Big Iron Coffee Co. — Restaurant in Four Corners States

Raz and I have differing opinions on Big Iron Coffee, but I write the reviews, so that gives me final say. We stopped into the area since we were looking for something specific nearby otherwise we might never have found this little local coffee shop at all. We both had Chai lattes, as we were in the mood for something caffeinated and slightly sweet, but not so much in the mood for coffee itself. There aren't a lot of options on the menu at Big Iron, it being an establishment much more deeply focused on the quality of its roast than the variety of additives to hide any imperfections in the coffee base.

Since neither of us actually had said coffee, we can only assume from the excessively long line at 10 AM that it really is quality stuff. The Chai is pretty heady stuff with a strong cardamom kick, just like I like, and for those that are on a no-animal-products regimen, Big Iron has both almond and oat milks to replace the usual cow variety. I'm from a long line of wheat-beef people, though so I had the whole milk in my hot drink. Raz had his chai oat-latte cold, which isn't an option I see all that often, but it came out well enough. The place had a hidden-gem local-hangout vibe that I found most pleasing, but the staff was also super friendly and helpful to obvious tourists like myself. Definitely a place I'd insist on diving down to for a good cup of morning pick-me-up should we find ourselves in Steamboat Springs again anytime in the...

This is mostly for my order of "Bust a Coconut Green Tea" experience.

We came in on a Friday morning to grab tea and coffee and saw that there was only one worker. There was already a group of college girls (6 of them) that was ordering, then we came in (3 of us) then 6-7 more people came in (15 of us, line was out the door due to social distancing). It seems like this place is popular enough and didn't quite understand why they didn't have at least two workers (there's enough room in the coffee area for distanced working on drinks + someone taking orders at the register). I felt bad for the solo staff doing all the ordering and drink making on her own (there was a few times order was wrong and then she had to fix those orders, etc.) Our coffee run ended up being 45 minutes.

I ordered a medium "Bust a Coconut Green Tea" but it was a lot smaller than what I expected, like a 12oz for $2.25. The green tea profile was really light (too light for my preference), but great coconut complements. Love the aesthetics of the coffee...

Cute shop in Steamboat Springs. I like that they offer their own selection of roasted coffee. The baristas, and previous manager were friendly and visited with me while I waited for my coffee.

I ordered an iced americano, which is my usual. This shop pours their espresso shots over ice, which is okay, just not my preference. I find pouring the espresso into the water and then icing creates a smoother and more enjoyable drink. When training my staff, I usually have them make it both ways and taste the difference - it seems minuscule, but there really is a noticeable difference!

My mom ordered an iced mocha & they used a cocoa style powder. Not as sweet as some shops, which is welcomed. However, the powder leaves a residual taste/texture in your mouth that you don’t find when using a sauce. Not bad, just not great.

Overall, I’m glad we stopped in & tried out some local coffee. Their courtyard is also a very nice place to sit outside and enjoy...