Mars Cafe sits on Drake University's campus edge and is the city's best-known independent coffee shop — a community gathering point as much as a place to drink coffee. The beans come from Iowa roasters; the espresso is reliably good and the cold brew has a small reputation.
The space is wifi-friendly without being a laptop morgue; weekends pull a mixed crowd of students, parents with strollers, and west-side regulars. Live music and open mic nights run on a weekly basis. Walk over to the Drake campus and the painted-shutter houses of Drake Park for a satisfying loop after your second espresso.