CAFE EQUINOX + FAMILY TREE NURSERY

Chlorophyll and Coffee! A botanically inspired cafe nestled inside a greenhouse. Doesn't that sound like bliss! What if I told you there's a place in Kansas City, where you can feast your eyes on some lush greenery and sip on coffee. If you were sad that Thou Mayest Coffe had closed their Crossroads location, now its time to rejoice. Cafe Equinox is the latest from the Thou Mayest Coffee group and is located inside Family Tree Nursery's Shawnee location.

When I had first moved to Kansas City, we stayed in Shawnee for a few years and Family Tree Nursery, especially its Shawnee location, is an old haunt of mine. So when the coolest coffee shop in town, opened inside the nursery, I knew it would soon become my new favorite.

Imagine the winters of Kansas City. Just when cabin fever had started to set in, we would head to the Cafe Equinox(after they opened in Febrary 2019) and enjoy a cup of coffee, in the comfiest and comfiest seating to let our creative juices flowing. Mid-March they moved their seating to the front patio, but they did keep up the cozy-comfy vibe, with copious amounts of coffee and chlorophyll.

And any place, which allows us to enjoy as a family of four, always wins extra brownie points from us. Yes, if you are a pet-parent, there is another place to add to your list. Cafe Equinox and Family Tree Nursery have become a favorite for both of our kids - both human and furry. It is family-friendly, in the best possible way.

Let's talk about Food, shall we? It is just, not your regular cappuccino and latte which you can expect on the menu. It is almost like Mixology(virgin) with Coffee. We loved their Spring seasonal drink - Elderberry Ginger Espresso Tonic. It is elderberry, ginger, tonic, espresso, and candied ginger. Cafe Equinox features Coffee from Thou Mayest Coffee and Tea from Kansas City-based Chai Pod and Chicago's Spirit Tea. Baked goodies from Heirloom Bakery and gluten-free and vegan options from Mud Pie Bakery, make the location a great place for weekend breakfasts with the family.

Its really fun to hang out in a nursery, plan the additions to our garden, and sip on some good coffee. Our daughter loves learning about new plants, or and choose the ones she wants to start taking care of. The crew at Family Tree Nursery are so very knowledgeable and helpful. We needed help with the grass in our back yard. We had taken pictures of our yard, and they were able to help us with our questions with their suggestions. We picked out some amazing succulents. I do not have the best of green thumbs, but I do try. Our next target is our vegetable patch at home. Since our last visit was in late Spring, we were asked to wait till the last frost which usually happens around Mothers' day weekend. I need to go back soon, and before that, I needed to finish this post.

So go on and get your Chlorophyll and Caffeine fix! Support your local small businesses! Cafe hours are Monday-Saturday: 7 am to 5pm. Sunday: 9 am to 5 pm.