One thing that Springfield offers is access to some great coffee places. If you’re ready to branch out from your daily iced caramel macchiato from Starbucks, here are a few recommendations to get you started.

Big Momma’s

Located on Commercial Street, Big Momma’s is a favorite among Drury students. They have a large selection of specialty lattes.

Christiano Bellotti, who has worked at Big Momma’s for ten years, said that Big Momma’s has the best coffee in town.

“We have good, experienced baristas, use top of the line syrups, and have good espresso,” said Bellotti.

He went on to say that, “Big Momma’s has a lot of community, the community of Commercial Street. Our place is good for Drury students specifically because it is close to them, offers them a discount [and] is a good study place for students.”

Bellotti stated that two of the most popular drinks at Big Momma’s are the “Old 66” and the “Northside Turtle.”

Make sure you don’t miss out on the 10% student discount, or the $0.25 discount if you answer their daily trivia question correctly.

Kingdom Coffee

If you’re looking for a coffee place that’s never too loud or crowded, Kingdom Coffee is your spot. They are serious about their coffee and are home to some of the best espresso in town. They also support another local business, Askinosie Chocolate, a Springfield-based chocolate factory that focuses on ethically sourced cocoa products.

Kingdom Coffee sells Askinosie chocolate bars at their counter and has even featured Askinosie chocolate in some of their iced coffee drinks. One of their most popular drinks currently is their lavender sage latte. Purist coffee lovers will feel right at home here.

Mudhouse

A classic staple of downtown Springfield, every college student should check out Mudhouse at some point in their coffee guzzling career. That is, if you can find a seat. They are extremely popular and always packed.

Dr. Tina Claussen is a jazz professor in the music department at Drury and has frequented the coffee shops downtown for several years.

When asked which coffee place is her favorite, she said, “I probably like the coffee at The Coffee Ethic more [than Mudhouse coffee], but I think I like the atmosphere at Mudhouse better.”

The atmosphere at Mudhouse is comfortable. There is always some eclectic music mix playing over the speakers, and the tables, each with their own unique lamp, encourage interesting conversations and productivity.

Mudhouse is perfect for anything from reading a good book on the leather couches to meeting up with a Tinder match. The coffee is great, too. One of their most popular drinks is “The Elvis,” which is a frozen coffee drink made with peanut butter, banana and chocolate, perfect for these last few hot days of summer.

The Coffee Ethic

Right on Park Central Square, The Coffee Ethic is another well-known feature of downtown Springfield. They boast some excellent varieties in pour-over coffee, and also have excellent cold brew coffee with less of the emphasis on specialty lattes found at Mudhouse.

Because they are often crowded, it is also difficult to find a seat here sometimes. If you are willing to fight for a spot, The Coffee Ethic is an excellent place to sip a rich dark espresso and observe the unique community of downtown Springfield, either next to their large windows or from their outdoor seating area.

This list includes just a few of the more popular coffee shops in town, but there are many other delicious cups of joe out there. Go explore and find your own favorite spot for grabbing some coffee from locally owned businesses.

 Article by Lauren J. Barclay