How sweet it is!…read more Let's preface this blog post by saying that The Sweet Bean is set to close on May 13th. Not only did I recently hear about this place for the first time but in the same breath I heard they were closing. So, I knew it was a high priority to check it out. It just so happens that my girlfriend also loves coffee and sweet treats, so we booked it there the first chance we got. I'm not too familiar with the inner workings of how Pekin is laid out so I never would've stumbled upon this place without either being told about it or finding it on Yelp/Google/other sources of information. Thank gosh for GPS We arrived in the later part of the morning once we woke up and got moving for the day. We both were in need of some coffee and something to put in our bellies. Upon entering, we were greeted by a friendly person behind the counter who ended up being the owner. She asked us what the photo taking out front was about and I briefly mentioned how I like to try out local coffee places. She said they only have the basic coffee choices as they are more of a bakery and I said that as long as you serve coffee, that is good enough for me. Emily got a flavored cold brew and a giant turtle cookie and I got a plain cold brew and a dark chocolate cherry... scone? I'm not 100% sure it was a scone. I just pointed at what I wanted and she told me what it was but was too distracted by all the delicious-looking treats in the display case to remember what she said. The total for two 16 ounce drinks and two baked goods was only $13. That is a really good deal, imo. We snagged a table and sat there, sipping our coffees and trying each other's snack. Emily was jealous of my treat and I was a bit jealous of her treat. They were both super delicious and I am glad we got them heated up as I think that really make their homemade deliciousness POP. I couldn't get over how thick and chewy my treat was. It tasted exactly like how it sounds but cranked to an 11. The cold brew was just that. Long-steeped coffee over ice. I don't think I've ever had a cold brew that wasn't just that and that is perfectly fine in my book While we were checking out, we noticed some stickers for sale. I tried to buy 2 but was told I had to use venmo to pay for the stickers as they were being sold by an independent seller. We ended up grabbing 5 for $15 once I worked out how to pay the person directly. This might be the first time I've seen something sold in a store that wasn't able to be rung up at the register. I didn't get a photo of the 5 we bought but you can rest assure they are mostly coffee-themed. I am truly sad this place is closing up it's doors. You can see on their FB page the reasons why so I won't go into that here. Make sure you pop in while you can before the oven is turned off for good.

Love this new little place in town! Fresh homemade muffins - love the banana nut, wow. Haven't…read moretried anything else yet but the coffee is great too. Comes from a coffee place in Peoria that roasts their own they said. Really good. Beats Starbucks any day

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.

From coffee truck to temporary location back to coffee truck…read more My friend Maria first told me about this place and how it is a coffee truck that's taking temporary residency in this Tropical Sno building until the end of winter. Not really wanting to stand outside and order coffee in 10 degree weather, I kind of forgot about it until we were at a hockey game and Maria said it was still open and was having their final day the next day. Having already plans to go to Weaver's for lunch on that same day, it only made sense to drop in next door to grab some caffeine before lunch. So, that's what Emily and I did. We both needed some caffeine before we dug into our lunch. The menu was pretty vast for being a mobile truck. I'm guessing them being in an actual building lets them expand their offerings. Being situated in the Tropical Sno building also lets them tap into that companies sauces and syrups to build some pretty interesting combinations and drinks. Emily got The Best Brew and I snagged Night Shift Special with some caramel flavoring. We took a seat to enjoy what little sunshine there was on this dreary day. It was a bit too cold to sit outside and enjoy our coffees so we took them to the car to sip them down. We tried Emily's first and it was really good. The cinnamon bun flavor was just subtle enough to not make the drink all about itself. Then we tried my Night Shift and we both fell in love. Usually when Emily and I grab coffee and food, she gets the better tasting thing but I won this one with the best tasting drink ever. This drink is legit a Top 3 coffee drink I've ever had. Every sip was smooth and delicious and full of flavor. After we drank most of our coffees, we wandered over to Weaver's for even more tasty goodies but we kept thinking about that Night Shift Special. With The Best Brew moving back to being a mobile truck, I am going to have to keep my eye on where it'll be setting up shop to get more of that sweet sweet Night Shift Special.

For the past two years, I have been getting best brew coffee before work when I can, and it is my…read morefavorite start of the day. The staff and ownership there is amazing and hilarious super welcoming. coffees to die for.

Not ONLY is this the slowest Starbucks I've ever been to, the staff is just rude. If I'm waiting…read more30mins for a single drink do not make my sandwich/food items 2 mins after my order so then when I get my drink my food is cold. They are ALWAYS sold out of stuff. Whoever owns this Starbucks sucks at supply and demand. They're out of spoons, straws, food items, drinks, etc.. on a regular basis. The staff doesn't listen. The outside menu is always broke. Inside everything looks chaotic. There's a large table that is available for people who would maybe want to host a study group or a meeting and you can't even use it because it's always covered in staff items, binders, cup inventory. This is by far, the worst Starbucks.

Every time I order coffee from here it takes an hour to get it and more than most times it's wrong…read more I don't understand how it takes that long to make coffee good job to the person running this place

Lovely little shop dedicated to crafting delicious drinks. Friendly and welcoming staff complete…read morethe experience!

