Cafe Milo

Café Milo is a cozy coffee shop especially for people who love to stay there with their computers for hours. It is a very nice place for students to study with many outlets, bigger tables, and free wifi. Coffee selection is pretty good but it could be a little bit inconsistent sometimes. They also have a tea selection bigger than most coffee shop in Ames. They also have sandwich, soup, salad, cakes, and cookies.

Friendly baristas and good coffee! I ordered the breakfast burrito which was only a step above a McDonald’s burrito. It would have been nice to have music playing so I wouldn’t have to listen to the other conversations at the table around me.

I really enjoy the cozy feel of Café Milo. Highlights include:
1. plenty of parking
2.The lattes are excellent
3. The teas are amazing
4. Lots of seating
5. Prime people watching spot
:)

Stopped here during a bike ride. Pretty solid soy chai latte and the lady was nice. She hooked me up with some ice water. Interior was nice and they have outlets everywhere if you are going to be here for a while. They are open pretty late too. They definitely cater to the college crowd.

Excellent high-​quality food and some of the nicest staff I have ever encountered. Not only do the staff allow wifi camping and accommodate larger groups, I’ve also had cashiers help me find my phone after I accidentally left it there and replace a drink I spilled at no cost.
Prices are a little high, but I also understand that in addition to the awesome tea blends (I recommend the rooibos) I’m also paying for the high-​speed complimentary internet, the access to the dozens of outlets, and the cozy atmosphere. The café primarily specializes in drinks (meaning that the food selection is somewhat limited) but I have had one or two of their salads and sandwiches and those have always been really good. Also: there are dozens of flavors of Italian sodas, always a plus.

Great place in west ames for coffee, I meet customers here and regroup here as well.
Food is good and just as well for coffee.

Very friendly environment, specifically for those in need of a combo of good coffee/​tea, wifi, elec plugs to keep laptop charged and big windows for plenty of Vit. D!

I stopped by this spacious coffee shop the other evening. The staff are young and inexperienced and the ambience isn’t great. It’s probably a great place to study for hours at a table if you live in the neighborhood, but I don’t think it’s worth it to go out of your way to get there. They have some local artist artwork on the walls and I think the vintage consignment furniture doesn’t add a lot to the cement floors. The chai was really sweet, can’t speak for the coffee drinks because I didn’t have one but, if I go back I’ll try something else.

I conveniently live in the West Towne Apartment complex so I can pop in when ever I want (granted I have the money). I guess you pay for the freshness and quality because it really is worth it. The staff is super friendly and inviting and can great recommendations if you aren’t sure what to get. I always trust them and I’m never disappointed.
I genuinely enjoy their cranberry scones w/​orange zest while sipping green tea. It’s going to be my regular order.

Stopped in this morning as an out of towner and loved this little spot! Much better alternative to the local Starbucks options and the staff was unbelievably friendly and generous! Next time I’m in town I will definitely come back!

Under previous ownership, this was a good café with timely service and quality product. However, it is presently one of the poorer quality cafes in Ames. The staff is often rude, take too much time to help customers, and are often distracted. Drink orders are often incorrect. I would not recommend this business to anyone.

Not any vegan options, but that isn’t out of the ordinary. However, the salad I got (spinach salad) without the cheese and chicken was great. Tons of tea options and a great environment to study.

I love Café Milo! They are they only coffee house in Ames that serves a POT of tea, and the tea is delicious. (My husband is a coffee drinker, and says the coffee is also great.) The staff is friendly and sunny and kind — and they often remember your order if you are a regular. I especially like the light in Milo; with all the windows, it is a great place to work.
Just two small complaints. The bagels are not very good, and as soon as they cool from toasting, are virtually inedible, like old bread. This isn’t uncommon in the Midwest, though, where the bagel isn’t native food. And the music can sometimes be… Jesus-​y.
Neither of these things stop me from going, however — it is definitely the most comfortable coffee house in Ames, and you can tell they work hard to make it that way.

Best coffee shop in Ames!

