A small but mighty coffee shop on the west side of Saint Paul. The menu is nice with a little bit…read morefor everyone. I tried the Lemon Bar Latte and it was AMAZINGLY good! It was smooth and not overly sweet. I also tried the French Toast Breakfast Sandwich and it was quite good. Total was a little over $$22 for the two items and a 20% tip. Free street parking available. They are also doing great things for the community and that is worth so much more than great coffee and breakfast sandwiches.

Totally forgot how close I live to this spot! Backstory Coffee was the perfect little stop before…read moreheading to the MN Yacht Club Music Festival with my bestie. We rolled in a little before 1:00 PM and had no trouble finding easy street parking (huge win!). The vibe inside? Mixed. While the space was cute, relaxed and inviting, the service was... not so much. The guy at the front counter barely looked up from his screen, and let's just say, enthusiasm wasn't on the menu. Definitely not the warm welcome we hoped for and very unfortunate. BUT--shoutout to my bestie for treating us to a coffee date, because the drinks were solid. I had the piña colada cold brew, which was super sweet at first, but after a quick stir, it hit just right. My bestie went with the strawberries & cream cold brew and a matcha lemonade. Both were surprisingly good, but the matcha lemonade really stood out to me; so refreshing and unique. All in all, Backstory was a convenient and tasty pre-concert stop. If the service matched the drinks, this would've easily been a 5-star visit.

I ended up at this coffee bar after a little digging. I learned that Curioso Coffee Bar's approach…read moreto sourcing beans was shaped by the founder's time in Panama, where he roasted his own coffee using beans sourced directly from local producers and sold at his café. I know firsthand that coffee is king in Panama, so I figured anything inspired by their incredible coffee culture had to be worth trying. I visited Curioso on an early Sunday morning and immediately found it special. Not just for its coffee, but for the ambiance, service, and overall vibe. Curioso is a large, welcoming space that's part coffee bar, part brewery. I was immediately impressed by the variety of entertainment for all ages: arcade games, pool tables, dart boards, a skee-ball machine, board games, and even claw machines. Seating options are abundant, from cozy couches to tables and high-tops. There's a toddler play area and a library filled with books for all ages. The space feels family-friendly and is warm, welcoming community gathering space for all. I noticed flyers for free community events Curioso hosts, like Sunday Morning Yoga and Tuesday Trivia nights. The service was equally warm! The barista, although managing a busy Sunday morning solo, took her time to explain coffee options, highlight weekly specials with her own recommendations, and describe the pastries in partnership with Fruit & Grain and Bagels from St. Paul Bagelry. Oat milk is the standard for all their drinks! (Which I loved) We tried two speciality lattes: the "Butter Luck Next Year" (iced) and the "Blue Ribbon Peach Pie" (hot). Both were exceptional! Strong, robust, and delicious. Alongside, we also enjoyed an "Everything" handpie and a "Blueberry Lemon Curd" pop tart. Both pastries were out of this world delicious! I loooooved this pairing. I'm a sucker for savory, so the "Everything" handpie reigned supreme for me. Although I don't have a fur-baby (yet), I would like to include that Curioso is fur-friendly. I'm looking forward to returning several more times!

I visited Curioso recently as part of my 'Sip Scouter' coffee passport book…read more Knocking off just one star because the barista didn't know anything about this coffee passport book (but also giving them benefit of the doubt as they may have been new) and it seemed to take a bit for my drink even though the place was empty. I ordered one of their seasonal specials--the banana cream pie latte. It was very good. The ambiance was OK. Smaller seating area and located in a strip mall. Although my drink was good it wasn't necessarily something to write home about. I might come here again if in the area and in need of a coffee, but probably not a place I will necessarily seek out.

It is a tight space. The service was amazing and I really enjoyed the coffee. They clearly have…read morequality beans to get such a rich brew.

Nice little internet café. Efficient use of limited space. Good seating, lots of outlets, ok wifi…read more Good coffee, some tea, a few bakery items. Parking. Food Good, service quick and nice, ambiance fairly intimate.

We have used their product exclusively for several years and enjoy the variety of rich, wonderfully…read moretasting coffee.

