Quick Take:
Location: Winter Haven
What Katie ordered: Grilled Cheesus, Potato Salad, a Diet Coke and a Banana Bread Latte (Combo Deal)
Gluten Free Options: Yes — All bread for sandwiches can be subbed with gluten free bread.
Vegetarian Options: Yes — Two sandwich options.
Final Score: 4/5
Price: ~$10–20 per person
For our eighteenth stop on our Polk Food Quest, we visited Kokomo's Cafe in Winter Haven.
Kokomo's just opened in January of this year and we've already had quite a few people email and comment with recommendations; so we had to try it.
Kokomo's Cafe is a quaint cafe/lounge that has books (lending library), art, and a menu of sandwiches, salads, flatbreads, coffee and even wine [and some beer]; making it more than just a coffee shop.
So for that reason, we decided not to do a typical coffee shop review and instead grab a sandwich, side, AND some coffee.
While a place like Black & Brew can still come in on our list of The Best Coffee Shops in Polk County — even while also functioning in a similar cafe style — Kokomo's doesn't seem to be trying to compete in the coffee space and instead has a charm and differentiator far outside of that.
By the way: if you're new here, the concept of my Polk Food Quest is simple: every week I try a local spot, order the most common thing people get, try a few extras, and rank it on taste, value, vibes, and overall.
This week: Sandwich, Side & Coffee!
Which means Katie ordered a "Grilled Cheesus" with potato salad and diet coke (combo deal) and banana bread latte.
How Does This Work?
I order the standard item for that category (for a cafe that's a sandwich, a side and coffee), plus a few extras so I can get a full feel for the menu.
Then I rank the experience on four things:
Taste | Value | Vibes | 
Overall
Taste focuses on the standard item.
The rest reflects the entire experience.
Taste: 4/5
Everything we ordered tasted very good.
That said, Kokomo's menu is made up of items that fall into a "you can't mess this up" category.
Things like grilled cheese, tuna and chicken salad, three different simple flatbread options, and three salads.
So while we enjoyed everything we ordered, there wasn't anything on the menu that would have us racing back; and nothing that we would consider a standout dish.
Here's a quick breakdown for my quick scanners, though:
- Grilled Cheese: This was great! Katie thoroughly enjoyed it and the few bites she let me try definitely showed why she wasn't sharing more of it.
- Potato Salad: A little creamy for Katie's style, but I thought it was very good and would get it again in a combo deal.
- Banana Bread Latte: This was one of Katie's favorite parts. The sweetener was homemade and she said it was the perfect mix of sweet without being overbearing.
- Iced Matcha Latte (My Extra Order): Very good! Nothing that sent me to the moon; but again, they're not trying to be the best coffee shop out there.
It's important that I make this note again:
Everything we ordered was very good — the menu just didn't really bring any flair or have many options that would bring us back.
I personally didn't find anything on the menu that I truly wanted to order.
Vibes: 5/5
This is what brings people to Kokomo's Cafe.
If you like the quaint vibes of a hipster cafe, then this is definitely for you.
Kokomo's mixes a lending library of thousands of books, board games, art, and the smell of your grandmother's house with a coffee and wine bar and comfort food.
That said, if these vibes are not for you, then Kokomo's should probably be cut from your list; because this is the reason to walk in.
The staff was very friendly, the separation of the front bar and cafe with the lounge in the back was great, and the food still hit the mark.
Vibes get a 5/5.
The Lean Squeeze
The lowest-calorie, highest-protein, most satiating picks on the menu — chosen by Mike, who spent a decade in the fitness industry before The Polk Squeeze.
Mike's Pick: Olive-R Twist Salad
Dressing on the side, light feta. Cuts real calories without cutting flavor.
Alternative Picks:
A Farewell To Tuna or The Chicken Also Rises
If you're looking to go with a sandwich, these are two great options, roughly 650-850 calories and 30-50g of protein, depending on how the kitchen makes them.
Mike's Note: Tuna and chicken salad are good options for protein, but I'd likely go with a light salad and get my protein fill in other ways throughout my day.
Value: 3.5/5
As someone who wasn't really excited by anything on the menu, I didn't love the price tag of $17.99 for a sandwich, side and soda.
If I'm paying almost $20, then the food needs to stand out a bit.
And even while it tasted very good, I don't know that Katie would be racing back for the grilled cheese at that price point.
Tack that on with the fact that the drink menu (coffee and teas) were the same, if not higher, than some of my favorite coffee shops in Polk; and it also makes it hard for me to go out of my way for.
Even with a 3.5 for Value, though, Kokomo's Cafe is bringing going to create plenty of regulars with it's charm.
Overall: 4/5
Kokomo's Cafe comes in with a 4/5 for an Overall Score.
For some that are looking for these exact mix of vibes and simple comfort food, this may easily be a 5/5 — but for us it still gets a solid 4.
Would I bring my visiting family there?
Probably not.
I'm a bibliophile who loves a book store and a library (I have a medium sized library in our house, whole room devoted to it), so I love the concept, there just isn't really anything there to get me back.
I have always been a coffee shop guy to meet people for networking, or to get out of the house for work; but this just didn't hit that mark for me.
Here’s how I’d sum up Kokomo's Cafe:
The vibes carry this place. If you're drawn to a hipster coffee shop with a library built into it, Kokomo's delivers on that in a way nothing else in Winter Haven really does.
Everything we ordered was solid, but nothing on the menu is a standout.
I personally think $17.99 for a sandwich, side and soda is a lot to ask when the menu itself doesn't bring much flair.
Still, a 4/5 is a strong score, and the charm here is real.
If the vibes are what you're after, Kokomo's is worth the visit. If you're anywhere near Winter Haven or Auburndale and haven't tried it, go check it out.
Before You Go....
Hey!
I want to know what you think of Kokomo's Cafe.
Leave a comment below.
The more you share, the better, but anything is appreciated.
Each comment helps The Best Of Polk articles and eventually, the yearly awards!
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I know several places that have exorbitant prices for the same sandwich you can make at home. I appreciate you looking for something with “flair” because that is what I appreciate and makes it worth the trip. I don’t mind paying, but give me something exciting on my plate. Thanks for the review!!! Love your website.
So glad you’re finding a the reviews helpful 🙂 Thank you for being a subscriber!
My husband and I went to Calogero’s in Lake Alfred after reading your article. Coming from Long Island, N.Y., we previously experience a wood-fired pizza. Our visit to Calogero’s was a true treat and fully enjoyed by both of us. My husband ordered the “Queens”, which eaten with no leftovers. I ordered the “Bianca”, and was very happy to enjoy it a second time later. Charlie (the owner) is a former Long Islander, and we share a few memories as well as our love of Florida. We are definitely going back and bringing friends with us. This place is a true gem. Thanks for a great recommendation.
LOVE to hear that, Kathyn! Thank you for the comment.
I’m from Long Island as well. I grew up and graduated from West Islip and my parents are from Massapequa.
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed Calogero’s and got to meet Charlie.