Dash Coffee Roasters, in Kingston Village in Cedar Rapids, is a hip coffee shop and café that will be celebrating its three-year anniversary in November. Dash has set out to cultivate a community that gathers around a cup of meticulously crafted coffee.
Dash Coffee Roasters was started because the owners, Rebecca and Phil Davidson, saw a need for a sense of community and saw potential in the up-and-coming Kingston Village area. Now Kingston Village is booming and the new “cool” part of Cedar Rapids. Dash is the only roaster in the area that also operates as a café. Its name comes with a very inspiring thought: life comes down to the dash that represents all you’ve spent your years doing, and the team at Dash wants theirs to represent something huge. “Live Passionately” is Dash’s tagline, which is proudly displayed on one of the café walls.
Filled with leaders of the community to college students, there is hardly an empty seat inside Dash. This space creates a sense of community and a place to build relationships, which is seen on a daily basis. If you have a paper to write, Dash is the place for you. Have a work deadline? Come to Dash. Want to enjoy a nice cup of freshly roasted coffee either alone or with friends? Dash will instantly make you feel at home. From the moment you enter, Dash is filled with friendly faces that will accommodate your needs as best they can. With various dairy and non-dairy items, to even a few vegan choices, this will easily become a new favorite spot for a variety of diners.
Dash has that modern and chic feel, with major industrial vibes. This local coffee shop feels like one of the hippest coffee shops in a major metropolitan area, but filled with familiar faces. A unique aspect is the local art throughout the café. This allows local artists to display their talents to every person who walks through those doors.
Although you cannot go wrong with any coffee selection, a few noteworthy choices are the Maple Nut Goodie Latte and the N’awlins Cold Brew. The cold brew is light on coffee with the right amount a sweetness, which makes this drink ideal for a summer day (or really any day). The Maple Nut Goodie Latte showcases the maple flavor with a smooth finish, making this an easy coffee drink. The elegant presentation makes for the perfect photo op. Several items on the menu are created after family members, and this drink is no exception. This latte was created after the owner’s father favorite candy bar, the Goodie Bar.
Not only is the coffee outstanding, but the food is equally incredible. Whether it is breakfast or lunch, there are many items that are classic dishes, with a unique twist. Starting with breakfast, and the top-selling item, is the Iowa Sunrise Breakfast Sandwich. The traditional sandwich includes a perfectly cooked egg, plenty of bacon, cheese and, wait for it, pesto. This combination hits the breakfast lover’s jackpot and will probably leave you wanting more.
Next up we have the lunch options. The Egg on Your Face sandwich, served with a spinach side salad, is a classic sandwich with a creative twist that involves bacon, avocado and homemade tomato chutney, which could be a dish all on its own. This light but filling sandwich makes all of your egg salad sandwich dreams come true. The tomato chutney really pops in your mouth and adds so much flavor. Mix in the crisp and smoky bacon, this savory comfort dish really melts in your mouth. Lastly, the Vegan BBQ Grain Bowl will leave you drooling and running to Dash to order again and again. This grain bowl is out of the box for an Iowa café but is packed with protein and will leave you feeling full. This dish features jackfruit, which is an alternative to pulled pork. The texture, look and taste is almost identical and it will be hard to tell the difference. The jackfruit is covered in a tangy barbecue sauce and is placed on top of a bed of spinach, quinoa, chopped sweet potatoes and shredded carrots. The guilt-free bowl is crowned with an avocado and pickled red cabbage. The colors and presentation makes you feel like you are eating a rainbow.
All employees are wearing masks, and masks are required to enter the building. Dash also has a second location in Iowa City and recently implemented a reusable cup initiative to cut down on waste. Online ordering is also available for an easy pick-up meal or drink. Dash Coffee Roasters is open Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and closed on Sundays.
For more information on Dash Coffee Roasters, visit www.dashcoffeeroasters.com.