10 Best Cafes In St. Paul, Minnesota

cafes in st paul
Maria Cristina
Maria Cristina 
Published
| 5 min read

St. Paul, the Twin Cities’ other half, is Minnesota’s state capital and Ramsey’s county seat. This popular neighbor of Minneapolis is the 11th-most populated city in the Midwest and 63rd-largest in America. It sits on the Mississippi River’s east side where it converges with the Minnesota River, making it the largest city of the state with the longest shoreline. The town established near the Dakota Sioux settlements grew into one of the flourishing commercial centers with its own right. Today, you can find headquarters of Fortune 500 companies, several specialized firms, huge local businesses, and small industries established in the city. Known for the first tavern established by Pierre Parrant, the town is now a city of neighborhoods where coffee shops abound. Scroll down to see the best cafes in St. Paul, Minnesota.

1. Kopplin's Coffee

Capuccino - panoramioBest Cafes In St. Paul, Minnesota
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Manuel Gomez Ruano used under CC BY-SA 3.0

This family-owned cafe is in St. Paul’s Merriam Park Area, where coffee addicts and locals converge in a relaxing and harmonious atmosphere. Though they focus on maintaining the high quality of their house-roasted beans, they still abide by the traditional way of coffee preparation in European-style cafes. In the tradition of making your coffee experience exceptional, the owners have practiced the elimination of the tip jar and increased their employee’s wages significantly instead. They get their supplies from local organic farmers and a certified organic Midwest dairy. Their menu straightforwardly reflects the price plus tax and gratuity. Now that’s something you can raise your espresso to.

Kopplin's Coffee

Address: 2038 Marshall Avenue St. Paul, MN 55104

Website: Kopplin’s Coffee

Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 7am - 8pm; Mon - Fri: 6am - 8pm

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2. Workhorse Coffee Bar

coffee
Source: Photo by Flickr user Camila Tamara Sil... used under CC BY-SA 2.0

At the confluence of Raymond Avenue and University Avenue West is a coffee bar that offers the best tasting coffee in the neighborhood and a relaxing space where you can chill with friends. The delicious coffee and tea concoctions paired with mouthwatering pastries and desserts can make the short walk from the parking lot on Territorial Road worth it. Workhorse is also famous for its SMSP (Smallest Museum in St. Paul) that hangs beside the entryway. In a glass-enclosed square case are the tiniest items on exhibit. They also sell merchandise such as drinkware and apparel so you can treasure your visit.

Workhorse Coffee Bar

Address: 2399 University Ave W. Saint Paul, Minnesota 55114

Website: Workhorse Coffee Bar

Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 8am - 1pm; Mon - Wed, Fri: 7am - 2pm (closed on Thu)

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3. Dogwood Coffee Bar

coffee
Source: Photo by Flickr user Fil.Al used under CC BY 2.0

Dogwood Coffee Bar has been serving the community since 2010 their premium choice coffee beans sourced from over 150 partners from 20 states. Their trademark coffee bags feature a dog wearing a bull cap holding a mug with the coffee variant printed on it. These bags of coffee are prepared professionally and with the utmost care using same-day roasting procedures. They make sure they ship out your orders in a timely manner. That’s why they are the preferred suppliers of stores, offices, bakeries, and restaurants. They also sell Marc Heu Patisserie pastries, their famous coffee concoctions, salads, snacks, and bottled beverages. They have three outlets in Minnesota. With their St. Paul cafe, you can only order for pickup at the branch or for curbside pickup.

Dogwood Coffee Bar

Address: 825 Carleton Street St. Paul, MN 55114

Website: Dogwood Coffee Bar

Opening hours: Sun: 9am - 4pm; Mon - Sat: 8am - 4pm

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4. Amore Coffee

Banana bread
Source: Photo by Flickr user Sandip Bhattacharya used under CC BY 2.0

This coffee shop is not just your typical cafe that is open for dine-in and curbside pickup. They are open every day to serve their signature coffee blends and delicious food that brings their community together. For breakfast and lunch, their menu is filled with a wide selection of soups, salads, sandwiches, snacks, and bakery items. It also includes a gluten-free menu and traditional and sugar-free flavorings for their house blends. Their lovely dining space in the corner of Annapolis and Smith is modern and cozy for meetings and meetups. Every Friday and Saturday, customers can enjoy live entertainment with the performance of an acoustic singer or a small band.

Amore Coffee

Address: 879 Smith Ave S. West St. Paul MN 55118

Website: Amore Coffee

Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 8am - 2pm; Mon - Fri: 6am - 2pm

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5. Spyhouse Coffee

Spyhouse Coffee
Source: Photo by Flickr user Daniel X. O'Neil used under CC BY 2.0

Spyhouse is a community cafe that collaborates with local farmers and suppliers in providing exceptional coffees, food, and services. The owners established a business that can provide employment in an amicable environment with decent wages and benefits. Their fifth cafe, which is their first in St. Paul, is in an old building rich with history. They aim to carry the tradition of providing good coffee and services to the nearby residents and schools while providing a fun and safe place for them to gather. They use eco-friendly and sustainable materials and procedures in their daily operations. You can order their coffee online on a wholesale basis, and they can ship it out on schedule four times a week.

