Chain & Spoke — Restaurant in Des Moines

Update: the owner reached out and paid for me to come try again. Great service and great coffee this time! I'll definitely be back!

I was excited to try this new coffee shop when I came back to town to visit family. I came in with my kiddos and sister and mom on day and the coffee was really delicious, though both my sister and I remarked on feeling like the barista seemed a little off, not rude just not very friendly. However, when we came back today, excited to grab another good coffee, we parked and were walking in at 3:44 and saw a sign that they are closing early at 4pm--all good since that meant there was over a quarter of an hour before closing still even with them closing early. As we are walking in the barista was taking out the trash and told us he could only do cold brews and cold brew lattes since he had already turned off all the machines. (Again, a quarter of an hour before they close which was 2 hours before their normal closing time) I was feeling pretty frustrated because I've worked for years in the service industry and I know that meant he just did his side work and closing stuff early to get to leave earlier and even though we were there well before they closed he wasn't willing to accept that he might need to actually turn the machines on until 4 when they close. So frustrated we still decided to take a look and ordered the specialty cold brew latte they had featured, since he said we could do cold brew lattes, and he said he could do the cold brew but wouldn't be able to do the cold foam-- again, clearly because he had cleaned the machine to close well before they closed and wasn't willing to clean it again. We ended up leaving and just felt very frustrated by the whole experience. Good coffee, fun concept and great building, but they really need to work on customer service. It can really make or...

Love the space! It's modern, clean, kind of industrial, and wide open with a touch of quirkiness. We got their seasonal Cinnamon Maple Latté, regular hot latté, and a shot of espresso. Their default milk is oat milk. Love that!

Their espresso machine is shut down at 3pm every day so keep that in mind when you visit. After 3pm they offer cold brew and drip coffees if I'm not mistaken.

The espresso was fantastic! You'll first notice the bold aroma. At first glance, you'll see that the espresso has good crema which indicates that the coffee is of superior quality and ground properly. The espresso was flavorful and robust, as the smell suggested it would be. The beans are roasted nearby in Winterset. I'm always happy to support local!

What I love most is the process by which their coffee beans are decaffeinated...Banana! Ethyl acetate is a NATURAL caffeine extractor found in various fruits and vegetables such as banana. I believe the banana is used in the direct solvent method of decaffeination. A lot of you might not drink decaf, but I absolutely love coffee yet cannot have more than one cup/shot of regular espresso without experiencing some A-fib. A good decaf bean is difficult to find so I'm glad that Chain & Spoke are giving this their attention. I never trust a coffee shop that doesn't know how their beans are decaffeinated!

For non-coffee drinkers, they offer a line of canned sparkling botanical teas.

Really cool that they also have a bike shop in the back of the space. I'm not a cyclist but it's cool that you can buy some gear or have your bike repaired while sipping on a good cup o' Joe!

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Chain & Spoke Coffee is an amazing coffee shop experience that I can't recommend enough. The expertly crafted Espresso and smooth, refreshing cold brew drinks are top-notch, and the friendly and knowledgeable staff make the experience even better. The ambiance is warm and inviting, with big windows providing natural light and a comfortable space for relaxing or working.

One unique aspect of Chain & Spoke Coffee is the on-site bike repair shop. This practical setup allows you to enjoy your coffee while your bike is being repaired by the skilled and knowledgeable staff. It's a convenient and fun twist to the coffee shop experience, and makes Chain & Spoke Coffee a must-visit for those who love both cycling and coffee. Overall, if you're looking for a unique and enjoyable coffee shop experience, Chain & Spoke Coffee is the...