It's been a wonderfully busy summer, and I carved out some much‑needed time to visit my kids in Iowa. One of our favorite traditions is hunting down hidden gems together, and this time my son and I set out in search of a new coffee spot. I took a leap with a bold combo -- earl grey, coffee, raspberry jam, and bergamot. Honestly, I was skeptical at first, but wow... it was absolute ! While the vibe isn't quite my go‑to for a long hangout or work session (I'm big on ambience), they're not far off. For true remote workers, it's a peaceful find, and with a little more focus on noise and comfort, it could be spot‑on. Either way, the creativity in their drinks makes it worth the visit, and I'll definitely be back If you're looking for something fresh and unexpected, this is a place to put on your list! read more

Please try the rosemary bagel with cream cheese. It will change your life. I have genuinely never found a tastier bagel. The rotating iced lattes are my favorite to try out whenever I'm there, and I love stopping in for a quick study session (see below). A dogtown staple! One thing I will say is the booths are outdated and uncomfy, but it's a small price to pay for the friendliness of the employees and otherwise great atmosphere. read more

Mars Cafe - Rosemary bagel and iced latte :) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

There are not many places in the DSM metro that have excellent quality control, skilled baristas and are consistently excellent. Mars is absolutely one of them doing it right. They also have Skim milk. Many don't if that's your go to. Mars is a must go on your next espresso tour. Super nice staff, busy and comfortable place to go near Drake. read more

Mars Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

Fantastic spot. Great latte. Great vibe! I enjoyed the chicken salad sandwich as well. I will definitely be back.

I LOVE what they have done with Mars. It's a vibe. The coffee is outstanding. You must try their seasonal creations. Those have been the best treat when I stop in. They also have pastries, sandwiches, and Australian pies! The baristas seem to really love their job which makes a huge difference in the drink quality and the environment. Good place to meet with friends or just have a quiet moment to yourself. I tend to go out of my way to stop here when I can. read more

Mars Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

I recently tried this place on a Sunday morning after church and enjoyed the warm drinks and the plethora of seating options. The staff were friendly and quickly made both of my drinks. read more

Mars Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

Coming from Minneapolis, I really wanted a good coffee and had seasonal drinks to try. Their breakfast sandwich was soo good. I think this is my favorite coffee shop in Iowa (personally). read more

I frequently visit Mars Cafe for an iced latte. The vibe is great. My partner loves their matcha! The staff is always friendly and puts quality into every drink I've ordered, even when there is only one staff member and a busy lunch rush. They are patient during ordering and give you good suggestions. Today I ordered a sandwich for my partner (bc I'm gluten free) and it smelled, looked, and tasted great! I would order more food if there was a gluten free bread or pastry option... read more

Wow. I was greeted upon arrival into this cozy & eclectic space, with a smile by the baristas. As a Coffee Hop pass holder, the selected drink is MARS signature Sputnik. The flavor profile was delightful and I was given the option hot or iced. Already texted my coffee loving friends to get to this amazing cafe asap. read more

Mars Cafe - Sputnik - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I've had coffee here a few times and the coffee has never disappointed. My first time there, I wasn't sure what to expect but the vibe is always chill. :) read more

Great coffee with alternative milk options and lots of seating. Looked like some good food options but I grabbed a bagel which was great.

Just tried this place for the first time and loved it. Studied here a little bit and it was a nice fun, chill place with a unique atmosphere. The workers were super kind and helpful. I got a moon milk tea latte because I saw another review rave about it and it lived up to the expectations - it was soooo good! Tasted like everything in there was very quality and had a fresh taste with just the right amount of sweetness. read more

Mars Cafe - Moon milk tea latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I got the moon milk tea latte and it's one of my favorite drinks I've ever had. Their coffee is also very high quality! It's super cute inside with plenty of room to hang out + they have wifi. The only reason I took off a star was because the breakfast sandwich was quite soggy, I wouldn't get it again. Drinks alone though are amazing! read more

Mars Cafe - Moon Milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Came here because I heard it was a good place to get some work done. The latte was okay but the atmosphere is so stark and kind of dingy, so I needed up just taking the coffee to go. Not sure if I'll be back. It was okay, but not great. read more

perfect quality great service outstanding service dependable phenomenal excellent people read more

The last two times I've been there the same barista talks at the counter with a friend I presume while "working". I wouldn't care if I felt it was not slowing her down, but it was definitely slowing her down. There was zero acknowledgement of how long it took to make my one simple drink. Anything like, "sorry and thank you for your patience" would have done wonders. Both times I waited approximately 15 minutes and then she didn't say thank you or anything after me obtaining the drink. read more

This is one of the best places in Des Moines for Coffee and Community! I have met some friends and strangers here- that have became friends! Great place to pop in or chill out- or get some reading/writing done! They really try there best to make the customers happy- my only complaint it that I have seen people camp out here for an entire day and only but a coffee. read more

I haven't been in almost two years. I visited the Drake neighborhood location a few times, and wasn't too impressed with my coffees that I had gotten. The coffee has always been burnt for me which is unfortunate. I will say, I was very surprised that they offered Fresca. Not a lot of places offer the drink and that made me very excited. If I were to go back I would go for the Fresca. read more

