Tired of spending money at Starbucks? Want to spice up your caffeinated palette with something different than your usual hot or iced latte? Friendly service and a great environment while studying and/or catching up with an old friend? Well, this article is for you. Today, I will be listing off four of the best local coffee shops Wichita has to offer. 

Starting off the list at number one is Il Primo. Il Primo is known as Wichita’s oldest and best coffee shop. They have two locations here in Wichita -the first location is in Normandie Shopping center on East Central and their second location is in The Epic Center on North Main in Downtown Wichita.  They offer a large variety of different drinks from lattes to cold brew and kombucha, they have (almost) everything you could think of. 

They also serve a variety of breakfast foods from sandwiches to muffins and their coffee is less than what you would get at a typical Starbucks. They have recently raised their prices due to supply chain shortages but their price range remains the same and it stands between $2-$5 for both drinks and food. 

My personal favorite from Il Primo is their ‘Sappho’ latte (iced). The ‘Sappho’ has espresso, oat milk, lavender, brown sugar, and if you get the iced version they’ll add cold foam to the top of the drink. 

Il Primo also serves a variety of seasonal drinks year-round. A couple of my favorite seasonal drinks include the ‘Comfy Cardigan’ latte they serve in the spring and the Witches Brew drink they serve in the Fall. 

Next on the list is Leslie’s Coffee Co. Leslie’s is a small coffee shop located in the Delano District near Downtown Wichita. They offer a wide variety of coffees and teas and some breakfast foods as well. 

Their prices range from $3-$7 for both drinks and food. They have an amazing environment filled with plants and greenery and they have an outdoor seating option as well. Making Leslie’s one of the perfect places to study, hang out with friends or relax. 

My personal favorites from Leslie’s are an Iced Matcha Latte made with oat milk and simple syrup or an Iced coffee made with oat milk and their seasonal sweetened condensed milk flavor. 

Next up is Churn and Burn. Churn and Burn is known for their ice cream-based coffees and their homemade ice cream. Churn and Burn is a little bit more expensive than the other places mentioned above, but they’re worth the price. They’re locally owned and sourced right here in Wichita, they use all-natural ingredients and their coffee is locally sourced from Wichita’s very own, The Spice Merchant. 

Ice cream ranges from $3-$4 and their coffee with an ice cream base ranges from $5-$7 depending on the size you get. My personal favorite from Churn and Burn is their specialty C&B caramel macchiato. 

This caramel macchiato has a vanilla ice cream base with espresso, mixed with vanilla syrup, topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce. You can drink this with a giant wide-mouthed straw or you can eat this with a spoon. 

For our next coffee shop, we have Cocoa Dolce. Cocoa Dolce is very well-known for its delicious chocolate, but did you know that they did coffee too? Well, now you do! They do a variety of beverages at a low cost. Their prices for their beverages range from $2.75-$4.25. 

They serve iced coffee, cold brew, iced chocolate milk, and more. They charge 50 cents for each flavor you choose. But the best part about your coffee -they give you free, unlimited refills. Flavors included. 

They have three locations in Wichita. Downtown (across the street from The Wave), Bradley Fair, and New Market Square. Fun Fact – they have the chocolate factory at the Downtown location. 

Cocoa Dolce also has a nice, inviting environment. It’s a great place for studying or just to relax and to hang out with friends. Personally, when I go here, I like to chill in the lounge with a cup of iced coffee or cold brew and a cup of gelato for a sweet treat. 

Last but certainly not least on the list is Caffe Americana. Caffe Americana has one location in Wichita – inside the Towne West Mall. This small cafe is locally run, owned, and sourced. Their baked goods are made fresh daily in-house and their coffee is locally sourced from The Spice Merchant. 

They have a variety of coffees, teas, and more for your taste buds. For their drinks, the prices range from $2-$5 and for their baked goods, they range from $1-$3 and, good news for everyone that drinks non-dairy alternatives, they do not charge for non-dairy alternatives.

Out of all of the coffee shops listed here, Caffe Americana is the only one that does not charge for alternatives such as Oat milk or Almond milk. However, they do charge 50 cents for the flavors. 

 My personal favorites from Caffe Americana include a cold brew with almond milk and any flavor I’d like (depends on my mood) or a matcha latte made with almond milk and if I’m feeling it, I’ll get a fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie to go with my drink. The best part about Caffe Americana is you can buy a drink while you are hanging out at the mall with friends!

Hopefully, this list gives you as the readers some ideas on some coffee shops here in Wichita to try and remember to support your local anything.