Maybe it’s because of the weather, but the Twin Cities have always been home to great coffee. Actually, it’s probably because Caribou Coffee was born here, and many of today’s great third-wave coffee roasters might have gotten their start sipping coffee from the ‘Bou. Awesome Minnesota brew really should be a national and international product: Peace, Dogwood, Spyhouse are all top-notch. I like a lot of what Bootstrap is doing, too.
Recently, a friend was looking for non-coffee shops that serve breakfast (not brunch) alongside great coffee. Now, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some solid diner coffee at Mickey’s or Ideal, but this list is for those of you looking for something more.
SERVING DOGWOOD COFFEE
The Kenwood, Minneapolis: Incredible food, beautiful setting in the Kenwood neighborhood
Black Coffee & Waffle Bar: So much fun, and so simple. Great waffles, crazy toppings, in St. Paul and Minneapolis
Sunstreet Breads: Maybe my favorite breakfast: the breads are killer, the biscuit & gravy is my favorite in town, and the Dogwood is always flowing.
St. Paul Bagelry: Roseville and South Minneapolis: we love the everything and sesame bagels!
Mon Petit Cheri: Mostly pastries, some light breakfast food
Canteen: Toast! Canteen has Rustica bread with spectacular homemade peanut, walnut and almond butters. Weekends you can get avocado toast. Even Gen-Xers like avocado toast.
The Bachelor Farmer Cafe: Awesome North Loop spot with great pastries, a custom-made Dogwood coffee blend, and rotating coffees from around the U.S.
SERVING SPYHOUSE COFFEE
Nina’s Coffee Cafe
The Bad Waitress
Hewing Hotel & Tulibee
BRUNCH
Draft Horse
Esker Grove
St. Genevieve
Tilia
”‹SERVING PEACE COFFEE
Hi-Lo Diner
Birchwood Cafe
Howe Daily Kitchen & Bar
Common Roots Cafe
Seward Co-Op Creamery Cafe
SERVING OTHER HIGH-END COFFEE
Northern Coffeeworks, Intelligentsia
Alma Cafe, Kopplin’s Espresso
