Drink This Now: Malted Milk Coffee at Penrose

Espresso tonic, milk bun, canelé, and malted milk coffee at Penrose // Photo by Alexander Omorodion

In Kansas City, the Crossroads neighborhood is known as a hub for food, culture, art, and creativity. On the corner of 19th and McGee lies Penrose – A true embodiment of everything the area represents.

At an unassuming window on the corner of the restaurant, Novel, Penrose Espresso Bar and Pastry Counter has a charming hole-in-the-wall style to it. Looking through their diverse menu, the malted milk coffee jumped at me as a bold option that you would not usually find at other coffee shops. I ordered this with their milk buns, and as it was raining outside, they were kind enough to let us enjoy our coffee inside Novel.

Little did I know that I would be in for a surprise. Though the coffee was presented in a hot cup, it had a smooth, silky, and cool touch on the tongue. Under the milkiness of this coffee, there also lay an undertone of mocha. As with other malted drinks, this coffee had a strong body to it, making it much shorter and heavier than your average latte. Between sips of the malted milk coffee, I decided to dig into the milk buns.

I thought the name “milk bun” must have been a PR spin for what looked like a regular bagel…until I bit into it. The interior had a cloud-like texture that was still strong enough to hold the cream cheese-based filling. 

Made with Japanese milk bread, these milk buns achieve this soft texture through a baking technique known as tangzhong. In this technique, a small portion of the flour and liquid are pre-cooked in a yeast recipe until it forms a paste. Subsequently, this paste is combined with the rest of the ingredients, leading to a fluffier bread. It proved to be a great pairing with the slightly sweet coffee, while also standing on its own.

Inclusivity is key, and as such, Penrose offers a host of other drinks for non-coffee drinkers, including teas and refresher sodas. The malted milk coffee stands out in the growing local coffee scene, and therein lies the essence of Penrose: A standout espresso bar in the heart of Kansas City.

Penrose is at 1927 McGee St, Kansas City, MO 64108.