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?