I have long known of Café Milo’s presence but have never been there as I am strictly an early morning coffee drinker and in the past had no reason to be on that side of town. For logistical reasons I started working out in the early am at the nearby Ames Racquet and Fitness location and have been going there almost daily for several weeks.
I order the same thing every single time: a medium Americano to go, with «a little» room, but I do not take cream, the room is just to save myself the counsel clean up in my car later.
First off, their beans are good (not off the chain good, but four stars good) and their drinks are prepared with care. The person running the register is almost always different than the person making the drink and I have had several baristas and also cashiers recognize me, comment on my regular visits, and even remind me to get out my punch card.
The pricing is competitive if not on the low side; I order a hybrid «medium» at The Café (they don’t have mediums per se), and a grande at Starbucks, and this is the lowest of the three at $ 2.12.
The mix of folks hanging out in here each morning is different, which is what makes the place cool; everything from singing neighbors, to elderly folks, to students, to gym rats. The fireplace is AWESOME not so much for aesthetics but because it actually kicks out a fair amount of heat. Many days of late have been well below zero and waiting in proxemics of that thing is divine.
I receive notices about music here on occasion also, and will definitely consider this as a lunch spot or evening hangout in the future.

Nice Gem in West Ames
I love Café Milo. It is tucked away by an an apartment complex in West Ames, which makes it hard to notice – but it still garner a relative amount of popularity. I used to live right in that complex, and it was wonderful to simply walk over there.
When you go into the café, you’ll see predominantly studious college students and hipsters on their laptops, reading, or simply socializing. I love the décor. There are several comfortable couches and chairs. There’s even a fireplace in front of a comfy couch.
Food: All of their panini/​sandwiches are good choices. I personally like the grilled cheese the best. Although not as great as Stompin Ground’s, they have good tomato basil soup. Their salads here are enormous!
Drinks: Yum! What’s nice is that there are an ample amount of coupons for drinks here. If you live around the area, you’ll probably see a ton of them. Their tea selection is rare and delicious because they get it from the popular Gong Fu Tea in Des Moines, Iowa. Their smoothies are delicious.
If you come here often, get a punch card!

Café Milo is my neighborhood favorite. They have delicious hot and cold drink options (try the espresso chocolate shake or my seasonal fav for the summer the Ronald Palmer – half red roobios tea and half lemonade YUM), no judgment for indecisiveness, and just enough snark in their employees.
They have killer chicken tortilla soup, giant cookies, and plenty of very pretty salads & sandwiches.
Everything seems to be acceptable as far as behaviors – random readers, studious collegians, adorable families, awkward first dates. In other words – also a fab place for people watching.
Pull up a chair (I highly recommend the polka dotted comfy chairs), enjoy the free wifi, and sip on something delicious. See you at Milo!

Call me a fan of Café Milo.
Café Milo is a contemporary café in Ames’ growing west side, tucked in a new mixed use development off Highway 30 at South Dakota Avenue.
The décor comprised of birch-​and-​black table and chairs with several four-​tops that are popular with Iowa State students and researchers doing small group work. Several comfortable salon chairs are scattered throughout the dining area. The floor is a stained concrete which gives the place an urban loft feel. I’ve visited Café Milo twice as of this review. On both occasions I was served quickly by cheerful staff. (Both visits were on Sunday afternoons, so I can’t say how this place copes with being slammed). Free, fast wi-​fi is provided. More outlets would be nice, but what wi-​fi equipped café doesn’t need more outlets?
I’m a latte fan and I find the espresso drinks here are fine, comparable to a «double tall nonfat» I might get a Starbucks. And the brewed coffee is robust. Thus, the coffee is passable for a coffee freak (not bland), but at the same time probably won’t make you hearken back to that trip to Milan you took.
On the food side, I’ve only tried items off the lunch menu: the shaved turkey club and the garlic reuben. Both were delicious. Expect to pay around $ 6.95 for a sandwich which comes with a choice of chips or a piece of fruit (apple or banana). Prefer a side salad instead of chips or fruit? Add a $ 1. Care for soup instead? Add a $ 1.50.
One small criticism (which doesn’t prevent my fandom) is that the concrete floor allows you to see every last crumb, bit of dirt, and general scattered fragments of life that make their way into the café. I know they must sweep here, but I sat near the same table one week to the next and feel certain that no broom had been under it for more some time. When you start to recognize the debris under your favorite spot, week to week, that’s not a good sign. Don’t get me wrong. This place is not unsanitary. It’s just noticeable that they need to step up the sweeping.
In sum, I recommend Café Milo. It’s a calm, centering place. A good place to get a coffee and a bite, do a bit of work or read, or just be around people.