I only drink decaf and finding good decaf is a chore. Thankfully, my sister told me about Jeremy at…read morethe Roastery! Best decaf ever. Moved to Seattle (yes, the coffee mecca) and still have coffee shipped in every month.

I visited Up Coffee before work Friday morning and got the iced black salted caramel latte as well…read moreas tried a matcha with pumpkin syrup and oat milk. This place has a casual local coffee shop feel that has both indoor and outdoor seating. Although it was fairly busy at the time I visited, service was still relatively fast. I particularly liked my latte drink because you could taste the unique salted caramel flavor without it being muted with the espresso and milk. The flavor came through clear and I would definitely order it again. Additionally, I liked how they had a rotating seasonal menu. I would visit again to try some drinks on their "Trick or Treat" menu.

I went right when they opened at 8 am on a Sunday's morning. Small parking lot, but plenty of…read morestreet options. We got our order to go and were in and out in less than 10 minutes. Food 4/5: we got the breakfast sandwich (sausage,egg,cheese,spinach on a croissant) and plain bagels. The breakfast sandwich was well seasoned and flavor balanced and I'd absolutely come back for! The bagel didn't seem the most fresh, but they did have other pasties I'd try. I also got the cold brew with maple syrup and a splash of milk and would absolutely come back for! Service 5/5: the ladies that helped me were so nice and helped answer all of my questions. The food/drink was made quickly. Ambiance 5/5: this place has plenty of seating inside and out and has a more cozy aesthetic. Definitely worth a try if you're on the neighborhood! I love that they have more than just pastry options for breakfast and we will definitely be back.

This shop has a talented coffee roaster. Probably the best in the city…read more I usually buy five pounds at a time. Also, the Midtown Market offers other interesting features and easy parking. Clark Griffith

On the way home from a Vikings game, my friends and I decided to stop and get some java to start…read morethe road trip back. We found this place was close to our Airbnb so we decided to give it a shot. It was a tad hard to find as it was in a building with a global market, but everything else was closed. We just didn't know where to enter the building. Oh well, not a big deal at all. We go in, see it immediately, and step up to the counter to place our orders. The woman at the counter was super nice and patient as we looked at all of the possibilities. They have homemade chai mix so I had to try it. It was really good! I was pleasantly surprised. This was a great coffee shop that I would definitely go back to.

Quixotic is such a cute little coffee shop in St Paul. I fell in love with it when I was in grad…read moreschool. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Plenty of space to read, study, or catch up with a friend. The baristas were all super friendly. I love their fall seasonal menu right now. I also appreciate how many decaf options they have! My husband always orders a vanilla latte whenever we go to a coffee shop, hot or cold depending on the season. I ordered the decaf pumpkin latte cold brew. Their flavors are so so good! Not synthetic/fake tasting like some others. The shop is located in a great spot where you can easily take your coffee and walk around the area. Or you can drive a few minutes down the road and explore Hidden Falls along the river. Highly recommend this spot!

We've been travelling around the Cities to try new coffeeshops and the latest trip was to Quixotic!…read more Cute and buzzing coffeeshop was filled with energy on our Saturday morning trip! There was a small line but it moved quickly. There are some tables and booths for small to medium groups, but they fill up fast! We were lucky to snag one! Staff was quick and efficient at taking our orders and getting everything out to us! Enjoyed a latte and a breakfast sandwich on this trip, and both were delicious! Super solid coffee shop for those in the area needing that caffeine boost!

We have been to Curioso Coffee several times and have enjoyed it. They are located in the same…read morebuilding as Broken Clock Brewery and there is a lot of space. There are pinball machines if you enjoy that. The coffee is very good and we love that we can bring our dog. There is also a patio out back, but we haven't been out there. Street parking, which can always be a challenge. The building is handicapped friendly, but there would be a curb between your car and the building.

Love this place. They have fantastic coffee options and the fact that it is housed in Broken Clock…read moremakes it an easy drink alternative for those who don't want beer. I had the ginger turmeric beer which was tasty. I look forward to trying a specialty coffee drink in the future here.