The large, open loft-like space of Pitchside Coffee is a welcoming morning atmosphere with natural lighting, a variety of seating options and greenery planted throughout the coffee shop.
I felt immediately at ease surrounded by the small Saturday crowd and simplistic environment.
Various soccer games from around the world played on the TVs while coffee enthusiasts enjoyed their drinks and pastries.
Pitchside Coffee — owned by six KC Current players — operated as a mobile trailer outside the Canadian Pacific Kansas City soccer stadium before opening a physical location on Aug. 31 in the Crossroads of KCMO.
Although the menu initially appeared small as I approached the counter, the variety of five homemade coffee syrups and the 11 coffee and tea options proved me wrong.
They even had special food items brought in from other local businesses like Luca Bagel and Hana’s Donuts, for the weekend.
After I ordered my three drinks — a hot latte with peanut butter caramel syrup, a cold brew with mocha syrup and a chai — my total was almost $30.
Although the price seemed steep, I had high hopes that these items would be worth it.
Hot Peanut Butter Caramel Latté:
Six minutes after ordering, this $5.75 steaming hot latté, topped with a foam art flower, was ready at the counter.
Although my first sip tasted only of frothed oat milk, the subtle flavors of roasted peanuts and sweet caramel eventually blended in with the hot espresso and milk, making up for the initial lack of flavor. Unlike the overly processed and sweet syrups at Starbucks, this peanut butter caramel sauce is made in-house and tasted like rich peanut brittle.
The caramel flavor was underwhelming at first, but the more I drank, the buttery, candied flavor complemented the saltiness of the peanut butter.
This coffee was a delicious blend of salty, sweet and strong espresso flavor, making it easy to finish the whole cup.
Pitchside Chai:
For $6.25, I was expecting this iced chai to be fantastic, and after my first sip, I was pleased to be right.
Although most of the chai I've tasted have been watered-down and overpriced, this one wasn’t.
The smooth oat milk, mixed with the bold flavors of cinnamon, cardamom and other spices, created a comforting combination of gingerbread and pumpkin spice — coincidentally, my favorite flavors.
Plus, the subtle sweetness from the sugar helped balance the strong flavor of the spices while enhancing the taste of the black tea.
Regardless of its steep price, this chai was by far the best I’ve ever had, and I’d recommend Pitchside Coffee for this drink alone.
Iced Mocha Cold Brew:
A classic cold brew will always be my favorite morning drink, but this $5.75 drink left me increasingly disappointed the more I drank.
The bitter mocha syrup — a mix of agave, dark chocolate, smoked sea salt and vanilla — combined with the intense cold brew left a pungent flavor that even drinking a whole cup of water couldn’t even get the vile taste out of my mouth.
I’d asked for whole milk, but the small splash they’d poured in didn't do nearly enough to lessen the harsh cold brew flavor.
Although it was hard to determine whether it was the syrup or the cold brew that gave the drink a strange sour taste, by the time I’d taken two sips, I wasn't going to make myself suffer with a third.
Ending:
Not only does Pitchside Coffee have a unique open environment and a variety of specially crafted recipes, almost all the items I tried actually tasted like they were made with real ingredients, unlike most coffee shops.
Although the prices were set high, I will definitely return to try more of their menu — and the Pitchside Chai is a non-negotiable.
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