pros:
- Closest coffee shop to campus
- Clean; recently remodeled
- Friendly baristas
- Cheap tall coffee ($1.62)
- Hot breakfast sandwiches
Cons:
- Not a lot of seating
- Generally very noisy
The Bottom Line:
Starbucks sets the bar for chain coffee shops. They emphasize quality, and consistently deliver. The friendly baristas here will help you find a drink you like and the hot breakfast sandwiches make this a great place to grab a quick breakfast between classes. If you decide to stick around, don’t count on getting a lot of work done. The recent remodel removed much of the table seating and the store is frequently busy and noisy.
Photo by Taylor Webb
The Lone Wolf Coffee Company
15480 Clayton Rd #220
Ballwin, Mo.
Distance from campus: 6.9 miles
Pros:
- Large food selection
- Seating inside and outside
- Hosts open mic nights
Cons:
- Restaurant-like seating arrangement
- May not be a peaceful work retreat
The Bottom Line:
The Lone Wolf Coffee Company is the ultimate hangout coffee shop. The large variety of delicious foods, the fun events, and the great coffee make it an ideal place to gather with a group of friends. This coffee shop is very spacious and is more akin to an independently owned St. Louis Bread Co. Check it out.
Photo by Taylor Webb
Kaldi’s Coffee
17211 Chesterfield Airport Road
Chesterfield, Mo.
Distance from campus: 8.8 miles
Pros:
- Large amount of seating (including great couches
- Seating inside and outside
- Fireplace
- Large food and drink selection
Cons:
- Menu is slightly more expensive than other nearby coffee shops
The Bottom Line:
Kaldi’s is the ideal coffee shop for those who need a quiet place to set up and work. They offer tables and couches, so you can choose the most comfortable workspace possible. For an idea of the coffee selection, note that thePerk sells Kaldi’s coffee. It’s a bit of an extra drive, but well worth it for the work environment.
So young coffee connoisseurs, take advantage of your new knowledge and begin to explore the shops in the area.
Taylor Webb is a junior (really a senior though...just saying) majoring in broadcast media. He is a reporter for Timeline Online.
Email: 0710166@mobap.edu