Sabbath Coffee Tour: Vicinity Coffee (43rd Street and Nicollet)

 After a bit of a hiatus, the Sabbath Coffee Tour returns!

This morning I held my office hours at Vicinity Coffee in South Minneapolis, at 43rd and Nicollet.  This coffee shop was formerly called Bull Run Coffee. This particular location shares a building with the corporate distributors of Sebastian Joe's ice cream. Therefore, there is always ice cream available.

Vicinity Coffee roasts their own coffee.  I sampled their delicious vanilla latte (they make their own infused simple syrup).  They also have a number of specialty lattes with colorful names like Boone's Beard, Shot in the Nuts, and Fist in the Face.  The Nicollet location also has an expansive lunch menu (the Lyndale location does not have this same option). This coffee shop serves gluten free baked goods (always a plus for me!) as well as other pastries.

The espresso is smooth, the vanilla is real, and the latte goes down easily.  I am not generally one for flavored lattes, but this one is a winner. 

The coffee shop itself maximizes the use of a small space.  There is an large table with plenty of outlets and work space in the middle of the shop.  There are smaller tables, as well as a bar, for other seating options. There is free wifi. 

There is plenty of street parking available off Nicollet on either side, but no dedicated parking lot. The working environment is pretty average. Not too loud, but not too quiet.  A good place for routine tasks, but not necessarily for tasks requiring more focus.

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Sisters' Sludge (Minneapolis)

For my latest stop on the sabbath coffee tour, I visited Sisters' Sludge Coffee in south Minneapolis. This tiny little shop (on the corner of Bloomington Ave and 46th St) is owned by three identical triplet sisters.  This shop serves beans roasted by UP Roasters  in Minneapolis.

I enjoyed a skinny latte (see picture below) during my time in this shop.  It was the perfect amount of foam, steamed milk, and espresso served in a glass mug, which is my favorite way to drink a latte. There were abundant (and fresh!) baked goods available, with muffins being pulled out of the oven while I was there.  Other snacks including yogurt, wrapped sandwiches, and oatmeal available.

This shop has numerous small tables available for seating, as well as some couches in a cozy grouping. When I first arrived, the shop was quiet, but soon filled up with neighbors enjoying each other's company.  This is clearly a neighborhood gathering place.  I was greeted warmly by the baristas when I walked in, and the baristas seem to know all of their guests by name.

This is a cozy gathering place on a very cold day.  There is free wifi, and abundant street parking, and the coffee shop is an intimate place to meet with friends.  I was doing some work while I was here, but the tables are not large enough to spread out too much. Overall, a comfortable place to chat with friends over great coffee.  There is a hot drinks menu, a cold drinks menu, a kids drinks menu and gourmet hot chocolates.

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Fireroast Cafe (Minneapolis)

For my latest stop on the Sabbath Coffee Tour, I visited Fireroast Cafe in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis (38th Street and 37th Avenue).  This neighborhood shop serves beans from UP Coffee Roasters, who roast in Minneapolis.

I ordered a Miel, because I was in the mood for something warm and sweet.  I prefer this espresso based drink because it is made with honey instead of a flavoring shot. My drink was delicious, not too sweet, not at all bitter.

I was warmly greeted by the barista who offered information about the menu.  He made my drink and brought it out to my table, which is an excellent touch of hospitality. There is a bar across the front window, plenty of tables in two different spaces, and even some booth seating.  I did not notice any outlets from where I was sitting, but I wasn't looking too hard since my computer was fully charged.  There is free wifi, and the password is available on the menu board. There is plenty of on-street parking, as this is a mostly quiet area.

There is a large food menu available, including ice cream! I was at this coffee shop around lunchtime, and lots of people were ordering sandwiches and soup. There are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options available.

I was very impressed with my miel and with the warm hospitality of this coffee shop.  It seems to be a bit loud for working, but a great place for conversation and community.

Sabbath Coffee Tour: Canteen (Minneapolis)

For today's stop on the sabbath coffee tour, I visited Canteen in  the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis. This neighborhood coffee bar serves coffees from Kickapoo, based in Wisconsin.  

I had a pour-over made with the Colombia origin roast from the Fondo Paez cooperative.  This roast is medium and is a bit tart and sweet, like a cherry.  I had my coffee with a little bit of  cream. No sugar necessary.

Canteen is set on a residential street corner, with a small parking lot in the back.  There are plenty of tables and a coffee bar. On weekends there is a toast bar, with lots of homemade nut butters and jams, made by the owner Liz.

I visited on a weekday morning, and the space was pleasant and quiet for working. There is free wi-fi and there are plenty of outlets.  In addition to toast, there is a menu of smaller pastries and yogurts available. The decor is an old camp style, with wood and pine accents, and there are picnic tables outside.

The owner, Liz, warmly welcomed me into the shop and answered all of my questions about their roasts. This is clearly a neighborhood coffee shop, as Liz knows all of her customers names.

I really enjoyed this stop on my coffee tour.  What a wonderful day to spend a snowy morning!