My experience at Kopplin’s Coffee can be described as nothing but joyful. Entering the cafe, you will be greeted by the bustling energy of young families basking in the Saturday morning sun. Throughout the shop, artists sketch quietly and small groups of friends catch up. Students breathe easily, now off campus and sufficiently caffeinated for…
Food & Drink
Ginkgo Coffeehouse: Chill local vibes, but a caffeine travesty
Are you looking for chill, down-to-earth local vibes? A location where you can find ice cream, mac and cheese and fair trade coffee all in one fell swoop? Look no further! Ginkgo coffeehouse offers everything you could want, need or aspire to want and need! This groovy coffee shop roasts its beans in our very…
Food & Drink
Café Bené: A space of warmth and soul-searching
4/5 stars for insulated sylvan dwelling space, and a cup of coffee that inspires introspection. Café Bené is located just off the 63 bus route, and provides the solace needed to accept the fact that it is nearly April and still not above 35 degrees. Feeling the chill, I came into the shop craving something…
Food & Drink
French Meadow: A close café for all Macalester students
3/5 stars for decent coffee, but bereft of charm and lack of atmosphere. This week, I didn’t want to travel far for my coffee column, but I did want to be somewhere warm after weeks of relentless winter. Thus I found myself wandering hopefully towards French Meadow Bakery & Café. Its name promised the warmth…
Food & Drink
The J&S Bean Factory: Midwestern gem with intriguing drinks
The J&S Bean Factory is a hidden gem nestled at the intersection of Randolph and Saratoga. Beautiful wood flooring, chairs and accents paired with floor to ceiling windows provide natural light, and a comfy cabin-like atmosphere out of the cold. Upon entering, it is noteworthy that local crafts are on display for sale, further contributing…
Food & Drink
Follow the Grinds: Vicinity Coffee is spacious, quirky, overrated
This Saturday, after spending most of spring break blissfully neglectful of my upcoming assignments, I decided to find a cozy coffee shop in which to at least attempt to get work done. My sister and I decided on the Lyndale Vicinity Coffee Bar, as we wanted to try somewhere new and were staying at our…
Food & Drink, Uncategorized
Follow the grinds: Quixotic Coffee offers a spin on the basics
From the exterior, Quixotic Coffee looks like nothing more than a mediocre café in need of remodeling. But step inside and you will find yourself in a trendy hipster paradise. The extensive coffee menu is written on a chalkboard on the wall adjacent to a shelf of growlers for the on-tap kombucha and nitrogen-infused cold…
Food & Drink
Café Mac Hacks: seasonal drinks for all occasions and weather
Fall is upon us. We all love the colorful trees, the crunch of leaves underfoot and the abundance of apples, pumpkins and cinnamon. However, the new nip in the air might be a shock to some of us. That is why we need to harvest the resources that Café Mac offers in order to make…
Café Kos with Dubie, Food & Drink
Café Kos with Dubie: God bless the Shish mocha!
About two weeks ago I met my friend Asra Nizami on Grand Avenue, right outside Avalon, with a coffee cup in hand. Like a true coffeeholic, my eyes were drawn to the hot steam rising from her cup. She must have noticed me staring lustfully at the coffee and offered, “I just grabbed a mocha…
Food & Drink
Cup of Joe with the Joes – Lattes at Grand Central: too sweet for our tastes
Heather’s Take Iced Vanilla Nut Bliss I am an iced coffee and iced latte aficionado. I rarely meet an iced coffee that I don’t like, and I say this with experience. Since freshman year of high school I have been an avid coffee drinker, having a DIY home iced coffee every morning when I don’t…