The Sprudge Guide To Coffee In Minneapolis For 2023

No one would ever mistake the city of Minneapolis for a coffee producing region. But here in Minnesota, be it on a shady patio in the summer or inside the a cozy cafe as the snow falls in winter, this city is home to a love of coffee that spans cultures and traditions.The coffee culture in Minneapolis is in a constant state of evolution as new people immigrate to the city, sharing their traditions and recipes, and learning from one another. There’s the Swedish egg coffee served in church basements, Vietnamese iced coffee, cafe de olla poured from steaming pots, and numerous African espresso bars. Alongside these traditional methods of preparation there’s also a collection of cafes focused on high-quality coffees, drawing on the past and pushing the industry forward.Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota and shares the banks of the Mississippi River with St. Paul, the state’s capitol. There’s a long history of coffee here, from a giant instant coffee plant that supplied the U.S. Military during World War I, to Peace Coffee, who helped pioneer a more ethical approach when they opened in 1996, and remain popular and influential today. Add to that the internationally noteworthy green coffee importer Cafe Imports, and roaster manufacturer Mill City Roasters, and there’s clearly no shortage of expertise to draw on.It’s always worth a visit to Spyhouse or Dogwood, two of the city’s largest and oldest specialty coffee companies. Both roast their own beans and are well-known throughout the city, with multiple locations to choose from. But there’s also a group of smaller shops with their own approaches to coffee, forging unique independent identities that reflect the wider culture—and cross-pollination of cultures—that makes Minneapolis what it is today.