While in search of a nearby coffee shop that wasn't in the lobby of my hotel, I stumbled upon Messenger and found an absolute gem of a coffee shop! Situated in the base of a beautiful brick building, Messenger Coffee is a wide open, airy, bright and industrial space featuring all the classic coffees, a great assortment of house curated drinks, along with a solid selection of homemade pastries and other foods plus a good variety of novelties, bulk coffees and a few other items. The space is laid out well with the ordering counter and retail on one side and seating on the other, but it doesn't stop there...their open air industrial kitchen where all the goods are house made takes up over half the space, and is surrounded by barstools that give you a front row seat! While I loved the space, the coffee I got is easily one of the best coffees I have had anywhere...like, no joke! I went with the seasonal Iced KC Sweet Smoked Honeybear and it was absolutely delightful! Balanced, sweet, a tad smoky and tasted like the nostalgia of a honey graham cracker! Perfection. Service was great as well. The barista helped me out with selection, shared details of the drinks and made it a good interaction. Once I tasted the coffee, I knew it was a special spot, so I got back in line and grabbed a koozie so I'd remember far beyond the coffee! Overall, top tier coffee shop that I highly recommend! read more

See all

Found a hack to getting my Matcha fix.. Just plain matcha, no milk or syrups, it's the economical way to I get my own. Sadly it takes awhile even with like 6 people on hand. read more

See all

My friend and I got coffee and pastries here several times during our visit. The service was great and the coffee and pastries were even better. My usual order - a 16oz. vanilla latte and pan au chocolate - was amazing, and we plan on coming here again the next time we are in town. read more

I've always loved Messenger. Today, I popped in for my reading hour. The space is so beautiful from top to bottom. They have a pretty good iced chai and the donuts are delicious! Parking is sis, but otherwise, I have no complaints. read more

See all

The space itself is impressive; a 3 story industrial building with amazing light and big windows. They bake here on-site. The reason why I am not giving this place 5 stars is because of the lack of customer service. Both the cashier and barista were not very friendly. They were brisk. I tried to engage in a converation about their pastries and they seemed disinterested and just wanted to move on to taking orders and making drinks. They weren't even busy. I arrived an hour after they opend and the place was 10% full. The food was good. I got the avocado toast and with a littl more salt and hot sauce; it was delicious. The place also smelled amazing. I was engulfed in the aroma of cinnamon, sugar and butter and roasted coffee. I could not have been happier except for the lack of warmth and feeling of connection and a sense of community one often gets in an independent coffee shop. The hot latte I got was good. Oat-milk was $1.25 extra which I thought was a bit steep for Kansas City. But I guess prices/inflation affects us all. The ham and cheese croissant I got was super delicious. It was better than the avocado toast. I would get the croissant again. The rooftop area was a vibe. There were more people up there talking so it had better energy. I think on the first and second floor, most people were just working and on their laptops, so it was overall very quiet. read more

See all

$10 coffee isn't worth it, I must be missing something because the food is whatever, the coffee is expensive and this place is always busy. Not sure why. read more

Super convenient place to find right on the corner. Great coffee and merchandise. I don't understand the area that well, but I was still a little surprised to see a security guard. At a coffee shop? I didn't try the food, but the selection looked great. I appreciated the comfortable seating and they even had a private area where you could sit towards the back. For a place that size I was a little surprised they only had two restrooms. read more

Messenger Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Visited this place twice while staying in downtown KC. I was pleasantly surprised that they had some solid gf options- I tried the chocolate banana muffin (gf) one morning, which was delicious + not overly sweet, imo. I also got a breakfast burrito (not gf) the second morning, which was delicious + had great heat. The coffee here was also amazing, although I opted for very basic oat milk lattes each morning. My husband got a maple tahini latte one morning + a smoked something or other on the other morning we went. My husband + son got croissants both mornings and loved them, but they also had some seriously cute rainbow donuts on display, which I was a bit shocked that my five year old passed by. The baristas were all very friendly and helpful, which I appreciated + the space was great with an open kitchen concept/plenty of seating. This seems like a great spot to work from, although they also had a wonderful (windy) rooftop to sit on also.. that looked like it had a fireplace for chillier days- so cozy. Best coffee in KC. read more

Messenger Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

See all

Super cute coffee shop with delicious coffee! I had an iced coffee with coconut cold foam that was SO good. read more

See all

Good drinks but expensive. I haven't tried their food. I love the upstairs seating areas though!

