It's funny how poor customer service completely changes your attitude towards a business you used to enjoy. I used to live in the area and when the small coffee shop opened I was so exited to have that in our community and was happy to support them - even if some coffee beverages were top dollar. I was in the area today, and decided to stop in since I no longer live in the area and wanted to enjoy a good brew. Unfortunately, the experience I had left me leaving with a bitter taste in my mouth - and it wasn't from the coffee. I thought it goes without saying, but when a customer greets you, you should greet them back, not just stare. It would be even better if your staff would greet each customer first - make them feel welcome. Maybe I'm a millennial channeling boomer energy, but for years I'm noticing the customer service disappearing from a lot of businesses. I love that connection, but I'm understanding that some people see only a paycheck and skid by with minimal customer service and that is the new way. I don't plan to visit this establishment again. I wish the barista with star tattoos would have put in enough customer service energy that she did with her impeccable makeup. read more

First time in this location and it was amazing! Coffee has the same quality as the other Backstory locations. This one is a little tucked in the back of Bloomington. But it's the perfect spot to study. Not super busy, and lots of seating outside and inside. I'll definitely be back here! read more

See all

Excellent coffee place! Que enjoyed our drinks a lot! The food was also very good, just wish they warmed the pastries as they were very cold, flavors were very yummy but definitely some heat would have made it outstanding! The french toast Sandwich was a got item and it was really really Goooood and the sage latte too! We ordered to eat there but they gave us almost everything in bags to go so it was really hard to eat at the location. Staff was ok, I really wanted more service or explanation about certain items cause they have so many good things there we wanted to try! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Chai Latte, Sage latte and chocolate mint cold brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

See all

Great coffee shop in the Bloomington area. There is free street parking and it's tucked away so I had no issues snagging a spot. Decent variety of pastries available, but the speciality coffee menu was a little limited. Lots of seating available and people were talking so it's a great spot to catch up with a friend but maybe not the best if you're looking for a quiet spot to work. It was pretty busy on a Wednesday morning. There isn't a water dispenser available or a water fountain. The ham and cheese croissant was flaky and generous on the cheese, but it would've been even better if it was warmed up! The blueberry muffin had the same density and taste of banana bread (but with blueberries added). The muffin had a delicious sugar crust on top. The lemon bar latte was creamy and the lemon taste was mild and not overpowering. The Winter Citrus Flat White was citrus forward, but the combination of the citrus and espresso worked really well! The freshly grated zest on top was a nice touch. read more

See all

It's a cute spot in an unassuming area from a popular local brand.I had a seasonal drink that was tasty with rosemary. Nice seating inside and out and super close to the mall of America read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

See all

Super glad I got to check out this roaster on my business trip. My hotel was right across the street, so I decided to pick up some drinks to start my day. This location is close to the airport and several hotels nearby. I didn't have a car, so this was the closest coffee shop within walking distance. The store isn't too big, but it has plenty of seating, both indoors and outdoors. The staff was also very friendly, help described each drinks and their recommendations. The seasonal drink choices are so unique that I honestly wanted to try everything on the menu. The price, on the other hand, was definitely a little higher compared to your usual coffee shop. I ordered a pina colada cold brew and a peach lemonade matcha. Who would think to combine pina colada with cold brew? But it was so refreshing, especially during the hot summer days! I originally thought the peach lemonade would overpower the matcha flavor, but it was actually really well balanced and also refreshing! Super happy with my orders and hoping I can come back to try more of their drinks in the future! read more

See all

I am a big fan of all of the Backstory locations but go to North Loop and Bloomington the most. The Bloomington location is relaxed and bright, with the same great quality drinks + food and friendly baristas as North Loop. Parking is under the apartment building - I think the signs mention retail parking! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Pumpkin spice latte & pumpkin spice chai - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

