Scones are consistently among the best I have and represent two of the three stars today. Today I learned that one should never order hot tea in the drive-thru. Instead of it being properly steeped and ready to drink, I’m handed a cup that appears to have a tea bag immersed in it. Tucked into the side were steeping instructions — 4 minutes. Ok, so how long has it been in already and how does one get the bag out without spilling scalding water all over the car? The answer is, one doesn’t. I got to my office 10 minutes later by which time the bag was so soaked, it tore apart as I tried to pull the edge from between the two cups. Lesson learned.
Tracy I.
Place rating: 4 Kansas City, MO
We used to swing through the former LatteLand when in Briarcliff, but only to grab a muffin as I wasn’t a big fan of their coffee drinks. Enter Kaldi’s Coffee, which took over this location. The menu alone is a bit of an upgrade… Turkish coffees, tees, specialty drinks and a much larger selection of goodies(yogurt parfait, muffins, croissant sandwiches, etc). Today we swung through the drive-thru for sweets only… gooey butter cake(omg wow!) and a yogurt parfait(an excellent upgrade to the typical yogurt option… vanilla, granola, walnuts, honey, strawberry slivers)…very delicious! Keep it up Kaldi’s and you should settle in quite nicely in Briarcliff!
Laura H.
Place rating: 4 Kansas City, MO
Coffee is pretty sold when you are in a pintch.
Adam S.
Place rating: 5 Kansas City, MO
Kaldi’s in Briarcliff Village is for the win! I’ve always enjoyed their normal, black drip coffee more than most. While up here for 25 Years of Briarcliff I decided I needed a shot of caffeine but was already sweating in the heat of the day and couldn’t handle a 140 degree cup of joe. I sort of rambled off what I wanted since I’m new to the iced coffee scene. a bit of milk, bit of coffee, maybe a bit of almond. Next thing, my Houdini-esque server said«Oh, how about a honey almond iced toddy?» Boom. It was fantastic, the perfect light balance of flavors and just enough espresso to give me a buzz. As the summer goes on and I keep exploring the iced coffee world, I’ll keep going back to this as the drink that got me into them.
Kiki R.
Place rating: 3 Los Angeles, CA
When I’m in Kansas City, I enjoy coming up to Briarcliff. It has such a nice atmosphere. And I’ve always liked LatteLand — and even though it’s a Kaldi’s now, it still seems pretty similar to its old self, with not too many drastic changes. This location is great, with a large patio that has a really nice view of the city. My only complaint is that I’ve found this location to play consistently BAD music. And I mean BAD music. It’s like I’ve walked into Hot Topic or something. Crappy pop, and played pretty loudly. WTH? Wouldn’t some Wilco, Flaming Lips, or Thievery Corporation work better for this atmosphere? Sometimes it’s so bad that I can’t focus on the book I’m reading and I have to leave. However, their AMAZING, UNPARALLELEDWEDDINGCOOKIES will keep me coming back. I’ll just cross my fingers that someone figures out the whole music vibe. xo
Shane W.
Place rating: 4 Kansas City, MO
In the location of the former LatteLand, Kaldi’s Coffee seems to be taking a pretty good thing and making it better. I liked LatteLand but falling in between the Walmartesque Starbucks and a locally owned coffee shop, seemed to fall off the radar. Locally owned shops are still a priority but this location opens at 7 am and is in a great location near my office for a quick drive –thru before a stupid-early meeting. The coffee is good, service is even better. My only complaint at this point is the worn building that’s seen several years without major attention. Kaldi’s hasn’t even changed the sign on this location so I’m expecting some upgrades soon. Stay tuned and I’ll update as they evolve into Kaldi’s.