"Uncommon Grounds" used to be my (almost) daily retreat after work for over ten years. I moved away…read moreand came back to visit it. Eleven years later the magic is still there. The best part is that my favorite table is available as well. The place got some upgrades but also retained its historical charm. Dale, the owner is still around. The staff is chill. Oh, my! I love it!

I love chai. I love the flavor of all the spices and how it warms me up. I even make my own chai…read morefrom scratch with spices from my local Indian market, and when I feel fancy, I pour my chai from one cup to another like a chaiwala to froth my chai. So when I passed the sign here that said "Warm Scones, Great Chai", I knew I had to try it! It's located kitty-corner from Isles Bun & Coffee, so you can always pick up more pastries from there after if you're not feeling like having a scone. We were the first customers of the day, and the gentleman that opened the door for us was very friendly. I think the interior was very cute, it was very cozy and has a homey vibe, but with seating that looked like it was from a Marie Calendars or Bakers Square. It was super quiet in there, no background music. I was kind of afraid to talk and felt like I should whisper like I was in a library. I got the Uncommon Chai and a chai scone. While the scone was ok, the chai was underwhelming. It just tasted like hot milk with a sprinkle of chai flavors somewhere in there. I could barely taste any cardamom, cinnamon or clove as is common in chai. I would say this is probably a MN interpretation of chai, definitely not authentic. Kind of like my family's former Chinese restaurant in southern MN. Not authentic, but rather a Midwest version of Chinese food. The cafe is in an old house, so this place is not wheelchair accessible from what I could see.

I ended up at this coffee bar after a little digging. I learned that Curioso Coffee Bar's approach…read moreto sourcing beans was shaped by the founder's time in Panama, where he roasted his own coffee using beans sourced directly from local producers and sold at his café. I know firsthand that coffee is king in Panama, so I figured anything inspired by their incredible coffee culture had to be worth trying. I visited Curioso on an early Sunday morning and immediately found it special. Not just for its coffee, but for the ambiance, service, and overall vibe. Curioso is a large, welcoming space that's part coffee bar, part brewery. I was immediately impressed by the variety of entertainment for all ages: arcade games, pool tables, dart boards, a skee-ball machine, board games, and even claw machines. Seating options are abundant, from cozy couches to tables and high-tops. There's a toddler play area and a library filled with books for all ages. The space feels family-friendly and is warm, welcoming community gathering space for all. I noticed flyers for free community events Curioso hosts, like Sunday Morning Yoga and Tuesday Trivia nights. The service was equally warm! The barista, although managing a busy Sunday morning solo, took her time to explain coffee options, highlight weekly specials with her own recommendations, and describe the pastries in partnership with Fruit & Grain and Bagels from St. Paul Bagelry. Oat milk is the standard for all their drinks! (Which I loved) We tried two speciality lattes: the "Butter Luck Next Year" (iced) and the "Blue Ribbon Peach Pie" (hot). Both were exceptional! Strong, robust, and delicious. Alongside, we also enjoyed an "Everything" handpie and a "Blueberry Lemon Curd" pop tart. Both pastries were out of this world delicious! I loooooved this pairing. I'm a sucker for savory, so the "Everything" handpie reigned supreme for me. Although I don't have a fur-baby (yet), I would like to include that Curioso is fur-friendly. I'm looking forward to returning several more times!

I visited Curioso recently as part of my 'Sip Scouter' coffee passport book…read more Knocking off just one star because the barista didn't know anything about this coffee passport book (but also giving them benefit of the doubt as they may have been new) and it seemed to take a bit for my drink even though the place was empty. I ordered one of their seasonal specials--the banana cream pie latte. It was very good. The ambiance was OK. Smaller seating area and located in a strip mall. Although my drink was good it wasn't necessarily something to write home about. I might come here again if in the area and in need of a coffee, but probably not a place I will necessarily seek out.

The closest thing you'll get to biting heaven, in my opinion :) They won best cinnamon roll for a…read morereason! Some paid street parking available nearby! The interior of the space is small, and fills up quickly most days, especially weekends! Staff have the conveyor belt moving and you can expect quick and efficient service! Definitely not as aesthetic of a spot as other Twin Cities coffeeshops and bakeries, but you probably aren't headed there for the decor. What the space lacks in visual appeal, it more than makes up on in taste! The Cinnamon Bun is extra large, perfectly baked with crispy exterior and chewy inside, smothered in the best frosting you've ever had! Pair it with your favorite coffee order and your morning just got a million times better! Don't hesitate to venture into their other offerings as well...the caramel roll is top notch! This spot should be on anyone's MUST VISIT list when coming to the Twin Cities! Walk around nearby Lake of the Isles after for the perfect day!

Wow!!! This place is amazing and they have their cinnamon buns down to a science !! so fluffy and…read moreflavorful in every bite ! Every time I go and have the cinnamon buns, I experience extreme happiness and am overwhelmed with joy. You cannot go wrong! The ambience of this place is great. It's loud and always super busy, but it's pretty much meant to be taken to go anyways so that doesn't bother me at all. I highly recommend the classic cinnamon buns and ordering extra frosting on the side because it's so dang delicious! This is one of the spots I allow myself to just indulge to the fullest because it's THAT good ! Can't wait for my next bite !!!

