Upset! Newcomer takes lead in Kansas City Coffee Shop Bracket. Time to pick the winner
To be truthful, we thought Messenger Coffee Co. was headed to victory in our KC Coffee Shop Bracket. It had percolated to the top consistently in the previous rounds.
But with more than 1,000 votes counted in our Flavorful 4 round, the coffee shop with multiple locations is out of contention.
Instead, the top vote-getters in round 4, which ended Sunday night, are newcomer Cafe Ollama, with 663 votes, and Broadway Cafe and Roasting Co., with 323.
Left behind: Messenger, with 268 votes, and Black Dog Coffeehouse in Lenexa (which serves Messenger coffee), with 193 votes.
To recap, last month we asked you to nominate your favorite coffee shops. We scooped up the 32 top vote-getters to whip up the first round of the bracket.
We’re looking for the place that brews a transcendent cup of joe, be it a dark espresso or a frothy pumpkin spice latte. The place that also excels at all the other stuff: delectable pastries, comfy chairs, good vibes.
Week by week, we’ve narrowed down the list, from the Thrilling 32 to the Savory 16, the Delicious 8, the Flavorful 4 and now the championship round, the Tasty 2. Next week we’ll crown The Winner (just in time for March Madness).
Here’s more about the coffee shops left standing (which just might be related to excellent social media campaigns):
▪ Broadway Cafe was founded in Westport in 1992 and began roasting its own coffee in 1998. Then its own facility, Broadway Roasting Co., opened nearby about 14 years ago.
▪ Cafe Ollama opened only a year ago, serving coffee inspired by its owners’ Latin American heritage. One of their most popular orders is Cafe de Olla — slow-brewed coffee with cinnamon, unrefined whole cane sugar, and other spices. Customers also can get it topped off with a salted sweet foam.
For this round, you have until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 13, to vote for the winning coffee shop.
Can’t see the bracket? Click here to vote.
