Marika’s Coffeehouse

If you like wicked fast Internet and Bhakti Chai (among other great drinks), all in a super cozy, not-​too-​loud environment, then this is the place for you.

Service seemed rushed, but honestly — ordered a chai with soy milk, and this was the best chai I’ve had in a while. Not made from a mix, although you can order that, but made from loose tea. Highly recommend. Bakery items made in house.

Update: Closed — a shame: (
Ahh yes, just got a nice, large, fresh Manitou Blend — the coffee here is fantastic, any time of day, but nothing better than right now as its quiet in Manitou and the morning mist is rolling off the mountains.
Marika’s has a unique variety of flavors including a delicious, smooth lavender latte, but I usually go for espresso, Num Num Mate (iced, refreshing), or the Manitou Blend.
There’s a nice artistic energy in here as well — it’s comforting to grab a seat on the couch and feel uninterrupted; the shop sits on the main drag of Manitou Ave. yet feels secluded. The space itself is visually interesting, with a huge selection of rotating local art on the walls and cozy tones from the lighting.
Probably the thing I sent people here for the most, that really made it stand out — the incredible fresh baked pastries, muffins and cookies.
The wonders Marika’s has behind those glass display cases in here are the best I’ve had from a coffee shop in this country — everything including The Moon Pie — an enormous, oatmeal infused sandwich, like two muffin tops held together by cream, are always moist and freshly baked right there behind the counter. Right now — I’m eating an «Island Muffin» — strawberries, bananas, coconut and pineapple — with juicy pieces of fruit — completely blows away that stale muffin you are considering at Starbucks! I usually send travelers there if they are looking for just a sweet treat alone. Check out Marika’s some quiet morning in town or afternoon if you need a little mental and taste bud pick up!

In a sea of tourist junk shops, Markia’s is a gem that I imagine attracts even locals. The space is large and inviting with an eclectic mix of seating and local art. Envision wood floors, couches of the type you might find at your grandmother’s, sunlight streaming in the large picture window, and a copper espresso maker for a little extra flair.
I don’t drink coffee. Ever. Period. However, I happened to be in the company of an avid coffee drinker and so we stopped in, intrigued by the white mocha sign. The barista explained that the white mocha was made with beans roasted a little more lightly than your traditional bean, thus the name. She also explained that the beverage would have a slight hazelnut flavor.
As my companion, said, this is a $ 4 coffee that is well worth it. As a non coffee drinker who easily had a third of the beverage, I would have to agree. It was rich, with a distinct hazelnut flavor and none of the burned, bitter taste that typically accompanies coffee beverages. Drinking this mocha was drinking liquid dessert. If coffee tasted like this, I’d drink it daily,

Ordered an iced coffee here. It was watery and just not sweet enough… I barely tasted chocolate and it just wasn’t strong.
Like the atmosphere though. Just wish they knew how to make coffee on that $ 10K expresso machine.

Not bad. They’re in a tourist village so there’s not much to expect here.

this is the best coffeehouse i found in the short time i spent in Manitou Springs. it has a local feel and definitely not that pre-​fab café vibe that most coffeehouses have in tourist towns– you know, the ones that are furnished from box stores and home depot. Marika’s has a unique, original flavor. and the Manitou blend coffee was pretty damn good.

I spent a couple workdays here this last week and it was a great time. I find myself wanting to drive back up there to grab a drink and hang out. They have good quality drinks, pastries, and free wifi. Starbucks is the baseline these days and Marika’s has better drinks than Starbucks for sure.
They also have the biggest oatmeal cream pie I’ve ever seen and it is seriously good. They make them fresh and they are worth a caloric splurge (or just skip a meal and eat one of these bad boys).
My test of every coffee shop is to ask the order taker and/​or barista about their best drink (s). I figure the people slinging espresso should know their product best. I didn’t get any great feedback on this front so it seems like the girl there didn’t know what was what. But the next day the lady working knew about where the coffee is roasted and all that. The brewed coffee was very good.
Some of the drinks didn’t have prices and I got a bit of sticker shock when I paid. Because of this, I skipped Marika’s a couple days while I was in town and just drank brewed coffee at our cottage. Price is what bumps it down to 4 stars, but if I was made of money I’d give this place a 5.
Another note– they have some good local art hanging throughout their sprawling/​quirky spaces. Talk while I was there was that they’re going to try and create some sort of art studio space in the back at some point. That could be cool.

Even though I loved the feel of this place, it left a lot to be desired. It’s an older building and they have different rooms you can go into to plop down with a choice of your poison and loaf, read, enjoy free wi fi or just be. On the walls is local art that you can be and the place as a whole has a very inviting vibe to it. And they have multiple bathrooms – you never see that! They have free computers to use if you don’t have a laptop of your own so that’s a pretty cool concept. However with that, you get some weirdos. Luckily I didn’t see any of said weirdos watching fetish porn or massaging themself (or both!) so that was a win right there.
That being said, I wasn’t impressed with the coffee. I got my standard latte that I get when I go to any local coffee house and it felt remnant of a drink they made hours before-​cold, not strong and not a lot of flavor. Very disappointing to say the least. However, I paid $ 3 for that bad boy so I was getting my money’s worth. Also, I don’t understand how a medium latte is served in a small mug. What size is the small latte served in? The employees left alot to be desired as well-​there were about four of them there at the time but they all seemed too self involved in their own conversation. No thanks.

Ambiance: Attractive and inviting locale for savoring a good cup of coffee. Nicely refurbished older building. Attractive coffee bar where you order your drinks. Spacious front room, with several smaller, cozier rooms in back if seeking privacy. Over-​stuffed funky chairs. Small stage area for music (mostly evenings).
Service: Friendly and «real», good customer service.
Beverage/​Food: Real good cup of coffee. Limited baked goods available. I ordered an «everything» bagel, and it was soft and freshly baked (good choice from whatever vendor they used to purchase).
Overall, I am a fan. Comfortable and relaxing environment for coffee and conversation. Great waitstaff and darn good coffee. I will return.

These guys have pretty good coffee, and a really spacious storefront with big comfy couches, free wifi, and even computers with internet access in the back. They are open when Mate factor is closed, and it’s a nice alternative coffee shop to Mate Factor, as there is no religious weirdness going on there. They showed the Tour De France on their TVs last summer, and I was stoked on that.