I had the privilege of meeting up with my coworker, Patrick, at one of his favorite spots in Des Moines on a recent visit. My first thoughts when strolling into Mars Cafe on the snowy morn: cool, laid back, earthy, spacious and friendly baristas. I especially liked the tall ceilings and large windows found all along the front wall facing the street. Located near Drake University, Mars Cafe is able to pull off the cool, Idontgiveashit college vibe yet with a diverse clientele and clean atmosphere. I also liked that I didn't walk out smelling like I often do in many of Indy's poorly ventilated coffee shops. The highlight of my visit was hands down the adorable hot cocoa topped with barista heart art (I'm pretty sure there is a name for the swirly magic they were rocking). If you're looking for a great space to spend a few hours coworking and soaking in a chill environment, I highly recommend paying Mars Cafe a visit. read more

Mars Cafe - Hot cocoa! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I've been here a few times. It can be packed and have less quality service but usually it's good. Today, in the early afternoon I went for coffee and the barista was super nice, didn't seem like false about it either, just seemed genuinely nice. I ordered over the course of staying there talking with a friend, two drinks: one latte had honey/almond/cinnamon and the other lavender/honey. He did a great job with presentation of them too, latte artist. Anyway, I've always liked their coffees but these were so good. Just, mmm. And! The sweet astronaut sticker looks good on my guitar case, haha. read more

Mars Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Literally one of the best places to get coffee in DSM and spend hours in imo. It's what you would expect from a college cafe that is usually packed with students studying or people meeting up for coffee dates. Great wifi for working AND they have plug-ins to charge devices. read more

First time here. My favorite kind of atmosphere. Music was perfect. Staff are super friendly. Sat in the back corner on the couch. Had the sputnik and hummus veggie panini. My coffee was perfect. Sandwich was delicious... wish there had been a little more basalmic dressing ( but only because I'm a sauce freak). Lots of vegetarian options which is good for me! Someone ordered tea and got a little tiny pot at their table. So cute! I'll have to bring my friends back with me for the Nintendo 64 and board games. Almost didn't want to leave. read more

See all

The place I'm most likely to bump into one of my best buds, is definitely Mars Cafe. The coffee here is great, and is a Des Moines hot spot for people working from their computers, whether they are college students from near by Drake or just townies hanging here for the good music they play over the speakers or the great food and coffee. The barista's take pride in the lattes and I always love the option of almond milk, or soy for my coffee. Sandwiches and bakery good are always available. They also have local beers, and energy bars if you just need a pick me up! Lots of seating make this a good meeting spot for a one on one or group of 4 business meeting. They also have local art featured on the walls in a rotating fashion. They have acoustic live music on the weekends, it's called Sound Rover and features local singer songwriters sharing there tunes along with the sounds of espresso's being made! If you need a friendly cool, environment to work in, try Mars, I might see you there! read more

The good: this place has one of the best hand poured mochas in Des Moines. Other coffee shops like Scooters, Starbucks, Caribou, Ritual, Freidrichs don't come close to the authentic taste and design that comes with Mars Mochas. It's also convenient for Drake students and located next to many other restaurants in the area. Parking is easy and I've never had a hard time finding a spot (even in the winter). The bad: the inside doesn't feel very comfortable. This place needs new seating (not comfy) and a makeover. With a little work, this place could blow other coffee shops out of the water, because they have the taste and good service. The ugly: the artwork on the walls. Personally, I go to this place a lot because I love the coffee and it doesn't feel as busy as say Smokey Row. I give it 4/5. read more

See all

Great coffee in a cool spot. Lots of space for working on a computer, meeting with a coworker or catching up with a friend! Big fan of the signature Sputnik latte. They also have great oat milk and a seasonal Brown Cinnamon Sugar latte. Beautiful latte art and conveniently located near Drake University! read more

Mars Cafe - Yummy latte art for a hazelnut latte! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This place is great for coffee. In short, the atmosphere is super collegiate, old run down furniture, and stand-off-ish Baristas. I honestly haven't tried the food, but I feel like they really focus on the coffee. I still don't believe that this holds up to the Intellegensia roasting Scenic Route Bakery over in the East Village. (Most people would be surprised, bc that's a bakery, but they have fantastic beans and baristas.But I digress...) The macchiato here is pretty consistent. It's a little fluffy on the micro-foam, producing a heavy sip, BUT their Kickapoo beans are really good, and their cup sizes are correct (the one thing they hold over Scenic Route) Def. the second best coffee place in Des Moines. Would highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

Mars Cafe - Decent Wifi Connection for work - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Casual and cool vibe that caters towards the hip crowd. Everything is a little expensive.. sandwiches are $6.45 to $7.95. They use reusable cups and do not serve the smoothies with lids or straws which I love! Staff was friendly and approachable, unlike some trendy places. Food was very average quality and taste. Side of chips was just tortilla chips you could buy at Aldi's, didn't add anything to the meal and for the price I was unimpressed. Definitely think they could step it up by doing some homemade chips or something. The place was also a little dirty, the tables and chairs looked like they hadn't been cleaned recently despite not being busy. Don't think I'll be revisiting because there are so many cafes to choose from and this one didn't stand out. read more

See all

Mars is a great local coffee shop in Des Moines. I've been to two locations now, both hit the mark for a local coffee joint.