Really cute spot:)…read more It's super adorable in here with all the local stationery and trinkets! There's a good assortment of imported goodies, ceramics, stickers, blind boxes, and more! Be prepared for an amazing drink and cute ambiance, the workers are always very kind as well! I like the matcha, but could've used more sweetener in mine! Overall, you can tell it's the good quality matcha, and included real strawberry pieces! I also love this neighborhood-it has Magers and Quinn right next door:)

Finally, I was able to stop by the store. At first, I noticed there were a lot of people hanging…read morearound and sitting on the window sills, which made it difficult to navigate around the product tables while shopping. I didn't realize until after I left that there was a silent reading event taking place. I was most excited to try the matcha drinks from the drink bar in the back. I ordered the strawberry matcha, and my friend ordered the Banacha (banana matcha). Since it was so busy, we waited until we got back to the car to try them. I honestly wish I had tasted mine before leaving because, unfortunately, it was some of the worst matcha I've had around here. It was extremely watery and ended up tasting more like watered-down strawberry jam. The Banacha drink was similar -- just watery banana flavor. The employee who made our drinks was extremely kind, and I'm sure they would have remade them if I had asked. However, by the time we tried them, we were already back in the car and it was raining. The store itself is cute and has a nice atmosphere, but I'll probably take my business elsewhere in the future.

Cozy cute space with amazing pastries. I could not decide which one i should get among all looking…read moreso good. Nice cozy music and not too loud as the space is large enough. People are having a meeting, working on computer and enjoying with feiends and family. High end pastries such as kouign amann, monkey bread, strawberry pizza kind of pie.. very good I had a pie with kale+goat cheese+Califlower. Very fluffy pie and well made. I liked the service- anyone at the bakery counter is very kind and explains really well. First stop in Minneapolis MN. Very good impression of the city. Thank you

3.5/5 Tried their…read morebasil matcha special and it was fine. Some places to sit this time around which was great, patio was nice and there were many dogs to oggle. Ordering was fast and a little hectic due to how close the registers are together and then our drinks took a little bit but I was fun to watch them get made

Their coffee always hits the spot as well as the delicious bakery & food. The atmosphere is so cute…read moreand perfect for studying!

Absolutely delicious coffee and breakfast sandwiches were also on point !…read more Got a latte with a Black Sea salt rim and it was absolutely delicious! They also have homemade stickers and coffee beans from different countries ! The service was quick and the ambiance was very cute -- highly recommend the salted caramel bourbon latte ! Yummyyyy!

This is a very cute space with a lot of small table options for working or studying from a coffee…read moreshop. It was my first time in a Spyhouse and the barista working was so helpful in navigating the menu and making drink recommendations. I ended up selecting the Cherry Styles which reminded me of a cherry tootsie pop - delicious. They had outlets readily available and guest WiFi. I found free street parking just a block away and think this will be a new regular spot for me.

The vibe here is classic coffee house. Relaxing, lots of morning light streaming in, exposed brick…read morewalls, chill music playing. They also have a lot of places to sit, which can be lacking in many coffee shops. The espresso I ordered was pretty good, too. What I did not like at all was the wait time. I was there for over 15 minutes from getting in the 3 person line to leaving with my espresso. The staff were doing their best, but it seemed like they needed another person helping out as the 2 people were running about doing lots of extra stuff.

Caffetto is the quintessential Minneapolis coffee shop--they've got tasty, reasonably priced drinks…read more(including a robust selection of teas both hot and iced), good hours, and a real fun punk cafe vibe (lots of fun graffiti and vintage pinball machines). I think Caffetto kind of corners a market that no one else has by being open so late--most coffee shops are barely open past noon, and they're open until midnight! I've personally spent many a late night there finishing up work--it's a really cozy atmosphere, and the selection of pinball machines in the basement are the perfect study break activity. The staff are all great and even when there's a line, they get through it quick and are still able to offer great recommendations--while I usually prefer an iced green tea with no ice, I've tried the lattes, cold press, Thai coffee, and hot chocolate and have genuinely never had a bad drink here. The only thing is to make sure you watch your step if you're walking in the basement--even though it has seating and pinball and the bathroom, it's more of an unfinished space with uneven flooring and I personally rolled my ankle and fell there last year haha.

I jetted from work early to try this coffee shop because I needed a change of scenery and…read more.. well... it's Tuesday. :) I was surprised to find that the cafe was packed at 2:30 in the afternoon, but got lucky enough to snag an intimate table in the corner, perfect for reading a book in peace! I had a triple decaf almond milk latte that tasted like it was caffeinated to me but didn't give me the buzz I'm so addicted to, that's when you know it's a good decaf. I love the coziness and the unique artwork in Caffetto. I look forward to coming back at an earlier hour to feed my addiction. But it's great to know I have a go to coffee shop for those afternoon cravings where the decaf tastes just as delightful! UPDATE- 2 hours later: there's additional seating and a pinball machine room in the basement, glad I went downstairs to the bathroom.