What's the Wi-Fi?

Wi-Fi: Scenic Route Guest- No password

Des Moines, IA

• SRB Seasonal Latte: I asked and it happened to be a pumpkin-spiced latte.
• As a coffee review website, it may seem odd that I’m taking the time to review a bakery. However, Scenic Route’s overall offerings put it in line with your average cafe. Located in Des Moines’ historic east village on the corner of Locust and E 4th, Scenic Route is surrounded by many quaint shops selling clothing, home goods, plants and furniture. The atmosphere of Scenic Route is very open and bright, with floor to ceiling windows on two sides of the space. Wooden tables with metal chairs and wood seats are practical and clean. The exposed concrete ceiling with the HVAC and metal conduit for lighting is in line with much of the east village aesthetic. This may come off as cold, but the warm lighting and lively atmosphere balance it quite nicely. As I am making my visit here in late September, there is fall decor all around.

• Noah’s order: The overall coffee menu is limited. Under their “Signature Drinks,” they have Honeybee, Mila, Cuban, and SBR Seasonal Latte. I asked the barista what the seasonal latte was and it happened to be a pumpkin spice latte. She laughed as I did a poor job of hiding my cringe, while I nodded yes. “It’s pretty basic, but it’s good,” she said as we both silently acknowledged the stereotypes that surround the drink. Served in a paper cup and dusted with cinnamon, the presentation was not flashy. There was an initial hit of cinnamon, as it was sitting right on top. The texture was fine, with thinner whole milk as the majority and a bad of foam on top, more fitting to the construction of a cappuccino, but I am a coffee snob, so I digress. It was not overly sweet, which is sometimes rare when every cafe in North America adds a PSL to their menu as September comes to a close to cater to the Instagram enthralled basic crowd. In general, it was fine! Scenic Route has their cold drinks served in plastic cups with plastic straws. All of this fits in with the overall theme of the place: it is practical. This is a practical space to work, take a lunch break, or meet with someone in a comfortable public space.
• Before I left, I decided to sample what the bakery offered, so I ordered a ham and cheese croissant. It was a warm, buttery outside that was flakey and crunchy with the first bite. Inside was sweet and savory ham with slightly melty Swiss cheese. This was awesome.