I didn't realize that Backstory opened up where Fiddlehead Coffee was a few years back. The location is not far from the MOA nearby many apartment buildings. There is some street parking as well as some paid ramps. I came in on a Saturday morning around 10AM. By then, it was busy, but I was able to still find a seat. The staff were kind and I think as pleased with the number of drink options as well as pastries - gluten free, too! I enjoyed a seasonal lemon bar latte (yum!) and a gluten free banana chocolate chip muffin. I will likely be back. The coffee is great, the parking situation is just a bit weird. read more

Stopped by on the Saturday afternoon after the 4th. Bright, clean and quiet environment. Very friendly baristas. Love the chill vibes. Got their batch brew coffee and 2 season specials - matcha lemonade and strawberry cold brew. Also got two bags of beans. Very pleased with the presentation and taste of our drinks. So happy to have a local roaster / professional coffee shop by the mall of America area (probably the one and only one). If you have kids, they would enjoy seeing the city trains going by or playing in the splash pad across the street from the coffee shop. Street parking is also very easy! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

Great coffee shop by the MOA! We love the coffee here & great place to get work done. Wish there was more seating though read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Miel, cold brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

Great spot with excellent coffee! Not a lot of ambiance but it was convenient and the coffee & pastries were really good. Also had chia pudding & my son had a uniques French toast sausage sandwich. My husband had a wrap that he enjoyed as well. Friendly employees. Very liberal/lgbtq/ social justice vibe so if that would be uncomfortable for you maybe choose a different spot. read more

Was so glad to see another coffee place take over this space and Backstory is such a great local place. The space hasn't changed a ton from the previous occupant, so nice and open. Coffee is fantastic. I do wish they had more "substantial" good available, but the pastries are phenomenal. Easy drive from the mall and the airport. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Drinks of the Month (lavender cardamom latte and matcha) and pastry - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

Reliably good coffee with friendly staff, I always enjoy Backstory. I am a frequent patron of this shop as I live nearby, and the baristas are always very kind and helpful. The teas aren't exactly to my taste, as they taste too watered down to me, but I am always satisfied with their espresso drinks. They are a perfect balance of sweetness while still tasting like coffee. The cafe is brightly lit with big windows everywhere, making for a great place to stay and work. read more

I know that they just opened but omg I love it already! I live in this area and finally having a coffee shop open in this location is everything! It is a perfect, homey, sweet little coffee shop. I know that they have a lot of specialty drinks ( I got the house vanilla matcha iced latte AMAZING). The staff is sweet and kind and the location is clean (and the bathrooms are clean too, huge plus!). Will be back here more times than I am sure I can count. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Iced vanilla matcha latte with oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

Very cute little modern coffee and bakery Café. Went there first time Sunday picked up four items to try out. They were all fantastic, a chocolate croissant, a regular croissant, a chocolate chip muffin and a coffee cake. The staff was very polite and took care of me quickly. read more

Aesthetics were on point at this new coffee shop near Mall of America. The cashier was friendly and efficient. The few pastries I tried were SO delicious and each had a wonderful crispy crunch. I found this place from the Too Good to Go app and purchased their surprise bag of what I believe were leftover pastries. Seasonal Sweet Danish - crispy and medium sweetness Ham and Cheese Croissant - delicious and heavily topped with Parmesan cheese which I loved but my kids didn't. Oh well, more for me. Brown Butter Blueberry Muffin - this one was hubby's fav, I only loved the sweet crumble on top. I definitely plan to come earlier in the day next time to try out their coffees! read more

See all

Paying $16 and leaving a tip for a small coffee and a ham and cheese croissant I assumed this place would be great! The coffee was bland with no flavor. My ham and cheese croissant came to me cold and when I brought it up to the workers, they said "sorry" instead of coming to a solution with me. It was disappointing for a local spot to not do basic things that would make you want to go. You're better off anywhere else. read more

I can't believe I didn't know I had a Backstory location near me. This location certainly isn't as beautiful as the other locations but they still have the same great coffee so you can't go wrong. This location is a bit small so maybe not the best place to hang and get work done. And though I don't usually care about this the parking is very confusing in this area. But I love that I have a close Backstory location! read more

Cozy little spot with good coffee! There's plenty of walking paths nearby. Close to the train.

