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!

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!

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!

Had a great experience at Moka recently! I was looking for a cafe with WiFi to set up shop in…read morebetween appointments, and Moka has a great convenient location. Service is honestly the biggest thing I noticed during my visit. The barista (maybe owner?) greeted me with a huge smile and welcome. Multiple people during my short time here came in and knew her by name - they asked about her holiday plans and when she would reopen after a short holiday break. It was clear she had created community here - something that's really special in a cafe. I got a hot matcha and it had great flavor. I also got a gluten-free chocolate chip scone that felt a bit dry, but otherwise good. There seating definitely fills up fast in here with some fellow visitors and medical students, so I ended up sharing a table with some students. Outlets were a bit limited as well. I started seeing Moka pop up around me after my visit - my friend in Madison swears by their coffee beans, and others rave about their coffee and lattes. Give them a try in Rochester!

Waited 7 minutes for my double late. It was never made. Asked for a refund. Went somewhere else…read more(Steam cafe down the street on Broadway). Absolutely ridiculous service by teenagers who are more interested in chatting with each other than making drinks.

First time coming here and I loved it. I got a hot hazelnut and vanilla latte. The ladies inside…read morewere nice and my order didn't take long to get ready. I would definitely be back again.

Nice little coffee shop in Rochester. They have a drive-through, and the service was good. We…read moreordered cappuccinos, and they were tasty.

A friend highly recommended Forager Cafe, which is why I went there with high expectations. Hmmmm,…read morehow can I say this....I was disappointed. I ordered their black and tan beer. A tasty choice (check out the photo). Then I asked for a reuben sandwich with a side of fries. I really liked the two-tone rye bread. There was modest amount of corned beef. Notice I didn't say 'generous.' The kraut, Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing were a solid compliment. BUT the fries.... Check out the photo and look at the fries. These were double dunked in oil, greasy and sogged out, slightly charred, and meh tasting. I looked over at another patron's plate of food and saw her fries looked perfect. Golden, single dunk in oil, and crisp. Can I add a sad face emoji here? I called over the bartender and had him look at my fries, then look at the other patron's, and tell me the difference. He saw what I saw. I told him what was wrong with mine and asked why. He apologized and said he'd take 50% off my food bill. I saw him go back to the kitchen and have a conversation about my fries, which I appreciated. He didn't blow me off and let the kitchen know they dropped the ball. I've eaten at a lot of places from dives to fine dining, and I think the sign of good eatery is one that can excel at the basics.....like french fries. Plus, when you have your "A" staff working in the kitchen, but your staff sends out subpar fries to a customer...what does that say about the kitchen staff and leadership? Will I go back? Not sure, but there other places I've eaten at in Rochester that are consistently good. If I ever have family or friends in town and we go out to eat, we're not going to Forager Cafe.

We met some friends here for supper on Friday evening and were seated right away. Our server was…read morefriendly, attentive, made some good suggestions. The food was good, fresh and tasty. My only complaint was the size of the side salad that I ordered with my burger. It was by far the smallest side salad that I have received at any food establishment. In fact, I honestly thought it was a joke. Overall, the service was amazing the food was good. There was live entertainment there that evening and the performance was good, however when the volume is such that you cannot have a conversation with the people at your table, it's a bit too loud. I must be turning into my parents.

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 got Drift Dough donuts by way of Old Abe's Coffee, and they were great! The raised donuts are…read moreunfortunately not vegan (I have an egg allergy, so I'm always on the lookout for vegan baked goods), but the cake donuts are, and they had a fun lineup of flavors when my husband and I visited. One thing to note is that the address for Drift Dough isn't the address for Old Abe's Coffee, and I am not sure if that's an address for the bakery or something, but all signs pointed towards the donut shop being inside Old Abe's, so that's where we went. I got the ube donut (the purple one), and as someone originally from Hawaii, it was really great to see ube flavor is making it out to the Midwest now! The flavor is not super strong in the donut, so if you haven't had ube before, I think this would be a nice, mild introduction. My husband got the raised Tiramisu donut, and while he liked it, it's definitely bigger than the cake donuts and was a bit too much donut and frosting for him, but your mileage may vary (I like to think my stomach has a special compartment just for donuts, because it always seems that way, LOL). We got a nice cold brew with oat milk to wash the donuts down, and we will definitely be back next time we're in town!

I will admit, I don't eat doughnuts often, but when I have the craving, this is my favorite spot. I…read morelove the large variety that, in my experience, are always fresh. You will always feel welcomed here and that you're appreciated as a customer.

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?

I was really hoping to like Don Pancho's Bakery, but the bread just was not very good. The service…read morewas okay, and it is honestly hard to find really good panaderías in Minnesota, so I had high hopes going in. I got a concha and was pretty disappointed. The flavor was very bland and the bread itself was somewhat hard, which made it seem like it had probably been sitting out for a while. The pricing also felt a bit high for what I got. Unfortunately, I do not think I would come back again.

Passing through Rochester for work and you know that means I'm going to try out any Mexican…read morebakeries on the way. Don Panchos was great on every account. The space is really bright, clean, and open with an easily navigated layout. The staff was friendly and they were having fun while joking and listening to the radio. They've got coffee and some basic lattes but mainly selling baked goods. I tried a few things and all were fantastic. The vanilla concha was insanely soft and had a nice subtle flavor without the baking soda bitterness you sometimes get. The coconut bun was my personal favorite. Same dough but with a sugar paste and coconut flake topping. One of my litmus tests is pan de feria and theirs didn't disappoint. Crazy soft with a nice, subtle sweetness. It's a hike from my house but you know I'll be back if I'm in the area. Definitely recommend if you're looking for sandwich rolls or any sweet pastries.