CxT passes class with a 'C'…read more Located in Campustown, where a Starbucks used to be, is a new extension to the CxT Coffee Roasting company. I've been patiently waiting for the day they opened to finally pop in and try their americanos. I've only ever had lattes from CxT so I was excited to try my tried-and-true espresso and water here. Emily ordered their Coconut Cookie Butter Latte and I got my usual plain black americano, iced. We had a long day ahead of us so I also ordered a blueberry bagel to stave off the appetite while we ran around Peoria for the afternoon. The person taking our order was very nice and courteous. The place wasn't too busy and our drinks came out fairly quick. My americano was first and when I went up to grab Emily's drink a few minutes later, the barista putting it together said he doesn't know what is in the drink and hopes it was good. That did not instill a lot of hope in me as we settled down to enjoy our caffeine. I actually thought they forgot about my bagel since it wasn't until about 5 minutes later that they called for it to be picked up. The bagel itself was really good, even without any topping and was toasted to the right temperature. When I had my first sip of the americano, I knew it was going to be one of those 'lighter' varieties that I am not a fan of. It reminded me of a slightly better version of the one I got from 392Caffe. Just light on bitter and watery-tasting. To each their own but not really my cup of... coffee. Emily loves to get a seasonal drink and said this one was just not for her. I took a sip and thought it tasted fine but I am not big on the flavor of coconut. She said she liked her drink enough to finish it but wasn't really what she was feeling on this day. Being neighbors with Bradley University, there was a lot of foot traffic in the 30 minutes we were in there. Lots of young people coming in for coffee and heading out for their next class or study session. I actually joked with Emily that we are the old people in a coffeehouse now and how out-of-place we were in a sea of college students. I'd imagine a lot of college kids will be crashing this place throughout the year to get that last minute study session in while sipping some coffee and eating some tasty baked goods. I've had good experiences at the other two locations. One is down the hill from this location, on the same road, and is their Apollo location. Up near Peoria Heights off Knoxville Ave is their Keller Station location and that one is probably my favorite of the three. This one is nice but has a very clean, very modern vibe to it that feels more like Starbucks than a local coffeehouse. I will definitely be back to the CxT coffeehouses in the future but may stick to getting lattes or flavored drinks now that I know how they do americanos. On a side note, I did ask one of the cashiers if they had stickers and they do but it's the ones they put on their own stuff. He was nice enough to give us both one for free. So, if you are a sticker freak like we are, don't hesitate to ask and they might hook you up.

So happy to have found this super good coffee house! Amazing Chai Tea Latte and drip coffee! Don't…read moremiss out on this gorgeous coffee house!

Great coffee! A must try…read more The service was very good. They helped us navigate the menu.

Nice workers. Nice ambiance. Coffee was amazing. Lil slow service, however overall I would…read morerecommend.

Food is fantastic, staff is always friendly and so knowledgeable, and drinks are the best. Highly…read morerecommend!

What a great local find! The space was comfortable and inviting. He started our morning with a dark…read morecoffee roasted on house. We also had a wonderfully moist orange cardamom rhubarb scone and a prosciutto ricotta toast. It was a delicious start to our morning!

Hey guys it's Brad! Back at it again with another review…read more I've been going to Dame for a while now, and it NEVER disappoints. I am greeted with a smile every time and I've tried nearly everything on the menu, and not one has been less than delicious. I love being a short drive away from LITERAL joy in a cup. Truly the best place for a cup of Joe, a fun drink, or an energy boost in the morning! So glad they moved to Chillicothe! Peace out - Brad

Easy in and out with the drive thru in this former bank. The person who served us was super…read morefriendly and also offered us a pup cup or biscuit for the beast in our back seat. My cappuccino was hot and perked me up nicely for the travels home.

One of the best coffee places in town and they have two locations. We always pickup a bag of Red…read moreDog when we stop in as it's our favorite to brew at home. Tried this pistachio raspberry pastry today and probably one of the best things I've ever eaten!

What a cute local coffee shop! I just admit, when I am home I rarely go out for coffee, but when I…read moredo- I am going to find a local small business. I was suggested the Coffee Hound by a local while I was in town for an IEA event, and I was pleased with my purchase. I appreciated the open support of the LGBTQ community in the signage, and the service was very friendly. I went with an ice vanilla latte- my starter beverage everywhere- and it was great. If you like your coffee sweet, I'd ask for some extra syrup- but it was perfect for me. The next time I'm back in Normal I'll stop in here again for sure!

