With the new year in full swing, it’s time to leave behind the average Quick Trip cup of coffee or the overrated Starbucks frappuccino. It’s time for a new brew at VB Chocolate Bar. Coffee-consuming students need not fret about where to get their next caffeine fix; VB is the place to go. Serving items from a simple latte to gooey butter flavored ice cream, VB does not disappoint.

VB is located at 5326 Highway N, Cottleville, Missouri, approximately 20 minutes away from St. Dominic High School. VB gets its name from the owner, Conor VanBuskirk, who transformed a beaten-down house in Cottleville into a unique, thriving coffee bar. With amenities such as free Wi-Fi and outdoor fire pits, it’s the perfect hangout to do homework or mingle with friends after a long week of school.

The menu includes coffee, tea, specialty espresso beverages, desserts, ice cream, flatbreads and assorted truffles. It’s not just your classic hot cocoa, it’s a “European style drinking chocolate.”

But why not just drive through Starbucks or run into QT? What makes VB so special?

“Everything is brewed by hand. The coffee isn’t ground or made until you order it. The coffee is never more than two weeks old, whereas with Starbucks, their coffee is months old. Everything we carry is lightly roasted so that the flavors from the coffee can come out instead of it just tasting roasty,” said Joey Warman, a full-time employee at VB Chocolate Bar.

Taking into account the hipster ambiance, delicious menu options and convenient location, there is a lot to love about VB Chocolate Bar.

“My favorite thing about this place is that I have a lot of freedom to experiment as a barista. It’s not like, ‘This drink has to be done this way.’ So it’s fun,” said employee Warman.

“I like the people who work here; they’re really cool. The coffee is like real coffee; it’s not Starbucks and it’s just a nice place to come and chill out,” said senior Katie Batliner.

VB Chocolate Bar rates a 9 out of 10 stars. While it provides a unique and tasty coffee-drinking experience, some of its menu may be a bit overpriced. However, you do truly get what you pay for.  Come to Cottleville, where the coffee is high quality and the gooey butter cake never disappoints. You won’t be sorry you said goodbye to Starbucks.