Cafe Diem

They need to clean the place. Last time I was there the curtains still had food on them from 6 months ago.

We were visiting over the holidays and looking for a legit little coffee shop to spend some time working. Café Diem was close by and we decided to give it a try. If you have a refined palate for excellent espresso drinks, this might not be your place. We give them huge bonus points for how friendly the girls behind the counter were, though. We were really impressed. The décor and atmosphere was really nice, and they had plenty of seating.

Better than the other ‘name brand’ coffee shops in town. Cute little place that is relaxing and a great place to stop to rejuvenate. Staff have always been attentive and friendly. Stop in for a bit and check it out. You will more than likely end up staying longer than you intended.

The people working here are soooo friendly, almost too friendly, really! Like how Starbucks workers are in the morning after their 2^nd triple something.
I always come late at night, close to and up to closing because I am in Ankeny waiting for my daughter to get done with dance. And this friendliness is REAL! Even up to the time when they ask me to leave at 9: pm.
There are always people there doing bible study and talking nicely about other people!
So if you have an ounce of cynicism in your bones, be warned!
The coffee isn’t awesome, much better in my to-​go cup, vs. their styrofoam cups. Their scones are good. My daughter loves their strawberry banana smoothies and I like a steeped cup of green iced tea on a warm night. Nothing amazing. But the atmosphere is what makes this place a rare find!

My dad and I planned a stop at Café Diem as it looked to be
near the mid point of our trip from Kansas City to Minneapolis.
We were both glad we stopped at Café Diem for lunch.
We both enjoyed the Cape Cod salad with grilled chicken,
apricots, cranberries and walnuts. The chicken Panini was
heavenly as the white cheese was gooey and the bread
was soft and delicious. It’s not everyday that you get
to take lunch on such a brightly painted table that
paired well with the rest of the décor. The shop was bright
and cozy. The salted caramel apple cider would be perfect
if the drink wasn’t so sweet to mask a hint of tartness of
the apple cider. The staff was friendly. I’m glad we stopped
at Café Diem as the rest of the trip was wonderful. I always
enjoy spending my hard earned money at local coffee shops
that stress friendly interaction and quality products. Keep
up the good work, Café Diem!

In town for our annual family reunion and always looking for a coffee that isn’t Starbucks or Caribou! Locally owned coffee shops are usually better and Café Diem did not disappoint! Although I just had a basic latte it was excellent! Wish we lived closer!

The food here is absolutely delicious — prices are a little high, but the food is fresh enough to justify them. The staff tends to be pretty awesome — at one point a cashier realized I was struggling to make an important phone call with a dying phone and loaned me her own charger for a few hours.
However, I’m not sure they’re the most organized business in the world. I attended an event (for National Novel Writing Month) that the café accidentally failed to account for even though the organizer called ahead. I’ve also been there a few times when the café was very short-​staffed. This is still a great place to work and eat delicious food, so I’m definitely coming back.

Café Diem is across the street from the Des Moines Area Community College Campus in Ankeny. I go there about three times a week for coffee in the morning. It is full of college students studying and business people having meetings. The coffee is good. A large mug of coffee is $ 2.07, including Iowa Sales Tax. There are soups and sandwiches and pastries to order. It is clean. It has comfortable soft chairs and lots of tables, if you need space to spread out papers. The WiFi is fast. It is a good coffeehouse.

Café Diem is a great coffee shop. The atmosphere is inviting, the staff is friendly, and the coffee and food are excellent.

A nice medium-​size coffee house located in a strip mall across from DMACC. Lots of drink options, including smoothies.

Their cupcakes are amazing. The frappé I got was also delicious. Two other people I were with got coffees and they raved about them. It looked like the owner was present & attentive. And the woman who helped us was very friendly. Definitely going back, and definitely would recommend.