Spyhouse Coffee

Address: 420 Snelling Ave S, St Paul, MN 55105

Website: Spyhouse Coffee

Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 7am - 7pm; Mon - Fri: 6am - 7pm

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6. Claddagh Coffee

apple pie
Source: Photo by Flickr user Phil Denton used under CC BY-SA 2.0

In Ireland, Claddagh represents the symbol of love, loyalty, and friendship. It is the appropriate name for the dream coffee shop of Mary Hogan-Bard, the owner. Since the first cafe opened in 2011, Claddagh has dedicated itself to serving the community with the best coffee, food, and camaraderie. Their soups, salads, paninis, and baked goods are made fresh with organic ingredients served with their specialty coffees. Pre-Covid times, you can enjoy all these with your friends and family in the cozy brick-lined cafe on 7th St. Currently, the dining area is temporarily closed. However, orders can be served through their walk-up window.

Claddagh Coffee

Address: 459 7th St W, St Paul, MN 55102, United States

Website: Claddagh Coffee

Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 8am - 2pm; Mon - Fri: 6:30am - 2pm

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7. Groundswell

Coffee and waffles
Source: Pixabay

Built in 2009, the cafe aimed to unite its neighbors under one roof by providing delicious drinks and fantastic food. It was literally built with the help of friends from their monetary contributions and voluntary labor. They provided a space where local artists can exhibit their paintings and musicians can play for free while customers sipped high-quality roasted coffee. They expanded in 2013 by adding a kitchen, bakery, and included more items on their menu. They currently serve breakfast, lunch, kids’ menu, bakery items, and sides. Dining in is on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservations required. A 24-hour notice is needed for coffee and catering requests.

Groundswell

Address: 1340 Thomas Ave St. Paul, MN 55104

Website: Groundswell

Opening hours: Wed - Sun: 7am - 1pm (closed from Mon - Thu)

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8. Swede Hollow Cafe

Quiche
Source: Photo by Flickr user Katrin Gilger used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Swede Hollow Cafe is one of the friendliest cafes in the neighborhood. Most of the customers and crew know each other by name. Each day, everyone is excited about the new item the chef adds to the menu. Aside from the freshly baked quiche, scones, cinnamon rolls, and sandwiches that are all-time favorites, they are also famous for their freshly brewed coffee and handcrafted drinks. Their large menu extends up to lunchtime, guaranteeing no one can go hungry in this cafe. Enjoy your first meal of the day out on their patio with the calming sound of a water fountain and an awesome view of the cityscape.

Swede Hollow Cafe

Address: 725 E 7th St, St Paul, MN 55106, United States

Website: Swede Hollow Cafe

Opening hours: Sat - Sun: 8am - 2pm; Mon - Fri: 9am - 2pm

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9. JS Bean Factory

coffee beans
Source: Pixabay

JS Bean Factory is an autonomously owned coffee shop operating since 2001. They roast their coffee beans to perfection on site with their Probat 25-kilo (55-pound) roaster. Their coffee comes from different countries so each has a distinctive flavor profile. They roast three variants of coffee daily; two regular flavors and one decaf from different nations. They can still brew your preferred coffee flavor if it’s off the menu by making you an individual cup. You can also try their specialty concoctions such as the iced drinks and the Growler. They are open daily for dine-in customers, curbside pickups, and deliveries to anywhere in the United States. A minimum purchase of 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) of coffee is required for delivery within a 5-mile (8-kilometer) range every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

JS Bean Factory

Address: 1518 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105

Website: JS Bean Factory

Opening hours: 7am - 3pm (daily)

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10. Nina's Coffee Cafe

Nina's Coffee Cafe
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Michael Hicks used under CC BY 2.0

This iconic cafe is located in Cathedral Hill on the ground floor of a Victorian-era building. It’s a spacious cafe with exposed brick-lined walls and vintage interiors updated with a fresh coat of paint. This cozy space is filled with bistro tables and seats perfect for intimate dates, sofa seating for meeting up with friends, and a second-floor dining area for a little more privacy when meeting with colleagues. They also have an outdoor patio area so you can have coffee al fresco with street views. Enjoy their gourmet coffee, bottled beverages, and bakery items.

Nina's Coffee Cafe

Address: 165 Western Avenue N St. Paul, MN 55102

Website: Nina’s Coffee Cafe

Opening hours: 6:30am - 4pm (daily)

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An extraordinary coffee experience

The cafes in St. Paul offer a diversity of coffee flavors, foods, ambiance, and history that can make your coffee experience an extraordinary one. Be sure to include at least one of the best cafes in St. Paul, Minnesota, in your itinerary when traveling to Twin Cities.

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Tina is a free-spirited writer and traveler. She likes to experience unfamiliar places, cuisines, and scenery. She prefers beaches to mountains though as she is afraid of heights. Visiting museums,...Read more

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