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Eat. Sleep. Drink coffee. Repeat. This is my daily routine. As someone who can’t survive without coffee, I set out on a mission to find the best local coffee shops. But, there’s a twist. I wanted to find the best local coffee shop, but order drinks without any actual coffee in them. So, I did just that. I set out on a journey to find the best non coffee drinks in the Des Moines area. 

To start things off, I popped into Smokey Row Coffee off of Martin Luther King Jr. pkwy in Des Moines. Instantly I liked the energy of the shop and the spacious room made me feel safe during these crazy pandemic times. Typically, I’m pretty boring when it comes to my coffee and will order a cold brew, or an Americano with no cream and no sugar. This time was going to be different. I stared at the menu for a couple of minutes, wanting nothing more than to have an extremely caffeinated coffee in my hands. After not being able to decide, I asked the barista what her favorite non-coffee drink was. She said her favorite drink was the spiced chai, so I went ahead and ordered that. I was always under the impression that chai’s had coffee in them, but to my surprise it’s actually tea. As I took my first sip of this spiced chai, I was pleasantly surprised. The drink had a hint of spice, a strong cinnamon flavor and was topped with some delicious whipped cream as well. Safe to say, I loved it and if this is what I had to drink as a coffee substitute, I definitely wouldn’t be mad about it. 

After my first stop, I was hopeful that there would be other coffee shops that I could find delicious non coffee drinks at. I went to Mars Cafe, off of University Ave. in Des Moines. It was a little tricky to find parking on such a busy street, but I eventually found a spot and was ready to get inside. This coffee shop was much smaller than Smokey Row, but was very quaint. It was very quiet, but a good quiet place where you could sit and work or do homework for hours, which you can do, because they have free WiFi. Their menu is fairly small, so again I asked the barista what non coffee drink I should order. She listed off many items, but the one that intrigued me the most was the Matcha Green Tea. I have never had matcha before, but have always seen people drinking it and they seem to enjoy it. My drink came up shortly, and looked beautiful.The barista put a design on top, in the shape of a heart. Even though it was almost too pretty to drink, I went ahead and took a sip. My first reaction was, “uh, yuck.” To me, it tasted like a plant in a cup, very earthy. For a second opinion, I did have my friend who was with me try it, who has previously had matcha and she loved it. So maybe this drink isn’t for me, but for those that like matcha, then this is the place to go. 

Lastly, I went a little further to find a local coffee and bagel shop that I have heard great things about. A place called 5 Borough Bagels off of University Ave, in Clive. Although many wouldn’t think to try this place out for coffee, or in my case a non-coffee drink, they are mistaken. As I walked into this smaller coffee shop, my ears were filled with upbeat music and my eyes were delighted with fun-colored walls and decorations. The baristas are warm, welcoming and were helpful in making a decision on what to order. I ended up deciding on a lavender lemonade, something that I would have never ordered on my own. I have smelled lavender but have never tried a drink with lavender in it, so I was unsure what it was going to be like. It took a couple of minutes, because they were busy, but eventually this beautiful, light purple, delicious looking drink was in my hand. Excitedly, I took a sip and realized it was definitely worth the wait. It was very different tasting. It tasted floral-like, but sweet and delectable at the same time. 

When I set out to do this, I thought that it would be torture having the coffee smell hit my nose as I walked into these coffee shops, not ordering any drinks with coffee in them. Surprisingly, it was super enjoyable switching things up. Whether you are a coffee drinker or not, these three places are worth trying out. It is hard to choose a favorite, because they are all very different. They all have a different taste, appearance, and vibe to them. I’ll leave it up to others to go out and decide which local coffee shop in the Des Moines area is their favorite.