Best of Kent 2019

Winner: Tree City Coffee & Pastry

For the seventh consecutive year, Tree City Coffee & Pastry placed as Kent’s best coffee shop. Founded in 2011, this coffee shop focuses on ethical sourcing, fair trade products and high-quality ingredients.

Tree City has an expansive menu, serving a variety of cappuccinos, mochas, lattes and teas. Popular items include the mint cold brew, the iced rose tea latte and the maple latte, which is the shop’s signature drink, said Charlotte Varney, the assistant general manager.

For some, Tree City’s selection of non-coffee beverages put it above other options.

“Many local coffee shops don’t always cater to non-coffee drinkers, but Tree City has a lot of non-coffee variety, especially with their seasonal menus,” one voter wrote.

Tree City also offers a wide selection of bagels and peanut butter sandwiches. Customers can stop in for the “Honey Nut Crunch,” a sandwich with freshly ground peanut butter, honey and granola, or “The Stelvis,” a peanut butter sandwich topped with banana slices, honey and bacon.

Customers can enjoy their drinks in any of the shop’s various seating areas, surrounded by a relaxed atmosphere.

Second: Scribbles Coffee Co.

Opened in 2002, Scribbles Coffee Company, Kent’s oldest coffee shop, boasts an assortment of unique beverages and pastries. The shop, which is owned by Beth Budzar and Jenn Richards, sells organic, fair trade coffee and provides visitors with a comfortable setting to relax and enjoy their drinks.

Some of Scribbles’ most popular beverages are the lavender and wildflower lattes, which are seasonal drinks served in the spring, and the junior bolts, which contain organic spices and two shots of espresso, Budzar said.

Third: Bent Tree Coffee Roasters

Owned by Kent State graduates Mike Mistur and Ryan Brannon, Bent Tree Coffee Roasters offers the Kent community high-quality coffee roasted and brewed directly in the shop.

“For us, we’re unique in Kent because we’re Kent’s only coffee roaster,” Mistur said.

In addition to roasting coffee, Bent Tree has a variety of handmade beverages, including teas, mochas and lattes, available at its espresso bar. Customers can sit down and enjoy their drinks as the smell of roasting coffee wafts through the air.

Some of the cafe’s most popular items include cappuccinos, drip coffee and pour-over coffee, Mistur said.