For just opening the place was dirty, crumbs on the floor. The kitchen area was chaotic with fans and things all over the counter. Not very sanitary. Girls in the kitchen with their hair down and touching it while preparing food. I always get a shot of espresso to be able to taste the quality. The shot was under extracted and sour. I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to come here again. read more

A coffee spot that has creative non-coffee non-tea drinks. Perhaps they should try for a liquor license for fruity drinks with a punch, as in Bourbon Punch. Whenever I hear the name Backstory I think of Bob Dylan's "My Back Pages." But that's another side. Did you get it? Fruity drinks, I had two, and scrumptious croissants. A quiet well lit spot far from the madding crowd at MOA just a few blocks away. I suppose to keep my reputation I should go back and try their famous coffee and take a lemonade on the side. read more

This place is amazing if you need to meet another person for a chat or get work done and you want coffee. They got ride of some bigger tables from the past but that makes sense because they don't have any hot or made or order food. I think the coffee is average for specialty coffee But I'm not a huge fan of is their lack of enthusiasm and or knowledge about coffee. I've been there two times. I ask what their drip coffee is like and what they pour overs are like for flavor profiles. And then look at me like a deer in a headlights. If I'm paying five dollars for 16 ounce coffee, I want you to tell me it's an Ethiopian blind mixed that's washed and it's of blueberries and raisins and a fish of sweetness. That's the best part about going to different coffee places is they have different flavor coffees. The last time I was there, I asked the same question and she was like I just have a medium roast and a white roast and dark roast and they're all the same and it's a blend so I was like that's fine. I will just take your drip coffee that you already have. She's a goat. Didn't know that we're out my bad. It's gonna take a solid fiver. I totally understand that this still happens, but you gotta check your drip coffee and have it ready or so you're gonna make me a pour over or something because that's the whole point of having a giant craft of drip coffee. I really tried to like this place because the place before it was my favorite but it's a convenient spot if you live by there that it's a 10 out of 10, but it's hard for me to drive out of the way for average. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

See all

Got a cardamom latte and a sweet potato Danish. The late was pretty good but the Danish was stellar maybe the best I have ever had in my life! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Sweet potato Danish. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

I love backstory and have been multiple times to their other locations. The Bloomington one is more conveniently located for me and parking is much easier too. The inside is beautiful and there's seating and free WiFi to sit and do some work! I ordered their seasonal cookie butter latte iced. I felt it wasn't very sweet and had an almost burnt taste to it. I didn't think it was as good as their other seasonal drinks I've had, but I still love coming and always love their spring and summer drinks on rotation. read more

See all

Great coffee, I had a lavender pistachio latte I believe? It was a special around the month of January. Staff was nice, took a while to get the order but didn't bother me much. The price was rather expensive from what I'm used to as it was around $7 before tip for my drink. Overall would probably go back but wasn't my fav cafe ever. read more

My first time at this backstory location and it's great! Ample nearby street parking and super friendly staff. The carrot cake cold brew isn't very sweet but is still a great seasonal option! Lots of seating as well and close to the airport. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Carrot cake cold brew, brown butter blueberry muffin - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

This was such a great spot! I am obsessed with the banana cream chai latte (iced!) it's a must try. The paninis are good with fun flavor combos. The staff are so kind read more

See all

The reason I give 4 stars is solely because they make their own syrups which is always a plus to me! It makes it worth it to go out and buy a coffee instead of making my own at home with a basic Torani syrup. Not a 5 star review because the prices were a bit high for specialty drinks and my coffee did not have a strong coffee flavor. I would prefer coffee with my sugar than sugar with my coffee and that's what my iced vanilla latte was giving. If I come back again, I would recommend asking for an extra shot of espresso! Surprisingly on a Sunday morning, all seats were taken inside beside the bar. Cold brew was very sweet and smooth if that's the type you like! read more