Where to start on this place. I spent $23 for a mid breakfast sandwich and a small coffee. I understand coffee shops that are small and getting up and running being a little bit more expensive but then you better have some quality ahh product. My sister got a biscuit and she only ate half of it so I'm assuming that wasn't great. There's also nowhere to sit inside. It's outside seating only. Well there is inside seating but it's up against the bar wall. I guess it gave me breakfast. Let's look on the bright side. read more

Messenger Coffee - Caramel latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

I honestly can't believe Messenger Coffee has been open for so long that it's time for a review update. In many ways this spot still feels new to me, despite being around for over seven years. This location on Grand is still their flagship cafe and they've expanded at this point to offer a full menu for breakfast and lunch. It's possible that this existed before and I just missed it, but on my most recent visit I had a meeting over the lunch hour so I thought I'd try one of their bowls. It was fresh, tasty, and hit the spot. The best things about Messenger are the same as they always have been: great coffee, airy beautiful space to work, delicious food. What holds it back is still the same things for me: restrooms that could be cleaner, it's expensive for what you get, and (I will die on this hill) menus that only exist in a very tiny format on a small piece of paper at the cashier - I really wish I could browse the menu while I'm in line. All of that being said, I'll always come back here and always send folks here that are visiting KC. It's a solid coffee shop and one I'm glad to have around. read more

Such a vibe. Good coffee, breakfast, and bakery items. I got an iced matcha with vanilla which was amazing. The toast isn't great for the price. I also got a few of the bakery items to go and they were good! Service is good and there are so many seating options to choose from. The first level is where you order, the second has lots of seating for working, and the rooftop has seating as well. Cool location! read more

Messenger Coffee - Outside view - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

See all

This place is super busy and trendy, and when I walked in, the line was nearly out the door. Fortunately, I wasn't in a rush so I waited patiently to order. The fun part is as the line progresses, you're paraded along the pastry case, which to a bread and sugar addict, is a nearly impossible feat to resist. BUT I did it. I resisted the Peach Muffin with Cinnamon Icing and the Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookie, amongst other mouth-watering delectables. My goal was to order breakfast -- no coffee -- and I made it all the way to the cashier, kept my eye on the prize, and ordered that Focaccia and Lox. And then ... I faltered when I heard the Summer drink menu whispering sweet nothings to me, and I could NOT resist the Mango Brûlée Cold Brew; and it did NOT disappoint. The breakfast was insanely good. The bread was fresh. The lox was fresh. The dill was fresh. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though I would've been into the bread being toasted and a lil crispier. But the portion was generous, and I was completely satisfied. All in all, I get it. This place deserves the hype. It reminds me a bit of Tartine, which started in San Fran. Next time I'm in KC, I'll be back to try more. read more

See all

The fresh baked bread loaves are always AMAZING! Toasted with lots of butter is the way to go

The original and largest of 4 cafes in Kansas City (counting 1 on your departure at KCI airport) offering incredible pastries, a full lunch menu, coffee subscriptions and wholesale along with some very cool take-home merch. This corner spot downhill from the Kauffman Performing Arts Center IS Grand with kitchen views, airy skylights, and rooftop space for 3 floors of work, dining, and recreating in community. I was feeling the seasonal Maple Tahini Latte (savory & sweet!), but jugs of cold coffee are cute to boot! read more

Hot Chocolate, all the pastries, lox on toast, and more! Service was great, even during a busy morning time. We came back the next day! read more

Messenger Coffee - Lox & cream cheese on toast. Scrambled egg & bacon in the background. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

See all

Nice atmosphere and good service. Coffee is really good too. Wish Sunday hours were longer.

The atmosphere of this place is fabulous, especially on a sunday morning! It was super busy with every single seat taken, a long line to order, and many people waiting for their orders. But, with that being said, it was still worth the vibe. One cool thing about this place is there are 3 floors- the first one being the floor to order and grab your order, the second being a lounge area where the coffee beans are, and the 3rd being the outdoor deck area. On a nice warm day, the 3rd floor is the place to be! especially because there is a great view! So if you can find seating on the 1st floor just head on up the stairs! I got an iced mocha and it was really good, definitely not bitter. It was on the sweeter side which i prefer. I really have no complaints about this place! read more

Messenger Coffee - first floor - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

This place was very busy on game day but the line moved fairly quickly. I can see why it was so busy- the food was amazing! We ordered the breakfast burrito with bacon and the sunrise breakfast sandwich. The sunrise sandwich was a 5/5: the bread was excellent. I really enjoyed the flavor of the aioli. The sandwich was served super hot- it was very fresh. My husband gave the burrito a 4.5/5: only thing he said he would change is that it had too much bacon so the flavors weren't as balanced. It was a large burrito served with a side of salsa. It was a trendy breakfast/coffee shop that was steady busy. The staff was friendly. read more

See all

-YES the place has an attractive "open bakery" atmosphere, YES the attendants are friendly, and the food and coffee are good, but seriously... $60+ for breakfast for two? Two entrees, two lattes, two pasteries. Ridiculous. I mean technically nothing to complain about, just way too overpriced. read more

