I always leave Kaffé Mercantile on 26th Street feeling a bit more at home in Ogden and filled with wholesome happiness. Don’t be surprised if you run into Weber State University staff and students at this delicious shop. I often do.
The sound of coffee beans grinding like crunching gravel beneath my feet, combined with a barista tamping down a shot of espresso makes me feel at home. Of course, I might be biased as a former barista.
Kaffé Mercantile, owned by locals Nick Morris and Lance Smith, brews up some of the absolute best coffee in Utah. Mercantile sources their beans from another Utah coffee heavyweight: Café Ibis, a woman-owned business in Logan. They boast such beans as the Moab Trail Blend and the Logan Canyon Blend, highlighting the unique, organic flavors of our local landscape. Kaffé Mercantile offers many unique beans and blends. Put a few bags through the sniff test, and you’re sure to find something to entice the senses.
In addition to great beans, Kaffé Mercantile has an amazing environment in which to enjoy your brew, no matter the time of day. The on-street parking leaves a bit to be desired, but there are several outside options to sit down and relax while you have your cup of joe. They even have community blankets outside in case it’s chilly out.
The coffee is exquisite. I enjoyed a cold brew with some oat milk and a shot of Irish cream. The brew was bold and had a lasting, rich coffee flavor that I love. There was just enough oat milk and flavoring to break up the full-bodied coffee taste and accentuate its flavor in a diverse, aromatic milieu. I highly recommend this offering to anyone who enjoys an eye-opening, shameless cold coffee. My partner raved about the mocha chiller, a caffeine powerhouse with its four espresso shots in the 24 oz size. The barista was prescient enough to double-check if the shot count was too high. My partner needed a kick in the butt, so he happily stuck with the full four. The exquisite coffee taste was delightfully present, unlike some other coffee shops that hide the headlining flavor behind a mountain of sickly-sweet sugar.
For a treat, I recommend their lemon bar. The crust is firm but yielding enough to present and bear the lasting textures of the whole bar without for a second overpowering the experience. The lemony topping has sweet and sour notes in perfect balance to any summer’s day palate. The coffee cake put me right back in Grandma’s kitchen. The cake was moist and flavorful, leaving me soothed and satisfied. The surprisingly delicate texture builds on your palate, culminating in a crumbled topping with sugar and cinnamon goodness. I may have licked my plate.
The setting in Kaffé Mercantile provides a unique glimpse of local art and craftsmanship, and the flare and character of Ogden is ever-present within the store. Merchandise comes at a fair price, but the gifts, people and coffee are why I am there. Kaffé Mercantile has myriad items for sale that offer a taste of Ogden, from mugs to landscape watercolor paintings to stained glass window pieces. Set aside a few extra bucks when visiting Kaffé Mercantile so you can pick up a piece of unique character from your locally owned coffee shop. These local artists offer fair-priced items that won’t leave you disappointed. Some of the artists featured here include Ashley Bottley, Erika Lyon, Kathy Stobaugh, Stephanie Bossenberger, Dennis Golden, Matt Posey and Shakai Designs.
Kaffé Mercantile is located at 1221 26th St. in Ogden. For more information about Café Mercantile, visit their website.
