Lunch Break: More than just a cup of Joe
Sampling dishes and diners in and around Miami County
Within the past week, at least half a dozen people have recommended that I visit The Exchange in Pleasant Hill. I’ve never been opposed to driving fifteen minutes for a cup of coffee and some grub, but I felt I had to make a visit since everyone spoke so highly of the up-and-coming coffee shop.
After a small scenic ride full of wildflowers and cornfields, I pulled into one of the cutest coffee shops I’ve ever visited. The Exchange is actually built into three large farm silos, which match with surrounding country beauty of Pleasant Hill. Two silos have individual gift stores with Exchange merchandise and goodies, and within one silo is the coffee shop itself, which has an extensive menu full of sweet treats, as well as ice cream, pastries, fun sodas, and more.
I have a childish habit of choosing the most fun-sounding coffee or drink from a menu. Furthermore, since every option sounded delicious, after about five minutes of intense decision-making, I chose to kick off my day with the Sugar Cookie latte, topped with a mixed berry cold foam. Non-chain coffee shops are, in my opinion, superior to your average drive-through experience. Sure, occasionally, you can get the seasonal pumpkin spice or lavender latte from Starbucks or Dunkin, but mixed berry cold foam was a new flavor for me. The sugar cookie iced coffee's sharp and somewhat sweet flavor was perfectly cut by the creaminess and summery mix of the foam, making each sip of the coffee refreshing and delicious.
Although this was my first drink of the day, I worked hard for it. Okay, maybe work is the wrong word. I may have stretched gracefully for it. One of the main parts of The Exchange that makes it such a unique spot is its constant stream of activities. The day I chose, in particular, was goat yoga day. The Exchange has a beautiful backyard with adorable fairy lights, volleyball, ping pong, Jenga, and Foosball. Although these activities are spread along the lawn for customers to enjoy while sipping on coffee or grabbing a bite to eat, other activities are also hosted on a sign-up basis.
Although I signed up for goat yoga, there was a garden walk, a cooking seminar, salsa making, and sourdough for beginners class, all on one Saturday. Not to mention, there’s axe throwing in the “axe-change” corner of the lawn on a daily basis. Although there were so many choices, Goat Yoga was the most exciting, in my opinion. This recurring event can be caught on the third Saturday of each month. During the class, I not only learned about the downward dog, but I, along with everyone else, balanced a goat between poses. After lining up with my classmates in a “tabletop” pose, a series of goats ran across our backs in a final class hoorah!
All of the stretching, petting, and goat balancing had me working up quite the appetite. For an early lunch, I stopped by the other corner of the lawn for an Italian sub out of a school bus-turned-food truck. I scanned one of the many cute places to sit and enjoyed a bite of my sub, as well as a tasty mixed berry scone. The scone was sweet and buttery, but the Sub was the star of the show. Tucked between two thick pieces of Italian bread was salty and chewy mozzarella and salami, complete with slices of savory prosciutto.
I was really taken aback by just how right everyone was about The Exchange. The coffee shop turned adult playground could’ve entertained me for hours, and its winery-like atmosphere and tasty treats will have me coming back soon for one of their many events. The Exchange is located at 210 West High Street in Pleasant Hill.