See all

Coffee was delicious and well prepared. Staff was friendly. Easy in and out but I could see staying for a bit. Ambiance was great. I didn't have time to stay the day of my visit. read more

Was looking forward to trying this shop, I'm not a coffee drinker but they had some other very delicious sounding drinks. Loved the location and the feel but unfortunately that was about it. We were going over lunch time, so looked online at the menu in the morning and they showed that they were out of a lot of their food items but did show some available. The Miel Chocolate sounded interesting, so I asked if I could get it without the expresso (I didn't realize at the time that it was a chocolate expresso syrup). The person at the register didn't know so asked a co-worker, who told her how to ring it up. They only have/had whole milk, which I don't care for but my niece mentioned they had oat milk so got that instead. My niece ordered the Banana Cream Chai, and a Cranberry Turkey wrap, which had been available on-line but the individual stated they were out of all food items. Very disappointing as it was noon, so we had to go elsewhere so she could get something to eat before going back to work. The Banana Chai, unfortunately had no flavor. Unfortunately, we ended up throwing both drinks away. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Miel Chocolate - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

See all

Charming ambiance and a stone's throw from MOA, this modern coffee shop has tons of fun drink and coffee options. Staff is ambivalent and considering its suburban location, parking is a challenge. read more

Chill atmosphere not loud. Near by parking and train to the mall or to the airport. Drinks made fresh to order , I had the dreamy herbal tea blend with simple syrup very light and refreshing! Iced vanilla latte was about $6 something after tax! One size for iced. read more

See all

Nice to try out the new location of Backstory! Easy parking was available, staff was super friendly, there are gender affirming bathrooms and the space is nice and cheery with lots of natural lights from the windows! read more

Second new coffee shop of 2025 for me. Stopped in around 1:00pm Saturday, 1/11/25 with my close friends who live within walking distance of Backstory Coffee. After looking at the menu for a few minutes, I decided to ask Stacy at the register her recommendation for a coffee drink. She engaged in conversation and asked what I liked to help find the perfect beverage for me. She was so friendly and had wonderful customer service skills. I ended up going with a seasonal speciality- 16 oz. lavender cardamom latte with almond milk. My order was ready within 5 minutes and it was so tasty. My bestie got the same drink but with whole milk and his was better than mine. I decided from now on I'm going to go with the whole milk... it's just so creamy and yummy. It's a cute little spot with options for seating at tables and the coffee bar. Lots of natural lighting and cute little set up. The pastries looked good and one of the gals told us they were from a local bakery. I'll be back sometime when I'm in the area. read more

See all

Best coffee and great selection of chia pudding, yogurt, and pastries. Counter service. Limited seating. read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Spinach artichoke pastry - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

Visiting MN, and this coffee shop is super close to our hotel. Got the cookie butter spiced latte...and oof it definitely tastes, smells, and just hits the spot!!! The ambiance and service is so chill! I love it! Recommend this to anyone who visits MN or anyone local! read more

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Bloomington Central Station - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bloomington, Minnesota

A very nice barista recommended the iced mint matcha. It was absolutely delicious and tasted like a shamrock shake

Love this coffee shop! Delicious seasonal lattes and teas, peaceful and cozy ambiance, and super friendly service. I loved the iced matcha and can't wait to try more things in the future. read more

See all

Coffee was technically very good and well-crafted. We had a cortado, a flat white, and a latte, all very good. Service wasn't unfriendly, but not particularly engaging. Getting served in a ceramic cup in lieu of paper was possible, but was not offered willingly for some reason. Overall ambiance was ok but not great. Outdoors space suffers from being on airport flight path. read more

Arieli And Stacey are fantastic! Their customer service and attention to detail is amazing. The lavender syrup they offer is now one of my favorites. What sets them apart is all their syrups are made in house! 1000% recommend for anyone who is looking to step away from corporate coffee houses and looking for a home feel. read more

See all