Coffee, while classic, has millions of different variations. Everyone likes their coffee in different ways or from different places. Yet, there’s something about the toasty scent of a nice cup of coffee that reminds many seemingly of autumn. While Ankeny has an abundance of local coffee shops, some do not have the time or money to try them all and end up sticking to the chain places. However, some of the coffee locations right under your nose are better than those regular chains, so we worked to highlight some of the best local places. From some not-so-basic pumpkin coffees to fresh apple flavors, we worked to find some of the best new seasonal drinks here in Ankeny.

Porchlight is a cozy locally owned coffee shop in uptown Ankeny. They have a great, snug atmosphere with comfy seating and a fireplace that welcomes you in immediately. Between their board game collection and their pastry variety, Porchlight is a great study spot. This would be an amazing location to meet a friend at and catch up. Even though they were decently busy, their baristas kept a steady flow of customers providing fast service. When we were there, we ordered the caramel apple chai and the maple spice latte. 

The caramel apple chai was the perfect balance between sweet and tart, making it the perfect balance. Its flavors were not overpowering, and the mix of flavors created a vibrant sensation, reminding us of fall. We gave it ⅘ stars. 

The maple spice latte was very flavorful. The spices in the flavoring stood out more than the maple did, but the coffee taste was still prominent. It had a good level of sweetness and did not feel watered down at all. We overall gave it ⅗ stars.

Cafe Diem is an Iowa business with two locations in Ankeny and Ames. The chatter of morning brunchers and the typing of hardworking students fills the air and the local art they display brightens up the room. Their location in Ankeny has a modern cafe look with booths, tables, and a small high-top seating area. Recently they added a breakfast menu, and now they serve different types of pancakes, eggs, sandwiches, and more. Their service seemed like a well-oiled machine as they got many orders out quickly. While there, we were able to try their cinnamon brown sugar latte and cinnamon toast crunch latte. 

The cinnamon brown sugar latte was alright, but overall unremarkable because it needed more flavoring to get that impactful cozy taste. It was lacking slightly in the flavoring, simply needing a bit more We rated it only ⅖ stars, because it didn’t measure up when compared to the cinnamon toast crunch latte. 

The cinnamon toast crunch latte was rated ⅘ stars. It was interesting to order since it’s not a typical seasonal flavor that you see. Overall, we were impressed with its ability to stand out due to the sugary cinnamon taste.

Our next visit was Main Street Bakery & Cafe, a local restaurant with homemade food, baked goods, smoothies, and specialty coffees. When you walked in, you could tell it was bustling, yet their service remained friendly and fast, and they had a variety of seating areas. A longtime staple in Ankeny, Main Street is very beloved by our community, and it is obvious why since they had some of the best service. We ordered the gingerbread chai latte and the maple cinnamon latte when we went.

The gingerbread chai was the perfect mix between chai tea and gingerbread flavoring. The flavor of the gingerbread did not overpower the chai flavor, which made the blend between the two perfect. The flavor of gingerbread reminded us of the cozy winter nights to come. We gave it 5/5 stars.

The maple cinnamon latte was expertly made, and the flavor proved that it lived up to its name. Both the maple and cinnamon tastes were identifiable and strong. The seasonal spices made it perfectly flavored. We would rate it 5/5 stars.

Our final stop was Ziggi’s, which was speedy and welcoming. It is often very quiet there, since many people use their drive-through, which luckily makes it an amazing study area. It’s a bit of a hidden gem, since it is a bit off the beaten path for most, but it is worth being a tad out of the way. A tranquil but functional study zone is available for you here, with a vast menu of drinks. While there, we ordered the butter pecan latte and the double pumpkin cold brew.

We rated the butter pecan latte 5/5 stars because of its smooth but nutty flavor. The delightful taste of autumn mixed with coffee created a feeling that only comes with fall. Along with the delicious coffee and the wonderful customer service the butter pecan latte is a must-have.

We decided to give the double pumpkin cold brew ⅗ stars because the coffee taste was strong, but not bitter. The cold foam made it smooth with just the right amount of sweetness, and the flavoring made it the best pumpkin coffee that I have had so far this season.

Twisted Bean is a local coffee shop with locations in Ankeny and Urbandale. Their location in Ankney is drive through only, but the Urbandale location is walk-in as well. They are speedy and polite with their customers. While there, we ordered the autumn bliss latte and pumpkin cream macchiato. 

The autumn bliss latte was a unique blend of butterscotch, vanilla, caramel, and cinnamon. This mix of autumnal tastes is something you cannot get anywhere else. Every flavor was prominent and blended together well, but it was slightly overpowering to the coffee taste. We give it ⅗ stars.

The pumpkin cream macchiato was amazing upon first sip, with the pumpkin tasting real and not like the artificial pumpkin flavoring you find most of the time. The pumpkin taste did diminish slightly over time, but the coffee was still amazing. It might have just needed a bit more flavoring, but this would be a better pumpkin option if you don’t like the flavoring to be overwhelmingly artificial. We give it  ⅗ stars.

Overall Top 10 Rankings:

1. Maple cinnamon latte – Main Street Bakery & Cafe
2. Gingerbread chai latte – Main Street Bakery & Cafe
3. Butter pecan latte – Ziggi’s
4. Caramel apple chai – Porchlight
5. Double pumpkin cold brew – Ziggi’s
6. Autumn bliss latte – Twisted Bean
7. Cinnamon toast crunch latte – Cafe Diem
8. Pumpkin cream macchiato – Twisted Bean
9. Maple spice latte – Porchlight
10. Cinnamon brown sugar latte – Cafe Diem

Overall, it is obvious that Ankeny has many hidden treasures in our local coffee sellers with a variety of atmospheres and specialties. All these coffees that we got during our research for this ranking were cheaper than the chain coffees, and certainly tastier. The local places tend to have cozy atmospheres, welcoming and polite service, and more unique flavors. We are hoping this review gives you insight into some new coffee shops and seasonal drinks to try in Ankney this autumn.

Hawks’ favorite fall flavors