Savor the flavors of Onyx Coffee at Bartlesville's newest spot: Himstreet Coffee Co.

It's no secret that Bartlesville loves coffee.

In addition to the Starbucks and Scooters chains, Bartlesville also plays host to indie coffee shops Outpost Coffee, Jude's Health and Java House, the Sooner Coffee drive-thru, RoSo's brick-and-mortar location that recently opened on Nowata Road, and the Coffee Exchange in the old Hotel Phillips building.

Added to this mix is Himstreet Coffee Co. on Frank Phillips Boulevard just over the tracks by Tacos Pachitas, housed in the old Crystal Creamery building.

Before proceeding to the review, I must disclose that I put off reviewing Himstreet because of my connection to the business. As much as I love penning these food reviews for you, my dear readers, this is my side hustle.

My primary occupation is with On the Rock Ministries, which owns Himstreet as part of its new Creamery Youth Center Project. I work at the original campus and sometimes go to Himstreet for a morning cuppa.

After some internal debate, I decided I couldn't keep this hidden gem to myself, regardless of my connection to the business.

Have you heard the buzz about Onyx Coffee? Heralding from Rogers, Arkansas, Onyx is one of the highest-rated roasters in the United States. If you love a well-balanced roast with low acidity and distinctive flavor notes, Onyx is worth going out of your way for a visit while in northwestern Arkansas.

Now Onyx has come to the little town of Bartlesville in Himstreet Coffee Co, which sources all its beans from the legendary roaster and carries some of Onyx's signature drinks.

"I think Onyx is arguably the best coffee in the country," Himstreet manager Tori Walker said. "They put a lot of care and effort into their craft. I've been drinking it at home for years. Onyx is a group of people who care about coffee, down to the farmers and the whole process."

Walker boasts five years in the coffee business with training from Onyx Coffee for her former role as a barista at The Eatery in downtown Bartlesville. She makes a mean latte.

I tried a couple of new drinks in preparation for this article. I am usually a house drip person, at least when the coffee is good quality, but I wanted to try some of the popular drinks to see what might appeal to a variety of tastes.

I tried the seasonal offering "A Nose So Bright," which is a Christmas latte featuring mocha and dark cherry flavoring. It was delicious, and I loved it. Even though the latte featured rich flavors, it still did not come across as sickly sweet the way holiday lattes so often do.

Another must-try Himstreet specialty is the "John Wayne" shot, comprised of layers of vanilla syrup, cream and a freshly pulled espresso shot. This fun little drink is served in a small clear glass that showcases each layer and is intended to be thrown back all in one sip so all the flavors come through, one by one.

While I usually like to savor my coffee, I enjoyed the "John Wayne" shot experience. At first, the vanilla hit me, then mingled with the espresso's spiciness and the cream's smoothness. It tasted great; I was sad it was over so quickly.

A go-to drink of mine is a cortado, a double shot of espresso cut with equal parts milk. Himstreet's cortado does not disappoint. A coffee-forward drink, this is what I order when I've decided to have a great day. I think Tori makes the best one in Bartlesville because the Onyx coffee flavor notes come through loud and clear.

Himstreet Coffee Co's calm interior looks like an excellent place to have a coffee meetup or bring a laptop and do a little work.

"I'm a very community-oriented person," Walker shared. "I love meeting new people and having meaningful conversations. I want Himstreet Coffee Co. to be that place where people meet. It's an incredibly spiritual thing to break bread with someone, and that can be coffee, too."

Walker also wants customers to know that Himstreet isn't just another coffee shop in Bartlesville — it's a coffee shop with a mission.

"We have a school in this building, and everything else in The Creamery is here to support the goal of loving those kids that have been, for lack of a better term, kind of forgotten," Walker said.

Walker loves to tell people about the Youth Center behind the coffee shop and is happy to give tours. If you stop in, be sure to tell her the Examiner-Enterprise sent you.

Himstreet Coffee Co is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is located at 515 SE Frank Phillips Blvd.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Himstreet Coffee Co is a cozy corner for coffee lovers in Bartlesville