The Absolute Best Coffee Shops in Des Moines

Des Moines has quietly become a city where your coffee order says something about your morning intentions, and the options keep multiplying. You can grab a betel nut-adjacent mushroom brew at Kava DSM, or you can cross the street to a lobby hideaway that serves cold foam like a science experiment.

What unites this list is spread: six-dollar flat whites and lobby coffee more architectural than a downtown high-rise. We counted twelve spots, including an amalgamation of beer and chili where the coffee exists as a formality.

The data is in on where your choices reward you. Now pick your caffeine lane.

The Slow Down Coffee Co.

Highlights
Smooth cold brew, seasonal syrups
Spacious, comfortable work atmosphere
Chill, welcoming regular staff
Hosts community events and pop-ups
Highland Park neighborhood favorite

The Slow Down Coffee Co. occupies a corner in Highland Park that feels less like a pit stop and more like a landing zone. My cold brew arrived smooth, almost creamy, with a seasonal syrup that tasted like the fall aisle of a craft store, in a good way. The space is genuinely spacious, with tables that invite a laptop and a second cup. Staff greeted regulars by name, which I logged as a data point for community warmth. They host pop-ups and events, though I did not attend one, so I cannot quantify the fun. If you need to work, this is a reliable, low-drama option. The coffee holds up. The chairs hold you.

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Mayalu Coffee

Highlights
Generous creamer pour
Giant plants, cozy floor seating
Friendly, efficient service
Affordable breakfast sandwiches
Nepalese-inspired menu twist

Mayalu Coffee operates with a quiet efficiency that I appreciate more than loud enthusiasm. The creamer pour was generous, almost architectural, and the Nepalese-inspired menu adds a twist without gimmickry. Giant plants dominate the corners, and floor seating exists for those who prefer to sit like a well-behaved dog. My breakfast sandwich was affordable and hot, which is a combination I respect. Service was friendly and fast, even during a modest rush. The atmosphere leans cozy, with enough cushion to linger. I left with a full cup and a full stomach. That is a successful ratio. I would return, especially if I had a book and nowhere to be.

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Happy Home Coffee

Highlights
Locally roasted, professionally quiet
Hard-to-find lobby location
Knowledgeable, friendly coffee staff
Inventive cold foam drinks
Quality across full menu

Happy Home Coffee hides in a lobby, which is a location choice that rewards the determined. The coffee is locally roasted, and the staff know their beans with a seriousness that borders on academic. I ordered an inventive cold foam drink, and it arrived looking like a science experiment, tasting like a dessert. The space is professionally quiet, which is a polite way of saying you could hear a pin drop, and that pin would be your own typing. Quality holds across the menu, from espresso to pastries. If you need to concentrate, this is your spot. Just find the lobby first. It is worth the hunt.

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Plain Talk Books & Coffee

Highlights
Bookstore and cafe hybrid
Affordable breakfast sandwich menu
Great espresso and chai
Relaxed, quirky atmosphere

Plain Talk Books & Coffee is exactly what it sounds like, a bookstore and a coffee shop, and it does both without apology. The espresso was sharp, and the chai had a proper spice bite, not a sugar hug. Breakfast sandwiches are cheap and filling, which is a rare combination in this economy. The atmosphere is relaxed and quirky, with bookshelves that invite browsing and a staff that does not hover. I sat near a window and watched the street, which is a free activity. If you like your coffee with a side of literature, this is a solid choice. The talk is plain, but the coffee is not.

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Sixth & Mulberry

Highlights
Expertly tailored matcha drinks
Ideal hotel coffee stop
Cozy lobby workspace
Daily-worthy pastries and service

Sixth & Mulberry functions as a hotel coffee stop, but it punches above that weight class. The matcha drinks are expertly tailored, with a balance of bitter and sweet that I have not found elsewhere in Des Moines. The lobby workspace is cozy, with enough outlets to charge a small fleet of devices. Pastries are daily-worthy, meaning I would eat them more than once a week, and the service is consistent. It is not a destination for a coffee pilgrimage, but it is a reliable stop if you are downtown. I measured my satisfaction at 8.2 out of 10. The missing 1.8 is the lack of a window seat with a view.

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Cinnaholic

Highlights
Aroma hits like cinnamon
Fancy rolls loaded with toppings
Friendly staff handles big groups
Hot rolls melt in mouth

Cinnaholic hits you with the aroma before you even open the door. It is a cinnamon assault, and I mean that as a compliment. The rolls are fancy, loaded with toppings that border on architectural. I ordered one hot, and it melted in my mouth like a warm cloud. The staff handled a large group ahead of me with patience and a smile, which I noted as a data point for crowd management. It is not a traditional coffee shop, but they serve coffee, and the rolls are the main event. If you have a sweet tooth, this is your place. Bring a friend to share, or do not. I will not judge.

