Over the years, the North Linn street location has housed many different businesses, attracting thousands of customers because of its large windows, ample space, and, of course, coffee. The space has never been more of a pillar in the community than in the months since June, when it became Kindred Coffee.
“The current owners, Connor and Molly, were responsible for the food under the name Nomadic Foods in the previous ownership of the shop; from there, they had the opportunity to buy the space and make it their own. Kindred is a gluten-free and vegetarian cafe that represents the idea of community and welcoming space,” Allie Holmes, barista at Kindred Coffee, said.
Kindred Coffee offers a wide variety of coffee and tea drinks, with their seasonal menus being among the favorites of customers.
“We get our beans from a local roaster called Brass Ring Coffee. He is just one guy who roasts beans from his house here on the north side. He sources a lot of unique coffees and blends them in a way that stands out in the coffee drinks. Oftentimes with drinks that contain milk and syrup, it can be hard to distinguish the flavor of the espresso, but in our coffee, which is roasted by Brass Ring, the espresso stands out and tastes like coffee,” Holmes said.
Kindred Coffee serves as a community space; multiple events have been held here, such as Craft & Yap and Balanced Bliss Brunch. This February, the coffee shop had the opportunity to participate in Top Chef Iowa City and came home with a first-place award in Judge’s Choice for their Strawberry Shortcake Latte.
“Coming out of that competition, we were able to serve our Strawberry Shortcake Latte here on the menu. It tastes like strawberry milk, like what you had as a little kid, which gives a sense of nostalgia, but it’s grown up a little bit with the caffeine, whether you choose espresso or matcha,” Holmes said.
Nomadic Foods, the original brand of owners Molly and Connor, was served at the Iowa City farmers market for two years before they were introduced into the cafe on North Linn Street. The menu has mostly stayed the same, with some additions. During farmers market season, you can find some unique menu items that aren’t on the usual permanent menu at Kindred Coffee.
“The most popular item on our food menu is the pesto breakfast sandwich. That is my favorite, but depending on the day, I also love the breakfast tostada. They’re both so simple, but the way that all the ingredients come together is incredible,” Holmes emphasized.
According to Allie, who has worked at eight separate cafes over the years, the most special thing about working at Kindred Coffee is not free coffee and food; it is the culture that is created between staff that contributes to connection with every customer.
“I feel like I have real relationships with the people that we serve here, and I contribute a lot of that to Connor and Molly, the owners, who care about us all so much and take great care of us. We are compensated fairly, they work around our schedules, and celebrate our achievements,” Holmes concluded.