Update: I just had to come in here and remind everyone how wonderful this shop is! I love all the…read morefresh baked goods and tasty coffee! I'm so glad you're here! 1/6/2026 I stopped by Reverence Coffee for the first time on Saturday for a quick pick me up. There was just one other lady sitting down in the coffee shop doing a little bit of work, and Sly just happened to be working that day. He was very polite and professional. We talked about business and he said he was looking forward to meeting the people in the new apartment building next door. I saw that there was one brown butter chocolate chip cookie with sea salt left in the box, so I absolutely had to try it. I have to say it's probably one of the most freshest cookies I've ever had, he said they always mix it up and have all kinds of different pastries. I also ordered a 12oz Caramel iced Latte, and that tasted great too! I absolutely love the vibe of the coffee shop, the color on the walls, decorations, customer service, and look forward to returning more often!

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!

Fresh flavors and a calm, uplifting vibe!!!!!…read more Intuition Coffee + Juice offers an excellent experience with high-quality drinks made thoughtfully. The coffee was smooth and well-balanced, and the juices tasted fresh and vibrant, not overly sweet or watered down. You can really tell care goes into the ingredients. The space feels clean, calm, and welcoming--perfect for a quick stop or a relaxed sit-down. Staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to make recommendations. Overall, Intuition Coffee + Juice stands out for freshness, consistency, and a great atmosphere. A well-deserved five-star spot that's easy to come back to.

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!

Caffeine with a post office vibe…read more Having visited the Eli's in Metamora and Morton, it was a matter of time that I would drop in on the Tremont location. Emily and I dropped in around 10am to a pretty busy cafe. The baristas were super friendly and patient while we placed our orders. I got my usual americano with a monster cookie and Emily got their Campfire Cold Brew and lemon poppyseed jumbo muffin. We looked around for a place to sit and were lucky to get seats next to each other. This place isn't big so a few people can fill it up pretty quick. I think this used to be a post office and it definitely has the vibes of one, if it was. It took a bit longer, about 15 minutes, for our coffees to be ready. We were ready to sit and chill so the wait wasn't too bad but if you were in a rush, might be something to keep in mind. Any who, we had some delicious baked goods to keep us occupied until the drinks came out. I took a few sips of my americano and it unfortunately fell on the lighter side of how they can be made. While it was good, it was a bit light on the bitter that I like. Emily suggested I actually learn the style of americano I like and see if places can make it like that. But, Emily was also not the biggest fan of her drink, either. She wasn't a fan of the syrup they used in it and didn't like the aftertaste of it. We hung out until we were about halfway done with our drinks and long after our baked goods were devoured. I really liked the vibe of the place and got a really cool sticker of the store front but it looks like a stamp! One of the cooler stickers I've gotten out on my adventures. With there being three locations, I will no doubt drop in to another Eli's at some point. When I do, I will have to try out their other coffee offerings and maybe some of their delicious-looking food.

Quaint coffeeshop with the perfect little lounging area and a delicious dirty chai! It wasn't on…read morethe menu but they were happy to make it for us. The staff was super nice and made our order very quickly! Not really the kind of coffeeshop to study/work at but it's nice to meet up with someone or read a book, etc.

The sugar cookie latte was perfect. Husband loved the strawberry macchiato too! Will most…read moredefinitely be back.

Review Visit: September 20th, 2019…read more Leaves 'n Beans, round three! At long last, I have finally visited the third and final Leaves 'n Beans. Does it contain the same feel as the Peoria Heights location? How about the same menu and good tasting coffee? Yes and no. (Should you be interested in the 3rd and closed location, you can read about it here.) Upon arriving, I noticed the feel and look of the place was of one that wasn't like the Peoria Heights location. This had more of a restaurant/basic feeling to it. There were some sparse autumn decorations on the tables and furniture. My friend sat on a couch and I sunk deep in to this cozy red chair. The area where they had products for sale had a nice look to it and everything looked well organized. I was looking at a coffee cup with their logo on it and was surprised at the price tag. $7.99 for a local coffeehouse cup is really cheap compared to other places I've been. With it nearing fall, I decided to look over their seasonal menu. Being a sucker for lattes, I decided to get the Maple Vanilla one. I took a seat in the aforementioned red chair and instantly felt relaxed. Before I could settle in too deep, the barista was setting my drink down in front of me. As my friend and I conversed, I took small sips to savor the latte as I knew we would be there for awhile. The blend of vanilla and maple was decent, if a bit lacking on the maple side until the very end, when it was all maple. I am not sure what my friend ordered as she was already there and had her drink by the time I walked in the door... plus I forgot to ask. During the 2 hours we were there, the barista/cashier never once stopped to ask if we needed anything. I thought that was a bit odd, as almost every other coffeehouse (and most places that serve food/drinks) will check in and make sure you are doing okay or if you need anything. Luckily, we didn't need anything but it still struck me as odd. Should you need to grab a coffee while on the go, they have a convenient drive thru. We witnessed quite a few people utilize that service. If you decide to go in, there is a public parking lot to the right of the building. If I had to recommend which of the two remaining places to visit, I would highly suggest the one in Peoria Heights. It just has this unique feel and atmosphere that this location is lacking, but you have to remember that one is in a house and this one is in a business location. If you don't need or care about any of that, you can't go wrong with either place for that burst of caffeine. Some day, I will try the food and update the blogs accordingly. Stay caffeinated!

The doughnuts were fantastic the server was really sweet and the coffee was perfect the place was…read morereally clean and it was just nice keeep it up guys !

I've had several bad experiences at this Dunkin. It 50/50 on if my drink is ever right, but today…read morewas the icing on the cake. Today I went through drive thru and paid on my phone. The cashier scanned my phone, gave me my drinks, and told me to have a nice day. Then I get a frantic phone call from my husband, the cops are at the door looking for me, instead of telling me my payment didn't go through, they called the cops and told them I drove off without paying. Fair to say I will definitely not be back and always get your receipt!