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Grounds for Celebration

Highlights
Fresh roasted signature coffee
Welcoming, cozy lingering atmosphere
Reliable iced chai latte
Solid lunch options available
Kind and attentive staff

Grounds for Celebration roasts its own coffee, and the signature blend is fresh enough to make you forget you are in a strip mall. The iced chai latte is reliable, which is a word I use with precision, meaning it tastes the same every time, and that is a good thing. The atmosphere is welcoming and cozy, with chairs that encourage lingering. Lunch options exist, and they are solid, not spectacular, but solid. Staff are kind and attentive, which is a rare combination. I sat for two hours, read a chapter, and drank two cups. That is a successful afternoon. I would recommend it to anyone who values consistency over surprise.

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Kava DSM

Highlights
Healthy drinks and kava
Mushroom coffee varieties
Spacious, plant-filled lounge
Gelato flights and lunch
Efficient peak-hour service

Kava DSM is a spacious lounge filled with plants, which gives it a greenhouse vibe that is oddly calming. The menu includes kava and mushroom coffee, both of which I tried with a sense of scientific curiosity. The mushroom coffee tasted earthy, like a forest floor, but in a pleasant way. Gelato flights are available, and I ordered one, because who says no to a flight? Lunch options are present, and the service is efficient even during peak hours. The space is large enough to spread out, and the plants provide a sense of privacy. If you want a healthy alternative to a standard latte, this is your spot. I left feeling both caffeinated and enlightened.

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Wake Up Iowa Coffee

Highlights
Roasts beans in-house
Spicy Coconut Milk Latte standout
Prices cannot be beat
Kid-friendly with toys and games
Owners deeply serve community

Wake Up Iowa Coffee roasts its beans in-house, and you can taste the effort. The Spicy Coconut Milk Latte is a standout, with a heat that sneaks up on you like a friendly dog. Prices are low, almost suspiciously low, but the quality does not suffer. The space is kid-friendly, with toys and games that kept a small human occupied while I sipped. The owners are deeply involved in the community, which I appreciate as a data point for local investment. I ordered a pastry, and it was fine. The coffee is the reason to come. That, and the fact that you can leave with a full wallet and a full cup.

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Corazon Coffee Roasters

Highlights
Serious about your coffee
Crème Amore top bean
Owner knows beans
Easy event collaboration
Offers tea alternatives

Corazon Coffee Roasters takes coffee seriously, which is a relief in a world of lukewarm lattes. The Crème Amore bean is their top offering, and it lives up to the name, with a smoothness that makes you want to write poetry, or at least a thank-you note. The owner knows beans, literally, and will talk to you about origin and roast profile with a passion that is contagious. They also offer tea alternatives, which is a nice nod to the non-coffee drinkers in your life. Event collaboration is easy, as I learned from a brief conversation. If you want a coffee experience that feels educational, this is your place. Bring questions. They have answers.

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El Bait Shop

Highlights
Massive beer selection available
Homemade chili, thick and hearty
On-site bottled hard cider
Knowledgeable, friendly staff
Convenient pre-game patio spot

El Bait Shop is not a coffee shop, but it is on this list, so I will review it as one. The coffee is not the draw, but the massive beer selection is, and the homemade chili is thick and hearty, perfect for a cold day. They have on-site bottled hard cider, which is a nice touch. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly, and they can guide you through the beer list without judgment. The patio is convenient for a pre-game stop, though I did not attend a game. If you want a coffee, they have it, but you are better off with a beer and a bowl of chili. That is not a criticism. It is a fact.

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Best Day Coffee

Highlights
Toddler play area available
Friendly staff, quick service
Excellent coffee and pastries
Vintage furniture, authentic vibe
Local honey and cups sold

Best Day Coffee has a toddler play area, which is a genius move for parents who need a moment. The staff are friendly and quick, and the coffee is excellent, with pastries that are worth the calories. The vintage furniture gives the place an authentic vibe, like a thrift store that also serves espresso. They sell local honey and cups, which I bought, because I am a sucker for local goods. The play area kept a small child entertained while I drank my latte, and that is worth its weight in gold. If you have kids, this is your spot. If you do not, come for the coffee and stay for the people-watching. Either way, it is a good day.

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