Coffee Apothecary — Restaurant in Pleasant Valley Township

“Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble”

After the less-than-stellar americano at 392Caffee, Emily and I decided to get more coffee later in the day and Coffee Apothecary happened to be right around the corner from Five Cities Brewing. Talk about convenient. So, after a few beers and the best meal, we dropped in for one last hit of caffeine before finishing out the day exploring.

When we walked in, they had just burnt some bacon, so the place was filled with smoke. Kinda fits the Apothecary theme, in my opinion.

Since we had just eaten a big meal at Five Cities, we opted for just a drink. Emily got their special HeLa CELL and I got my usual americano. They were out of brown sugar for the HeLa CELL so Emily got it substituted with caramel. We waited just a few minutes for the drinks to be ready and decided that despite the smoke that was lingering around, we would sit there and play some Uno while recharging our batteries.

This americano was exactly what I wanted all day. It was dark and bitter and delicious. I sampled Emily’s drink and the foam and salt and caramel were a perfect combo.

Compared to the other coffeehouse we visited, this one felt more traditional. It’s a bit smaller so large groups might have to sit outside or divvy up between tables. As for the aesthetics of the place, they really play into the apothecary theme. It felt rustic and antique in there, between the decor and the images on the wall. It almost reminded me of Little Raven Creamery that was open in Peoria at one point.

If you find yourself in the Quad Cities and want a nice change of pace from your usual coffeehouse, give Coffee Apothecary a try. Hopefully the burnt bacon smoke will be gone by then. Not entirely sure why one of the workers didn’t prop a door open to help air it out but it was like 95 degrees outside so… don’t blame them for wanting to keep the shop cool.

Sidenote: I do wish they had their logo that I saw on their Facebook available on either a magnet, sticker, or shirt. I love the look and vibe of plague doctors so to have that on something I can put up at home or wear would be sweet. Maybe they will have some merch in the future!

Until then, stay...

I don't live far from Coffee Apothecary. I've driven by many times (often to go to Olive Tree Cafe - love me some hummus) but today in the midst of last minute Christmas shopping I needed a break for some tea and decided to stop by. I can confirm early that this was a good choice.

The interior is modeled after what can only be described as what one would imagine the interior of a late 19th/early 20th century pharmacy might look like. There's a lovely tiled "Rx" patterned into the floor right at the threshold, muted pink and burgundy paint for most of the wall coverings, and various furnishings, like ring stands, test tubes, and other glassware and books that add to the overall old pharmacy aesthetic.

The furniture, between the couches, chairs, and tables all similarly have the appearance of coming from a mix of this old time pharmacy/high school chemistry lab look. The lab table/stool I chose for my visit was surprisingly comfortable. If I were still a student, I could even see bringing a laptop here and doing student/study things here for a time.

When I approached the counter I was greeted warmly and enthusiastically by the barista (apothecary?) for my order. She answered all my dumb questions (I asked about tea at a coffee place - I know, this is a thing I do...) and I was able to get a green tea and lemon blueberry bar with relative ease. She was friendly throughout the process, and paying was similarly painless (they have functioning Google pay! That made me happy).

The green tea is a bagged variety from Reishi teas. I'd never had this before, but was surprised by its taste. For a generic green tea, it has some lovely toasted notes that hit on the back of the tongue. I'm going to have to ask them about where to get some for myself, maybe out it in the rotation at home.

All in all, I could definitely envision coming back here to relax after work, maybe even come here for a time during work from home for a change of pace. This is a unique location, both for the Quad Cities and the surrounding neighborhood. I hope Coffee Apothecary sticks around for a while. Thanks for the great tea...

So, I get shuffled around to different locations in the QC for work. I had been eyeing this place for months after discovering it the first time I was assigned to Bettendorf. I was finally able to make it in one morning! My excitement was immediately killed by the barista behind the counter. I was the only customer in the shop and he had maybe two people max that he served through the drive-thru during the hour that I was there. It was my first time so I had a few general questions like "What's your top seller?" Or, "what's your go-to?" Questions that don't require very extensive answers. He huffed and puffed, tapped his foot impatiently, and just gave a very sarcastic "coffee." I get that there's opening duties (I worked in the service/hospitality industry for 14 years) but he was extremely impatient and acted like I was such a bother. I wonder how he would've reacted if there were more people he needed to help.

Anyway, I had read the reviews for months so I decided I would try an energy drink flight since they were one of very few in the area that offered those. I tried mine with the super creamer. If it's like the stuff I use at home then it's supposed to be sugar-free, have significant protein, and MCT oil. The flight was good! And, I would have liked to order a coffee and stay longer or to come back at another time but that encounter was just so hostile and unwelcoming that in the months that I've been posted in Bettendorf, I haven't been back. I prefer to give my money to people who appreciate my business. The shop is cute and I think their drinks are good quality and inventive. It's...