As I walked into Mars Cafe the atmosphere was fairly welcoming. There were a lot of students studying reminding me of all the finals that I still have to study for. There was calming music playing in the background and friendly staff working behind the counter. Although the welcoming feeling the interior lacked a little bit and looked slightly unfinished. I decided to order the Sputnik and this was where the coffee shop really shined. The drink had a wonderful cinnamony flavor that made me want to cuddle up next to a warm fire. Overall pretty good coffee shop and would recommend trying! read more

Mars Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Stopped in for a quick to-go order on our way out of town--an hour later, after multiple computer issues, we finally get our food and get in the car only to find out our egg sandwiches were filled with hard-boiled eggs. Which is...a choice that...I hate. Would love to have had this in the food description, as it's not any kind of standard way to make a breakfast sandwich outside of "Cool Hand Luke." People seemed nice but very overwhelmed. God bless them. read more

Long before Horizon Line was churning out their beverage offerings, Des Moines had Mars. I always order an iced Sputnik because it's not too sweet, but still has some wonderful flavor notes. This location near Drake is my favorite. read more

5 Stars for hosting the awesome yelp party! Check them out if your in town, has great ownership and drink options. Thanks again. read more

Love Mars cafe. The atmosphere is awesome really upbeat and modern! They have a nice selection of coffee with fast and friendly baristas! They have a great seating areas. It's a great place to study or catch up on work. Love to support local businesses. read more

Mars Cafe - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Stopped by on our way through Iowa. And so glad we stopped. Great rotating roasters, great selection and very knowledgeable baristas. I felt very welcomed. I got a toddy and a black coffee. The toddy felt a little strong/heavy but that's just me - I prefer a flash brew usually. Would definitely stop back in again. Thanks! read more

Hey Drake student, I know you millennials love your coffee, so skip the chain coffee shops and support local! The crew here is very skilled and the bites are good. This is a great place to work on your laptop or meet your study group. Not a student, no worries. The locals love this place too so you'll always find a wide variety of folks hanging out. And they have a modest beer selection if you are trying to limit your caffeine read more

Worst Coffee I've ever had in my life, it was undrinkable. I offered it to my group of 5 and everyone that tasted it passed, we chucked it in the trash and moved along with our day. read more

Looking for a breakfast spot that didn't have a long wait. Stopped here and ordered coffee, a breakfast sandwich and 2 breakfast quesadillas. Coffee was decent, sandwich came out quickly and was quite good. Unfortunately, it took almost 25 minutes to receive the quesadillas. Tasted good, but that was a looong wait. Please try harder, students. read more

Best coffee in town. They serve Wonderstate, are knowledgeable about coffee, and have a pleasant seating area.

We stopped by for a quick bite to eat after deciding that the wait for Drake Diner was just too long on a Sunday afternoon. We ordered a few different sandwiches, and two of us got drinks (a mocha and an iced chai latte). The decor is nice and the staff were friendly enough. No issues there at all. The space seems like a nice place to hang out, and we saw a lot of people camped out on their laptops taking advantage of the chill vibes. The food and my latte were definitely lacking, though our friend said their mocha was really great. Breakfast Quesadilla - When you order a "breakfast" anything that has eggs on it, you usually expect one of two things. Scrambled eggs, or fried eggs. Their breakfast fare uses hard-boiled eggs, which was really unexpected and a little jarring. Since it's such a departure from the norm, I wish it would have been mentioned somewhere on the menu. However, the tortilla was crispy, and the salsa it's served with had good flavor. The Spaceman (breakfast sandwich)- Again, served with hard-boiled eggs. Which wasn't unpleasant, just not what I was expecting or wanting from a breakfast sandwich. The bread was nice and crunchy and the bacon seemed of good quality. The whole sandwich overall was a little on the dry side and definitely needed something creamy to bring it all together (like mayo or avocado). I wouldn't order this again. My iced chai latte wasn't very good either, though it was not the worst that I have had. Next time, I would try one of their coffee-based drinks instead. One of the biggest issues we had was the discrepancy in our food coming out. My husband's quesadilla came out, and I was told my sandwich was coming out in a second. I waited at least another 10 minutes for my sandwich, which was awkward considering everyone else had their food and were almost done eating by the time mine came. One of our lunch guests even asked, "You did order food, right?" When it did eventually come, there was no "sorry about the wait" or anything, which goes a long way with me. Overall, I was not impressed with our first visit here, and would probably not be back (at least for food). I would definitely come by to try some of their coffee-based drinks, and to enjoy the laid back atmosphere. read more

Checked this out on a Snowy Saturday morning. People behind the counter were friendly and helpful. We were not starving so we just ordered the breakfast quesadilla ( with Bacon of course). Tasted Great . I am restricted from caffeine and the young lady recommended the Rooibos tea .... Pretty good stuff ! Nice way to start a icky weather Saturday morn. read more