I haven't been to Capitol Cafe in years, but went again last weekend to grab a to go Somali tea. My…read morefirst time having Somali tea and YUM! It was so good and just the amount of caffeine boost. We got served quickly and our drinks were made quickly, which was awesome. The drinks are also super affordable! I don't love the environment inside that much (loud and a lot of TV's), but its perfect for a quick to-go beverage or snack!

We got the mango drink and 2 crepes. The crepe was my daughters favorite crepe in the area. It's…read moreher favorite food! Good service too.

The owner knows me by name and welcomes me whenever I stop by. They have a variety of Somali…read morepastries and beverages besides coffee, including a special variety of tea brewed by members of the Somali community. The shop is small, but the service and the staff are great!

Awesome! Coffee was great…read more Sambusa (meat turnover) were so good. Perfect way to start a morning! So glad we came across it!!

Yummy food, quick service, and hit the right spot…read more It's surprisingly not super busy on a Saturday morning at this Keys location. But it still hits the spot! I was seat yourself style and we received water really quickly. The menus were already at the table and we could order within minutes. Which was good because we knew what we wanted! The food was yummy and hit the right spot. It was exactly what we were looking for. We got the corned beef hash and country fried steak. The corned beef hash came with a lot of celery which surprised me as I had gotten it at another location and it didn't have celery in it. I think I'd prefer it without the celery, but was still yummy.

Always good to visit the original Keys when you are near Raymond in St. Paul. On a whim, I stopped…read morein for some late breakfast/brunch on a Saturday. Service was good, food was above average, but the thing that got me is the prices have continued to outpace my expectations. That said, you do get a generous portion, which is really enough for two meals. Overall, Keys breakfast is always good, but competition is pretty tough out there. Street metered parking nearby and when crossing University Avenue, be sure to watch out for the light rail!

Visited Albi Kitchen and I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit!…read more I was invited by a dear friend, and I honestly had no idea what to expect. The shop opened, and we were the first customers in line. The customer service was exceptional! The Barista was hospitable and warm, taking his time to explain the menu and what he'd recommend for a first-time visitor. During our visit, my friend and I enjoyed Beef Sambusa's, Buffalo Chicken Sambusa's, Mini Donut Puffs, Albi Crepe, Caramel Hot Latte, and the famous Albi Tea. Everything was absolutely delicious! There wasn't a single item I did not love. My favorite bite among all of the delicacies I tried was the Buffalo Chicken Sambusa. The Barista explained that while they were not the traditional beef sambusas (which I also tried & were exceptional!), the Buffalo Chicken was their fusion spin on this classic bite and encouraged me to try it. He did not steer me wrong! The buffalo chicken filling was sensational. I would rate the spice level as very mild to hardly "spicy" at all. The filling ratio was exactly what you'd want in a fried pastry--filled from corner to corner. Fried to a golden perfection, I've been thinking about those Sambusas since I had them. They are honestly one of the best new things I've tried in the past couple of months. In close second is the Albi Tea. WOW! While I can appreciate a warm cup of tea, I'm usually not a tea aficionado. My friend insisted that Albi's Tea was unlike anything I'd tried before, so I took the plunge. We ended up having THREE rounds of carafes of Albi's Tea. The latte I ordered was good, but Albi's Tea smacked it out of first place. I wish I could accurately describe all the ingredients I tasted, but it's a tea best enjoyed in person to understand. Warm, calming, soothing, this tea's unique blend of spices is quite addictive to stop drinking. The presentation of the food is a work of art. Everything is plated with so much love--you can see and taste it. We spent hours here and had a wonderful time. The vibe of the space is so relaxed and welcoming. The large windows let in beautiful light, making the cafe feel vibrant. I loved all the different seating areas you could choose from, tables or couches. This is a great place to meet friends, work remotely, or come solo with a good book to stay awhile and enjoy some Albi's Tea.

Organized a last-minute lunch outing for ~20 conference attendees. Albi's was within walking…read moredistance. Charming little café space. Given zero warning and a small staff and kitchen, they did a good job keeping up with orders. The last of our orders was out the door 45 minutes later. One mixed up order. Loved my Somali tea. Unfortunately, my beef sambusas had a bitter note to them.

