The most surprising thing about my relationship with Cafe Steam is that we've actually reached a…read morestage of mutual understanding where the staff knows exactly which level of 'morning zombie' I am based on how loudly I trip over the doorframe. I have a bit of a love affair with this place. Now, I'm a certified early bird, and by that, I mean I'm usually awake and craving caffeine while the rest of the world is still debating if they actually need to attend that 9:00 AM Zoom call. There is something genuinely therapeutic about being there right as they flip the sign to 'Open,' when the air still smells like freshly ground beans and the sunlight is hitting the dust motes in that perfect, cinematic way. It's the quietest the place ever gets, and I get to witness the staff transitioning from 'sleepy' to 'caffeinated chaos' in real-time. However, I'm also a fan of the 'closing time' vibe. There's a completely different magic to sliding into a booth around 7:00 PM. By then, the energy has shifted from a productive buzz to a sort of cozy, exhausted collective sigh. I'll just camp out for a while, pretending to be very focused on my laptop while actually just people-watching the evening rush. The ambiance is wonderfully casual--think 'industrial chic meets a living room that's slightly too small for its furniture.' Most of the time it's just a pleasant hum, but every so often it hits a tipping point and becomes absolutely hectic. You've got the frantic students cramming for finals, the first-date nerves radiating off a couple in the corner, and a line of people stretching toward the door. It's a beautiful kind of mayhem, really. But let's talk about the real star of the show: the drinks. While I usually rotate through the classics, I am currently in a committed relationship with their seasonal 'Miss Sunshine' creamy lemonade. It sounds like something a toddler would order at a fancy tea party, but trust me, it's a game-changer. It's got this bright, zesty punch of citrus that wakes up your entire soul, but then it's smoothed over with this velvety, creamy finish that makes it feel like a dessert. It's basically a hug in a plastic cup, and I'm fully prepared to be devastated when it leaves the seasonal menu. I will add photo's *later* : )

Always amazing:)…read more Cafe Steam was an essential spot growing up in Rochester. They tie together community with amazing coffees and goodies! I'm so happy to see them expanding and opening new locations as well. I grabbed a summer special drink, and quite enjoyed it! I wish I added a touch more simple syrup, otherwise this was a delightful and bright summer drink! The interior is always cozy, and consistently one of the best spots in Rochester. The baristas are always kind, and make drinks SUPER quick!

Love the decor and the qamaria latte with almond milk and light honey. The service was kind.read more

My excitement at trying some of the sweet treats deprived my phone of first bites! This was a good…read moresub for previously laid out breakfast plans. Walking in, I liked the atmosphere and vibe. The murals are such a lovely touch! There wasn't that many people on this Sunday morning but there should be much more! We had the honeycomb and biscoff milk cake with an iced Qamaria latte and Mango smoothie. The honeycomb was my personal favorite I love anything honey and the cheese embedded in was so good! The latte was DELICIOUS! I loved the cardamom flavor combined with cinnamon. The smoothie was very sweet but not overly so. The biscoff milk cake was probably my least favorite because I didn't really taste much biscoff to it. Overall, we were quite impressed and intend to be back!

Spyhouse in Rochester is a fun little café. It is located inside one of the hotels I usually stay…read moreat when I come visit, and it feels pretty similar to the other Spyhouse locations around Minneapolis. I got a vanilla latte and really enjoyed it. They also had some bakery items and sweet treats available, though I am not sure if they make them there or bring them in from somewhere else. The café itself is on the smaller side, but that makes sense since it is inside a hotel. There is still enough space to sit down and enjoy your coffee for a bit, and you could probably get some work done too, though I personally would feel a little awkward staying too long if it got busy. The service was good and the whole place had a nice relaxed feel to it.

Tried the Caramella hot coffee. It was amazing! They accidentally made it over ice but was quick to…read moreacknowledge their mistake and kindly corrected the order. The area was quiet and small and perfect for a quick midday coffee.

This is a great little breakfast/brunch spot in downtown Rochester. I met a friend there for Coffee…read moreand also got a delicious breakfast sandwich. There was a decent line, but the staff moved people through quickly, and overall the service was great. The coffee is quite good, and they have a selection of pastries as well.

I was passing through Rochester and needed a coffee break! This place has a free parking lot but…read moreplenty more free street parking. At first I was confused because it seemed to be a plant store, but they are located inside the store to the far left when you walk in! The staff here was really wonderful! I had questions and they were happy to answer! I decided to try their spring fling latte which had rhubarb and a thyme cold foam. Yes you read that right. It was an almost savory cold foam. While I give them props for stepping out of the box with this coffee, this just wasn't my favorite. My friend got a chai drink and that was very tasty!! This place has SO many cute items inside and around as well! I would definitely come back and just try something different! The vibes here are bright and so cute! This is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area!

H and I have reached "coffee snob" notoriety... in some people's opinions (ahem family). Whatever,…read morebut we liked Moka. His cappuccino was good and I loved the miel latte (honey and cinnamon). He added sugar but thought it was too sweet so maybe they already put some in for him? On the other hand, mine wasn't sweet enough so I asked barista to add a little more honey and they did it with no problem. I look forward to visiting again. I'd also like to check out the bakery around the corner.

Love this because it is open at 7 AM on Sunday. Very good coffee and tea, as well as hot…read morechocolate. Friendly, fast service. Recommended.

The shakes and teas are both consistently delicious. I always have a great experience with the…read moreproducts and staff. The owners are very kind and professional. Aili was super helpful during our last visit!

