New Northside Coffee Shop Gets Back to the Coffee Basics

A new northside coffee shop gets back to the coffee basics and hopes to distinguish itself from Iowa City's other options with a light fare of sandwiches, soups and salads. 

High Ground is located at the corner of Linn and Market Streets in the former T-Spoons space. They opened on June 17.

Owner Wesley Ward said the shop is modeled after Stomping Ground in Ames. 

"It's low key, off the beaten path," Ward said. "There's nothing like it in Iowa City."

They get the beans from Kickapoo Coffee Roasters in Viroqua, WI. The roaster customizes the roast for each bean variety rather than a straight light or dark setting, Ward said. 

"They have it to a science," he said. 

Ward said they are focused on basic coffee drinks rather than infusing a lot of flavors or syrups. 

"Hopefully we can change the way people think about drinking coffee," Ward said. "We want people to drink coffee for what it is."

They plan to expand the drink menu and offer light lunch fair, which will start rolling out next week and ramp up from there, Ward said. It will include soups, salads, sandwiches and paninis in a made to order fashion. Keep an eye out for a B.L.A.T., a bacon, lettuce, avocado and bacon sandwich.

Sandwich prices will likely be in the $7 range, and a medium 12 oz. cup of coffee is $1.95.

The hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.