Amazing service first off. I had never been here and the staff was sooo nice and helpful and…read morewelcoming. Noodles were amazing so comforting I would absolutely recommend the scallion oil and the homemade meatballs were so flavorful. We went at the end of the day so baked good were limited. I would get the curry pastry again but probably try all new next time but my fault for not going earlier and they did give us one for free since it was closing time! Drinks were so good coconut cloud matcha was perfect ratio and I've never had homemade soy milk but it was really good and perfect to cut the spice of the chili oil. Speaking of the chili oil. Wow. I always buy chili oils that are lacking spice this one is not and it was$10 for an entire jar that will last forever Super flavorful and a little goes a long way. Place was also really cute and clean!

I didnt know this place existed until meeting friends…read more It is a cute and friendly place on a super busy road. Parking isnt the greatest but it will do. It is self service for the bakery but you can order food and drinks. Each of the bakery were really delicious, they come with different flavors, filling and types of baked bread. You can order drinks, the matcha was alright, it was good enough as a matcha. The different types of baled bread were delicious and would definitely come back! Im planning to bring my friend and family here soon!

Overall, I really like food here! My favorite thing is the Bo kho. The sauce is flavorful and…read morehearty, and the meat is tender. I also recommend getting the egg noodles with duck. I liked that it was light yet flavorful. The Hainan chicken was basic and kind of disappointing. It's good for boiled chicken with fish sauce, which I do like eating together, but the rice was just regular white rice. Lastly, the chicken wings were crispy, but too salty. After trying so many dishes, I think Ai Hue has the most homey Vietnamese food I've had in MN. I love coming here because the owner is so kind and patient, and she told me her mom started the restaurant in 1998!

Menu price has gone up a lot. This place no longer stands out for quality food for an affordable…read moreprice.

Visited Keys Cafe and one thing is clear--this place is popular. It filled up quickly with families…read moreand friends, which really added to the lively, welcoming atmosphere. I'm currently on a no-meat break, so finding something to order was a bit of a challenge. I went with the potato dish that comes with veggies and cheese. Since I'm not a tomato or mushroom girlie, I had those removed, and honestly, I think that made the plate look a little underwhelming. I would've loved my hash browns to be crispier and the veggies tossed in with them for a more cohesive bite. Now, the pancake? Absolutely amazing. Soft, flavorful, and easily the highlight of my meal. Service was also a plus our server was really kind and attentive, which always makes a difference. Overall, this seems like a great spot, especially if you're not limiting your options like I was. I'll definitely be back to experience the full menu when meat is back on the table.

Keys is your typical Midwest diner/bakery: large portions, dull decor, and bland food. I ordered…read morethe cajun breakfast but the cajun wasn't in the room with us. The toast was underwhelming and the waffles felt rather stale. The cherry pie was quite good, though! Our server was pretty great. She seemed like she had a lot going on but was engaging and attentive.

The lamb shank literally fell off the bone when I picked it up! The meat here is steamed for 7…read morehours straight, hard work!! And don't forget to get dessert !! All the cakes are made fresh daily! Small spot that resembles a cafe.

Everytime that I brought a friend here, they would heavily endorse this place in terms of food…read morequality, so I just kept bringing people here because of how much positive feedback came my way. As a result, only a 5 star is justifiable here. Special shoutout to the fruit smoothies, especially pineapple and watermelon, which always came with the actual fruit as the cup as displayed in the photos below. Majority of the meat-based dishes have meat that is seasoned very well and cooked to "fall off the bone" tender, from the lamb shank to the lamb shoulder. I also thought the lamb gyro sandwich had some very flavorful sauce which made the sandwich itself very delicious. Many of the dishes came with fresh fruit, rice, and salads, which was an added plus. I also thought the dessert, especially the biscoff cake, was super delicious! They had a good selection of desserts, including baklava and macarons, all of which are very on point. Suffice to say that every dish was extremely tasteful, and I enjoyed every bit of my experience. It is worth noting that sometimes when I ate here, I would feel like my stomach needed some cleansing, because food here tends to be oily. However, it's an indication of flavor and I thought it was worth the pain lol.