Burgie’s Coffee has become a real local staple in Ames, with two locations bookending town. The North Ames location, on Stange Road, is bright, modern, and surprisingly spacious, with a real food menu, smooth coffee, and a thoughtful design that makes it work for almost any kind of visit. After visiting, it’s clear why this place has built such a loyal following on the north side of town.
The vibe
Burgie’s North feels intentional and well-designed. The space is bright and open, with a wood ceiling, exposed industrial details, and tall windows that flood the place with natural light. Seating is spread across small tables, larger group tables, and bar style spots, with enough room to actually find a seat. It strikes a nice balance of feeling modern without trying too hard, calm enough to work, lively enough to feel social.
The coffee and food
The coffee menu at Burgie’s is one of the most thorough in Ames. Beyond standard espresso drinks, they run a full lineup of specialty drinks including the Matcha Lemonade, Iced London Fog, Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso, Honey Lavender Latte, and the Iced Matcha with Lavender Cold Foam (a regular standout). They serve beans from Windmill Coffee Roasters (same roaster that supplies Labyrinth), and you can buy bags right at the shop if you want to brew the same coffee at home. House syrups (caramel, hazelnut, brown sugar, honey, lavender, and more) make it easy to customize.
The food menu is just as strong. Breakfast runs from 6:30am to 3pm and includes the Farmers Burrito, the Country Grind (a regular favorite with house biscuit, egg, bacon, ham, provolone, spinach, and chipotle aioli), the Pesto Egg, the Avocado Smash, and a couple of solid egg muffin and bites options. Lunch covers the basics done well: a Turkey Club, BLAT, Cubano, Pulled Pork, Adobo Chicken Wrap, House Caesar Salad, and a few more sandwiches in the $9 to $9.50 range. Prices are slightly above gas-station coffee territory, but the quality justifies it.
The iced vanilla latte at Burgie’s is a solid 7 out of 10. Strong score, well above most of the lattes I have benchmarked in Ames, just below the top tier. To be fair though, Burgie’s isn’t pretending to be a third wave specialty coffee operation. It’s a reliable Ames coffee shop with friendly staff, good hours, and consistently solid drinks. A 7 out of 10 in this town is strong. If you want the highest quality espresso work in Ames, head to Morning Bell Coffee Roasters. If you want a fast, reliable iced vanilla latte on the north side of town, Burgie’s is the right call.
Seating and practicality
Seating at Burgie’s North is one of the shop’s real strengths. The space is larger than it first looks, with plenty of mixed seating types and tall windows that make it feel even more open. Outdoor seating is available too with umbrellas over the tables, though it tends to be underutilized, a perk if you can grab a spot out there on a nice day.
Free wifi (password required), free parking in the lot, and clean bathrooms are all standard here. The shop does get busy during peak morning and lunch hours, so if you’re planning to settle in for a long work session, aim for mid morning or mid afternoon when things calm down. This works equally well for a quick grab and go, a focused work session, or a meet up with a friend.
A note on the two locations
Burgie’s runs two Ames locations, this one on Stange Road in the north and another on Airport Road in the south. Same coffee program (Windmill beans, full specialty menu), same friendly service, just different sides of town. The South location is tucked into a building shared with a gas station and has a drive through, while North is a standalone build with a more open, contemporary feel.
Bottom line
Burgie’s Coffee North is one of the best all around coffee shops in north Ames. Strong coffee, a serious food menu, a thoughtful modern space, and a loyal local following set it apart. If you live or work on the north side of town and want quality coffee and food without driving downtown, this is the spot.
The details: Open daily, 6am to 6pm (kitchen 6:30am to 3pm). Located at 3701 Stange Road in north Ames. Free parking lot. Coffee from Windmill Coffee Roasters, full breakfast and lunch menu, seasonal specialty drinks, retail bags of coffee available. Free wifi with password. Best for quality coffee, a real food order, and a comfortable work or social space. Phone: (515) 815-6442 Website: burgiescoffee.com
Sister location: Burgie’s Coffee South Ames, 110 Airport Road, same hours, with a drive through.
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