Exploring the Local Coffee Shops of the Colorado Front Range.
We are on a quest find the local cafes and coffee shops, tea rooms and diners, in search of delicious coffee, tea and local flare.
As I partner with my daughter, Maizy, we’ll each share our experiences and individual thoughts. This week, we’re talking about The Coffee Exchange, located at 526 S Tejon, in downtown Colorado Springs.
Overview:
The Coffee Exchange is located downtown at Cimarron and Tejon. There are a variety of tables and plenty of space for a energetic downtown atmosphere, while still being cozy. The walls were covered in local art, and there was good reading material on the coffee tables near the back of the shop. That is where we settled in for about an hour, on the sofas at the back of the cafe. That gave us a wonderful view of the entire shop. The Coffee Exchange hosts several types of community get together including open mic, game nights and Cuban night. If you are in the Colorado Springs area, CHECK them Out! The shop hours are:
Monday-Friday: 7am-7pm
Saturday: 7am-5pm
Sunday: 8am-7pm
The baristas are very friendly and helpful. During our first visit, Amy’s order was wrong and the barista was actually the first one to notice, as she passed our table. She took it, and quickly fixed a new drink. The coffee is Fair Trade certified. And, while you can get disposable cups if you aren’t planning to stay in the shop they serve drinks in reusable mugs if you want to stay and hang out or work while you enjoy your drink.
Coffee, Mom:
The White Zombie is delicious. I did change up the drink just a bit, as I truly dislike white chocolate. Milk chocolate was added instead. The drink was smooth and delicious. The white coffee has a full body, yet mild taste. The atmosphere of this shop is the best we’ve visited so far. While there is plenty of space for people to gather, it is easy to have a conversation and enjoy savoring a quiet cup of something delicious. Or grab a book and start reading!
Tea, Maizy:
During my two visits I tried the White Zombie (with white chocolate) and an English breakfast latte with a pump of lavender. White espresso might just be my new favorite thing because it doesn’t taste like coffee and has a ton of caffeine. I don’t depend on caffeine usually to help me stay awake but there are times when I appreciate the boost. While there is a good selection of teas, tea lattes (not including chai lattes) are not technically on the menu. They were happy to make the English breakfast latte for me though and it was delicious. When the drink originally came out it was just the tea without any milk but the barista who originally took my order noticed the mistake and fixed it right away. The lavender was faint but added a nice element to the overall flavor without being overpowering.
My favorite part of this coffee shop was the art. The walls are covered in local art, and it is fantastic, and some of it was simply sweet.