So I've decided there aren't really that many local coffee shops in the metro. I've been slowly crossing them off the list with my coffee sidekick (or maybe I'm the sidekick). Check: Java Joe's, Smokey Row, Mars Cafe, Amici, Friedrichs, Zanzibar's, Caribou. I googled Des Moines coffee places and the Village Bean popped up. I've never heard of it which sits right next to Baby Boomers on E 5th. It's a small place you can easily miss. It might sit 20 with room for a few to stand. The baristas were really friendly, and the vibe is really low key. I liked feeling off the radar. You always hear about hole in the wall bars, well I think (and it's a complement) Village Bean is a hole in the wall coffee shop. I ordered a 16 oz Irish Cream - the light blend of the day - for $2.15 or so. The price wasn't bad especially considering it was my sidekick's turn to buy.