Ibis + Messenger Coffee is in a very spacious building with a lot of gorgeous, natural light. No wonder that when we came in on a Monday morning, there were so many people working from the cafe. We ordered a cappuccino, a pourover, two croissants (ham and cheese and tomato basil), a chocolate chip cookie, and two loaves of bread to go (a jalapeno cheddar cheese slipper and a rosemary cornmeal loaf). We had the pastries with our coffees and saved the breads for later. The coffees were excellent; I was surprised I liked my partner's pourover since I typically don't love washed-rind coffees with "fruity" notes, but it was bright and had a strong raspberry aroma and taste without being overly sour. The croissants were disappointingly just okay. They were kind of limp and didn't have the shattering, flaky layers of the croissants I love. They probably would have been much better warmed, but sadly, there was no warming equipment. However, everything else made up for the mid croissants. The chocolate chip cookie was fantastic and had the perfect crispy edge to chewy interior ratio. We ended up eating the loaf of rosemary cornmeal bread and cheese slipper over the next week, and both were incredible. The cheese slipper is like a focaccia with more bite, covered with a beautifully charred cheese. It was difficult not to eat it all in one sitting. The rosemary bread was delicious and studded with little clusters of cornmeal inside, which made for a fun texture and pops of corn flavor. I wish I lived closer to KC, or else I'd be picking up bread and coffee from here regularly! read more

Messenger Coffee - Tomato basil croissant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

See all

Dear Messenger Coffee, I am writing to formally raise concerns regarding both an order fulfillment issue and misleading product labeling during a recent visit. On June 1, I placed an online order for pickup. Upon reviewing my order at pickup, I discovered that several items were missing. I brought this to the attention of an employee, who acknowledged that the full order ticket had not been read. While this was concerning, a more serious issue arose later that day. A coworker of mine, who has Celiac disease and must strictly adhere to a gluten-free diet, consumed the Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin labeled "GF." Shortly afterward, he became ill. When I contacted the store for clarification, I was informed that "GF" stands for "Gluten Friendly," not gluten free. This labeling is highly misleading and poses a significant health risk to individuals with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The abbreviation "GF" is widely understood to mean "gluten free," and using it to indicate otherwise can lead to serious consequences, as it did in this case. At a minimum, I strongly urge your company to clearly spell out "Gluten Friendly" wherever it appears or remove the abbreviation entirely to prevent further confusion and potential harm. I am extremely disappointed with both the initial handling of the order and the response I received regarding this matter. Most importantly, this situation resulted in an avoidable illness due to unclear and misleading labeling. I would appreciate a response outlining how you plan to address these concerns and prevent similar incidents in the future. read more

Messenger Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Dear Messenger Coffee, I am writing to formally raise concerns regarding both an order fulfillment issue and misleading product labeling during a recent visit. On June 1, I placed an online order for pickup. Upon reviewing my order at pickup, I discovered that several items were missing. I brought this to the attention of an employee, who acknowledged that the full order ticket had not been read. While this was concerning, a more serious issue arose later that day. A coworker of mine, who has Celiac disease and must strictly adhere to a gluten-free diet, consumed the Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin labeled "GF." Shortly afterward, he became ill. When I contacted the store for clarification, I was informed that "GF" stands for "Gluten Friendly," not gluten free. This labeling is highly misleading and poses a significant health risk to individuals with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The abbreviation "GF" is widely understood to mean "gluten free," and using it to indicate otherwise can lead to serious consequences, as it did in this case. At a minimum, I strongly urge your company to clearly spell out "Gluten Friendly" wherever it appears or remove the abbreviation entirely to prevent further confusion and potential harm. I am extremely disappointed with both the initial handling of the order and the response I received regarding this matter. Most importantly, this situation resulted in an avoidable illness due to unclear and misleading labeling. I would appreciate a response outlining how you plan to address these concerns and prevent similar incidents in the future. read more

Messenger Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Very comfortable spot to work upstairs Cold brew was light but bold flavor. Counter service was friendly read more

Messenger Coffee - Cold brew black with light ice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Wow this cafe was CROWDED on a Saturday morning but the line and coffee was quicker than expected. Super large space with multiple floors and seating. Lots of plants for a nice ambiance. Ordered a matcha latte, vanilla latte, raspberry orange bread pudding, and almond croissant. Drinks and bread pudding exceeded my expectations! They know what they're doing. The croissant was also great, flaky, lots of layers, I only wish they had slightly more almond filling. Highly recommend for anyone visiting KC. read more

