Little Scratch Coffee Roasters — Restaurant in Mount Vernon

I’m no coffee expert by any means, but more of a coffee enthusiast, if I may say. I start my day with a simple cup of coffee, and as of late only one cup of coffee, down from 3-5 cups.

So, if I am going to drink just one cup of coffee, it has to be the best I can brew at home. That sent me down a rabbit hole, more of a journey or an adventure really, to find the best whole coffee beans.

My criteria were locally owned and roasted in small batches whole coffee beans. Which I realized is a bit much to ask for a relatively small area like Cedar Rapids.

One day, I stumbled upon a bag of Little Scratch Coffee, and what a delight. It was all I was looking for and more. I immediately looked them up and paid them a visit, and what a small, yet mighty, window to the world of coffee in a little Iowa town like Mt. Vernon!

Not only did I get my coffee, but the conversation that should come with it. Conversations with the roaster and/or a barista are usually some of coffee’s best and sadly decaying experiences. Talking to the roaster means I get to learn about the origin of the coffee I’m buying and the process of roasting it, taste profiles and flavors, and almost anything coffee related.

All that, and the price is right. The average I paid was about 11 dollars per bag, but that’s not factoring the overall experience which is priceless.

Bottom line is, Little Scratch Coffee is a place you will want to get out of your way to visit. You’ll walk into a good aroma of either freshly brewed or freshly roasted coffee, or both, and good friendly people. You will get your coffee, you’ll get your conversation, and you will leave a happy customer.

For the love of coffee and local...

Mount Vernon deserves Little scratch! It’s not often that small towns in Iowa has a place that coffee lovers can frequent. Every customer is treated like family. Their coffee is sourced directly from small producers all over the world, roasted to perfection, and made in all sorts of drinks. It’s a neat spot to be a regular or to come when I’m driving through or working in Mount Vernon. Definitely the best...

Getting coffee is a treat for me, but to have awesome people taking your order, welcoming you, and wanting you to stay is precious. Katrina is amazing and it is so cool to see her doing what she is doing! I love that Cornell has used what she roasts to have for students in the cafeteria and that she has things out at Rhubarb Botanicals’ farmers markets! It’s so cool how plugged into this...