Great coffee bar w/ matcha, espresso drinks, and beautiful monsteras…read more Matcha latte was legit

Asked my Peoria native friend for recommendations around town and this was his number one spot- and…read moreI can see why! Zion was the perfect cafe to spend a few hours working while fueling up with some caffeine and breakfast. They had plenty of tables/bar space, and even an extra upstairs area with more seating. I tried their special banana butterscotch latte and it was incredible. Also tried the classic avocado toast. I was surprised to have two slices that were loaded with avocado mash! If I'm being picky it was a tad too salty, but the sourdough toast was delicious. I'm looking forward to trying the crunchy at my next visit. I'll absolutely be back next time I'm in the area!

Review Visit: April 15th, 2023…read more Jesus that's a strong drink. Like anything with life, you explore enough and you will experience some wild things. Coffee Connection happens to be one of the more unique coffeehouses I've ever visited. After breakfast at Busy Corner, it was time for coffee. We walked up and as soon as we walked in, I knew that we were in for a treat. There was Jesus stuff everywhere and a bookshelf near the entrance that was crammed full of Jesus books, movies, audiobooks, and etc. Not that this place being a Christian-themed is a bad thing. Just my first religious coffee place. No, what made this place unique were the random stuff you'd probably find unsold (or sold ASAP based on trends) at Goodwills or Thrift Stores. You should be able to see some of the oddities in the photos below. To note, there was also a lot of St. Louis Cardinals craft items around so if you are a Cards or Cubs fan, just take note. I was standing there, looking at the menu on the counter and things in the display case when out of the corner of my eye I see someone standing there. This spooked me as we were the only customers at the front of the store. Turns out... it was Jake from State Farm. As a life-size cutout. I knew I had to get a photo with it. Emily saw a Strawberry-type drink on their FB page and ordered that. I got a plain ol cold brew for my sipping pleasure. We stood there while the barista made our drinks and took in the unusualness of Coffee Connection. Once we got our drinks, we wandered to the back and to check out the giant artwork painted on the wall. You can see that below. We headed up to the front and say by the big window, playing Speed with a deck of cards on the aforementioned shelf. I took a sip of my cold brew and instantly knew it would be a slow sipping drink. I've had some strong and bitter cold brews and this one is in the Top 3, easily. Not that that is a bad thing but something to keep in mind if you try one here. Emily enjoyed her drink and said it tasted like a mix of beer, coffee and strawberry. I took a sip and would have to agree. We both agreed that it didn't taste bad... Emily said she enjoyed it, actually. Just an interesting drink. They did have baked goods and refrigerated items for sale but seeing as we just ate breakfast, we weren't in the mood for anything besides caffeine. Some of them did look appealing despite full bellies. Sadly, you can kind of assume this place doesn't do gangbusters in sales as a lot of the fixtures and odds and ends were just not in fantastic condition or shape. Some of their decorations were covered in some dust or showed signs of not being touched since opening. We ended up leaving with half our drinks left. Normally I finish mine while I'm at the place but with how bitter it was, it was a slow sipping drink. Once it was watered down a bit, it really hit the spot after some yard work. I can't say that would return here or would suggest people go out of the way for but if you are in the area and need a caffeine hit, Coffee Connection can connect you with what you need!

The staff is so kind and knowledgeable! It is a perfect spot to relax and sip on coffee. There is…read moreplenty of seating. We both got delicious custom cold drinks. I highly recommend.

I stopped here on my way home for a blended drink. I got the Caramelishous blended drink. I had…read morethem add extra Caramel and an extra shot of expresso. It tasted like a water down ice drink with a hint of Caramel. If I didnt get the extra shot of expresso it would've just tasted like water. Not impressed. The young lady who took my order outside was very friendly and informative. The young lady at the windo was not. She behaved as if she was doing me a favor just to serve me. The prices were good and they had a nice selection. The facility is pretty new. Even though the line was long I felt it didn't take to long for my drink. I may give this place another chance and order something different.

We stopped here to have an afternoon treat. We got a regular coffee with half & half, a sugar…read morecookie latte, and a Mr. Narwhal. There were a few issues. The young lady taking our order mumbled even at the window. While the Mr. Narwhal was beautiful and was tasty, the latte was WAY too sweet, and the regular coffee was not hot and tasted like old, scorched coffee. The line moved quickly, and we didn't wait long; the prices were good. I will give them another chance, but unfortunately, I do not think this will be a regular stop on my way to the office for my morning coffee.