Messenger Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

See all

If you're looking for a coffee spot with incredible vibes, Messenger Coffee Co. absolutely delivers. The atmosphere alone is worth the visit. The soaring high ceilings, tons of natural light, and a cool urban aesthetic that feels both energizing and relaxed. The electric staircase adds a unique city feel, and the space is filled with natural plants that make it feel warm and inviting. One of my favorite touches is the open kitchen where you can see the fresh, homemade pastries being prepared, it really adds to the overall experience and authenticity of the place. It's the perfect spot to get some work done, catch up with friends, or just sit back and enjoy the ambiance. The prices are very reasonable for the quality and setting, which is always a plus. While the drinks are made to order, they were a bit on the basic side and not as impressive as I expected. That said, the overall experience more than makes up for it. I'd choose this over Starbucks any day of the week. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area! read more

See all

Hash bowl was TO DIE FOR. Would get it time and time again. Coffee was good too - got a honey bear latte iced. Service was quick considering how busy they were. Lots of seating and very airy feel. Rooftop would be perfect in fall and spring. Will be back! read more

See all

After eating a few mornings of hotel breakfast I decided to brave the cold and try this place out. It was very easy to walk to and had a delicious almond milk latte and truly one of the best croissants I've ever had (not pictured). While at messenger I also ordered the breakfast burrito which was incredibly filling and probably two meals worth of food. The staff was incredibly kind and were hustling to get drinks and food out quickly to all of its customers. While I didn't stay inside I will say it was a beautiful location that was very bright which is my preference for a coffee shop first thing in the morning vs. the typical dark and dreary vibe that some have. read more

See all

The vibes are amazing. 3 floors to dine in/work in. Lots of different seating styles available-- incredible views. Amazing food, coffee is divine! Service is incredible, it's a must spot for anyone! Does have an elevator to take you up all flights, if needed. read more

See all

I was not impressed. 20 oz oat milk latte tasted like straight oat milk. You know when you can tell from the color you immediately know your drink is bad? That was this place for me. Croissant and ham & cheese croissants were so forgettable. Empty and full of air. I really wanted to like this place. This is the 3rd I got tricked by reviews. read more

Messenger Coffee - Oat milk latte that tastes like oat milk with a hint of coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

A short walking distant from streetcar off Main & 16th. Three story building and varies sitting styles to choose from. read more

See all

Best cup in town and we hit MANY. Went here after the last barista at a different shop recommended this place read more

Messenger Coffee - Rooftop seating needs help but nice option - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

See all

Hot macchiato was a surprise strong small shot w a side of sparkling water, very unamused. 1/10 rating Cartardo ice was definitely a stomach ache read more

Messenger Coffee - CardioSumsum latte definitely don't recommend for weak stomachs - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

See all

We had ourselves a little day walking around and exploring Kansas City. Messenger came recommended by everyone and the views were just as good as the coffee! We got a dirty chai and a vanilla latte. Wished I had grabbed one of their pastries but that'll have to be on my to do next time! read more

I always love stopping here when we are in Kansas City to get some delicious pastries and coffee. They are very serious about their coffee and have so many artisan pour over options (also great drip options at well). They also have warm breakfast options as well- Avocado toast etc.. Everything we got was on point! There is a lot of seating available and they even had high chairs (this makes a huge difference for parents trying to eat breakfast too or enjoy a hot coffee). We were able to find street parking. This would be a great place to study with friends or catch up on some work. They are open early as well! Will definitely stop for coffee/pastries on our next KC trip! read more

Oh what a neat place! I have driven by this so many times and apparently over looked it. I'm so upset I haven't tried it yet until recently since being in KC for 6 years! Coffee and breakfast sandwich were delicious. Fantastic space to meet up with friends or get some work done. read more

See all

This is quite easily the largest coffee shop I've seen. They make all their pastries in-house with view of the kitchen space. There's also an upstairs area like a library. The service moves fast for a busy establishment. I ordered... Pepperoni pizza bagel ($5): oh my yum. This could be a full meal of its own with how satiating and savory it is. The thing is huuuge! Matcha ($5): this is a great quality drink, with hardly any noticeable sweetener, just how I like it! I came from out of town, so I won't be back in the near future, but I recommend Messenger Coffee for your own out-of-towners! read more

Messenger Coffee - Pepperoni pizza bagel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Great coffee, a great food menu and great pastry options. The interior is beautiful with 3 stories of seating options and a rooftop outdoor seating area. For how fast-paced and busy it gets here, they have their system down with getting food and drinks out. read more

Messenger Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Carmel latte and lox breakfast were really good. Set up was a little confusing, no one tells you that you have to pick up your food at the back counter. There was another customer next to me who was visiting for the first time, she was also confused about where to pick up the food orders. read more

Messenger Coffee - Lox on Focaccia - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

See all