I was recently treated to coffee and lunch at Parisi Cafe in Union Station. What a delightful experience! The entire operation is very impressive, from the shop’s design to the on-the-ball staff. And the food was such a pleasant surprise.

We sampled two sandwiches on ciabatta rolls–turkey with brie and homemade apple butter, and roasted squash with gorgonzola and kale. Both were the essence of freshness, and the combinations went together beautifully. We also tried a spinach salad with chopped veggies and buttermilk blue cheese dressing. Light and healthy tasting. The menu was created by Chef Joe Cizek, who worked in several Chicago restaurants before coming on board at Parisi. He purposefully devised the menu to pair with signature coffee blends or specialty teas.

Parisi makes everything in-house, including sodas and syrups and, of course, the coffee. Each cup is handcrafted using a pour-over, brew by the cup method, though during peak hours they use a French press to speed up the process. In addition to selling coffee at this retail outlet and grocery stores in the area, Parisi Artisan Coffee also supplies many Kansas City restaurants.

Breakfast and desserts are also offered in an attempt to satisfy the needs of all those new civic employees who recently moved into the station.

It’s cheaper than Starbucks, all the menu items are fresh and seasonal,  AND it’s independently owned. Need I say more?