Friendly and welcoming staff! There are a variety of protein shake flavors as well as teas that…read morehave caffeine, however there are options for decaf. I try to stop in a couple of times a month. The shakes are a nice meal replacement if you are short on time and/or looking to improve your diet.

We LOVE their coffee here at DUE NORTH! We stop here on our way out of town when we are taking a…read morelong drive to Iowa or South Dakota, etc. a new favorite is coconut vanilla lattes---hot or iced! That hint of coconut is absolute perfection and mild enough that it's not too much or too sweet. The baristas are kind and service oriented--- they aim to please. It's a drive thru; so swing around next time you're in Kasson.

If you are looking for a drive thru coffee joint that's not confusing, overpriced, or pretentious,…read morelook no further than Due North Coffee. They have all the best options for you to pick from without confusing you with made-up words and things you've never heard of. Instead, you are welcomed with an easy to read, aesthetically pleasing, and delicious menu with options for your kids to join in and get a drink as well. I can't recommend trying the mini donuts enough! They have different flavors including cinnamon and sugar (what I ordered). The mini donuts were warm and tasted like they were made fresh and homemade as soon as I ordered them. They were soft and honestly the best mini donuts I've ever had. I never realized how mass-produced mini donuts from the fair taste until biting into one of these. I highly recommend Due North to anyone around Rochester looking for quality coffee and a wonderful, aesthetically pleasing experience. 5/5

This was so worth adding an extra 30 minutes to go out of my way to pickup lunch before a 5+ hour…read moredrive back to Chicago. My vegan colleague told me it was a must-try, and I concur. The banh mi is indeed amazing. I had never had any banh mi before, but it was so good. I went with the "bacon" option and it was super tasty. Also, it was massive. Great portion size. My only regret is that I didn't go here for dinner the night before, because it would have made for a good dinner and leftovers. It was a bit hard to eat in the car on the drive back, so sadly I didn't get to finish it. The chips were also great. I also got two donuts (maple and the blueberry) to go. I inhaled the blueberry donut about 3 hours into the trip somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin, and the maple I managed to save until the next morning (I kept it in my fridge and then microwaved it for 10 seconds and it was delicious. I had to fight off my carb-obsessed cat, because she wanted it for herself). I will be back every time I'm in Rochester, probably multiple times per trip, and I will be buying a half dozen donuts (at least) to bring back home with me. I am eagerly waiting for the next work retreat just so I can come here. It's really that good.

"You can't refuse a request from a dying man." (Abe "Fish" Vigoda as Sal Tessio)…read more "I'm not dead yet!" (Abe Vigoda as himself, addressing rumors.) This super trippy coffee shop kills it harder than Abe in "The Godfather" when it comes to delivering the goods! Heavenly vegan donuts, that is. Wait...wrong Abe? My sister and I are not vegans, but we stopped here for breakfast several days in a row on our way to the Mayo Clinic earlier this year purely out of curiosity. It was really helpful in the ordering process to see the various pretty donuts labelled and strung above the counter. We purchased almost all the flavors to bring to the hospital for our family to try, and the consensus was that the ube and the plum lime were possibly the most delicious donuts we've had anywhere! Honestly! Other outstanding flavors included the tiramisu, the banana stand, and the blueberry crumble. As delightful as the donuts were, I was disappointed in my drink orders. I could only get through a few sips of both my dirty chai latte and the Almond Joy coffee. Old Abe gives some hardcore psychedelic vibes to the point that I wondered if a hallucinogen had been slipped into my coffee before heading into the ladies' room. 1,000 cats hissing at you from the walls will cause you to question your sanity! The rest of the décor was just as wild, from THE Minnesota Prince to an apocalyptic Godzilla declaring that the end was near. The question "1880's stage actor assassin or the bear" might apply in the polka dot room, so it's best to sit facing out with your back against a wall...regardless of which Abe the shop is named after. If the apocalypse, John Wilkes Booth, wildlife, the Chief of the Waponis, or the mob takes me out to sleep with the fishes, and I come back in my next life as the leader of a subversive cult, I'll have to revisit the book room of this shop to view their anarchist primers. Also, I'm sending these donuts to McConaughey as a bribe. He's a fan of Lincolns, so maybe he'll do an Old Abe commercial where he contemplates the meaning of life while noshing on a ube donut. Penny for your thoughts?

What a darling cafe!…read more AMBIANCE The decor and ambiance of this place is worth a stop alone. Pint florals, comfy seating, great light fixtures and little touches. I posted up at one of the tables to take a call and get some work done. It worked well for me for an afternoon. SERVICE Counter service was helpful and kind - not the quickest to prepare the drinks and items but I had time! FOOD/DRINK I got a matcha latte and a cheesecake here! The prices were pretty high, but I enjoyed both items. The matcha wasn't very hot, but still tasted great. Such a cute spot to meet friends or get a change of scenery in Rochester!

This was a place I ducked into when it was snowing outside. It looked cozy and I'm so glad I…read morestopped by. These are a few things I tried: - pistachio cheesecake - highly recommend, pistachio flavor shines through - olive oil cake - not flavorful, dry, personally do not recommend - lemon cheesecake - delicious! Highly recommend - drink: Cinnamon Dolce Latte. This just tasted sweet to me and did not stand out. To be honest, it tasted like most sugary coffee drinks to me. Maybe I'm just not partial to that. Service: they had 2 people working and both were very friendly. Waited about 10 min for my drink. Lovely ambiance in a nicely decorated cafe.