This is my favorite coffeeshop in Ankeny. Good coffee, a warm atmosphere and a welcoming, friendly staff. It’s popular, but I rarely have a problem finding a place to read.
There is a plethora of seating options. From dark leather couches that are nap-​worthy, to open tables with wooden chairs, to bar stools sidled up to the counter.
There’s a good mix of music: anything from acoustic coffeehouse mixes of popular tunes, to indie, to modern pop. Its loud enough to hear, but not enough to prohibit regular conversation.
Overall, I’d recommend this shop for anyone looking for a good cup of joe. Come in and keep warm on a cold day. Or, if you’re in a hurry, don’t fret. There’s a drive-​through.

I can always count on Café Diem for a great cup of coffee. I always try to support locally owned business. I think this is the only one in Ankeny, if im not mistaken. It’s cozy and clean. I always check out the art they have hanging on the wall. You can buy them too.
Stop in, enjoy a coffee. support the little guys

Super cozy super friendly place!!! The staff was great to recommend a nice hot coffee for this cold morning. Staff is super knowledgable of the menu and makes great recommendations. The pumpkin mocha Is delicious.
Breakfast sandwiches are super good. The sausage and egg on a croissant was amazing!!! So crispy and oohy gooey.
And on top of all this they are super reasonable!!! I will definitely be coming back soon !!!

Good for coffee, breakfast and more! I grabbed a coffee and breakfast sandwich. Reasonable price and quick. I as there for a meeting in the privite room. VERY NICE

Café Diem was always my standard in Ames when I lived there! So awhile back I stopped in Café Diem in Ankeny!
It’s a wonderful coffee shop! Super clean, super good coffee, kind barista’s and good snacks! I always loved the muffins at the Café Diem back in the day of the early 2000’s and it looks like this store has the same!
The owners of the Ames store were always super sweet, and supportive of local music and art! And it looks like this store does the same!
Keep up the good work!
This is a great place for Ankeny to have!

After driving by this place every week, reading good reviews, and talking about trying this place out, we finally decided to see what the experience was like here. First, there is a drive thru which I think is awesome, very helpful for people on the go. Second, there are a couple of seats for outdoor seating right in front of the shop.
For the inside, they did an excellent job making it look like a coffee shop. It had a very similiar look to Smokey Row in Des Moines, but then again that is also just a coffee shop look. There are many comfortable seating options for studying and FREE WIFI! You will see the password to the WiFi when ordering your drink.
We ordered their specials (we think they are specials) the Firework and the S’more’s Mocha. I also got a big chocolate chip cookie. If I could describe the coffee and cookie briefly, I would say «Not bad». Let’s just say I would be willing to pay for their drinks for the peaceful studying or chatting with friends atmosphere.

The staff is always friendly, the coffee is great, and the chicken salad sandwich is the perfect combination of savory and sweet.
They have the longest list of sugar-​free flavor shots I have ever seen, which is nice for the diabetic and otherwise sugar-​challenged among us.
The layout is fun, offering different areas for more and less private seating. Chairs, couches, booths — even a few library-​esque carels if you just want to set up your laptop and drink your coffee solo-​style. Or pull up a stool at the bar! Love love love all the seating choices.
Locally-​owned, free wifi, great atmosphere, great coffee. Can’t go wrong.

I am big on supporting local businesses, so Café Diem is my go-​to when I want some caffeine before work, or when I’m meeting a girlfriend for a coffee date. Their employees are cheerful and helpful. Lately I get a dirty chai, and although their chai is just a mix, I still enjoy it. Their other beverages are great, whether you’re a latte person or a black coffee drinker as I am most of the time. Smoothies are good, and you have the option to add protein powder if you want. Love their blueberry muffins and scones as well. The fact that they have a drive through is awesome too.
Café Diem isn’t amazing by any means, but if you want great atmosphere and a decent cup of coffee, it’s great. Compared to large competitors like Starbucks and Caribou, I will almost always choose Café Diem.

Alright coffee, almost too dark inside, and when the sun is setting it gets SUPER hot!
Coffee is too expensive too. If I want to spend that much, I’ll go to Starbucks.
And now they have some sort of minimal payment necessary to use a credit card or some crap like that.
Only reason I go is because it’s at least somewhat quieter then Starbucks