By the time we reached Branson, Missouri, we had traveled close to 1000 miles and set up 3 campsites in as many days. I needed good coffee. Desperately. As we descended the mountain from our cabin in Branson and entered the town for the first time, we drove by a small coffee shop that caught my eye. It was vibrant, warm, and looked like the perfect roaster to give me exactly what I needed: good coffee!

Before I even get into the coffee itself, I have to mention the story behind the place. This is all taken from their website, so don’t think I was able to get some inside scoop, but I thought it important to share the success story of a small business that really gained footing during 2020. The owner grew up in Oregon (read: the epicenter of American coffee shops) and later developed a passion of all things coffee. He, like many of us, wished to have a better life for his family than what the typical “American-dream/multiple-jobs/no-family-time” presents, so he took his passion, moved back to where his wife was from near Branson, MO, and opened up Table Rock Coffee. They have two locations: the shop in Branson and the roastery/shop in Ridgedale, MO, with a goal of expanding even more. It’s a cool story and one I never would have known about had we not stopped in that first day in Branson.

It doesn’t matter if it’s hot or cold outside, Table Rock Coffee has something for everyone at any time of the year. I was actually really disappointed we didn’t get the chance to come back here, because they had so many specialty coffees I wanted to try. That being said, our entire family (minus baby J) each got something from here and everyone had rave reviews. Plus, it got our children to stop fighting in the backseat, which was a win in itself (when we get to that Youtube video soon, you’ll see). I don’t consider myself to have any…magic tastebuds or anything when it comes to coffee, but I get reeeeaaal judgy about the base flavor of coffee from coffee shops. I don’t want jet fuel and I don’t want water; I just want tasty, roasted coffee. Table Rock hit the nail on the head. Whatever they do when they roast this stuff is magic; I was very impressed!

With so many colorful and vibrant things to do and see in Branson, this place stood out despite its small stature. It doesn’t take up much real estate nor does it have some of the big fronts of so many locations in Branson, it just has good coffee. I also have to make a note about the service. The young lady was super friendly and very helpful, and just genuinely seemed happy to be there. I have to point this out because, for a small business anyway, the service is almost as important as the product, especially in the era we currently live in. When we go back to Branson, and we will, we’re definitely stopping back by and snagging some bags of coffee to bring with us. You’ll always see the advertisements for the big places in this town, so here’s to giving y’all a hidden gem to visit! Have a sip for us!