Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Kickin' it St. Louis Style! - Kaldi's Coffee

Kaldi's Coffee - Chesterfield                                                                   
Chesterfield Commons
17211 Chesterfield Airport Road
Chesterfield, MO 63005
636.536.6624







In the midst of Chesterfield Valley you will find a coffee company that calls St. Louis home.  Kaldi's Coffee not only operates multiple locations in the metro area but also a roasting house where they train their staff and churn out some of their own specialty brews.  This particular location boasts ample seating, a frosted glass meeting room, and convenient outdoor seating. Along with multiple coffee selections, Kaldi's offers a full menu of sandwhiches, salads, soups, pastries, and more. Walk in and you'll be greated with a smile and the service doesn't stop there.  From the moment you order, the pleasantly helpful staff brings your food, takes your dishes, refills your coffee, and offers up entertaining conversation.  So if you happen to be in the Valley and find yourself in need of a cup and conversation, head over to Kaldi's!

Below you will find our review of Kaldi's - Chesterfield in 5 different areas, rated from 1-10:

COFFEE: 6 - We found that the coffee (Drip) was extremely strong and almost bitter. Ashlee first tried an ethiopian blend but found it moderately harsh and hard to flavor so switched to a vanilla blend that proved to be more aromatic and a bit smoother.  If you're looking for a flavored coffee with a strong sense of flavor, this is not it but it does make the regular drip coffee bareable. Kacy also had the vanilla and agreed that it had a very bitter after taste.

FOOD: 7 - Kacy ordered a turkey avacado sandwhich that came with "billy goat chips".  She noted that it was good but nothing spectacular.  We did like that all of their items were toted as "all-natural" or "organic" but were concerned that these labels made the food more expensive than most places in this catagory.



ATMOSPHERE: 9 - This location embodies the classy characteristics of the West County/Chesterfield area. The colors are soothing and you'll find classic european wall paper and small chandelier accents throughout. There is a wonderful sitting area with an attractive fireplace to enjoy. Clean, Crisp, and Classy!




PRICES: 5 - On the downside we found the prices at Kaldi's to be fairly high in comparison to most of the establishments we've reviewed.  Some of the higher priced drinks far outreach places like Starbucks at their highest dollar amounts.  Specialty drinks start at almost $4.00 for the smallest size and you'll pay over $5.00 for a smoothie alone.




PARKING: 9 - You'll have no problem finding parking in the ample lot provided.

BROWNIE POINTS: 3 - We love that they sell their own coffee blends, mugs, water bottles, and messenger bags. The customer service is wonderful! Very friendly staff that seem to genuinely enjoy their work. Another plus is that they do have a local roasting house that you can tour and taste their various coffees.

OVERALL: 6





Kacy Says: " To be honest, I feel obligated to like Kaldi's because of it's St. Louis roots, I plainly just like the idea of Kaldi's.  I would not, however, go out of my way to have their coffee."

Ashlee Says: "The coffee is a bit bitter for my taste but it's a great place to come meet with friends or business associates.  Great ambiance!  I love that they are local and also support local businesses.