Pastry chef Shawn McKenzie’s airy, chic shop in the former Penny’s space in Linden Hills serves her much-loved treats, like Turkish bagels with labneh and za’atar, seasonal muffins, and chocolate chip tahini cookies. From the drinks menu, try Mediterranean-influenced beverages, like the ras el hanout latte, spiced with coriander, cumin, and ginger.

When Lee Carter and Caleb Garn founded Five Watt in 2014, they catalyzed the coffee-as-cocktails trend in the Twin Cities. Using the shop’s own bitters line, baristas concoct unique flavor combos like the beloved Kingfield, made with Five Watt coriander bitters and vanilla. Choose any of the four locations: Each one has a unique vibe, but all are equally welcoming.

Pow Wow Grounds has been a community gathering spot on Franklin Avenue since 2011 — it shares a space with All My Relations Arts, which showcases the work of Native American artists. The coffee is excellent, but don’t skip owner Bob Rice’s food menu. His frybread tacos are a local favorite. Rice also harvests wild rice in northern Minnesota, which he uses for his wild rice quiche and wild rice blueberry muffins.

Once home to Blue Moon Coffee Cafe, Milkweed’s periwinkle-painted shop is one of Lake Street’s best spots for a coffee break. Milkweed has everything you could ask for on a coffee menu: soul-stirring espresso, hazelnut-milk lattes, and classic cappuccinos. But the real treasure is its specialty menu, which has both coffee drinks and non-coffee, potion-like brews, like the creamy moon milk, made with ashwagandha, strawberry syrup, and rosewater.

Houston White — owner of the Houston White brand, which focuses on Black excellence — and Dogwood Coffee owner Dan Anderson have come together in the Camden neighborhood (also known as Camdentown, as White is reimagining it) to create this Black-owned, Black-led coffee shop. The sense of community is palatable here. Try the creamy sweet potato latte or a golden macchiato — baked goods from farmers market darling Quince Mpls Market are served daily.

Matchbox has its name for a reason: It’s a narrow little space wedged between a brewery and a hair salon. Order a steaming espresso, a sweet Thai coffee, or a classic drip. The shop has a cozy, intimate vibe, making it a great spot to meet a friend or cozy up in the corner with a book. When the weather’s nice, pass through the plush red curtains at the back of the store onto the patio.

Workhorse is located in the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood near University Avenue and 280, right on the Green Line. Its charms are not to be missed: Look for The Smallest Museum in St. Paul, a micro museum that hosts rotating art exhibits, built into a vintage fire-hose cabinet outside the front door. Workhorse’s house-made switchel is a local favorite during the spring and summer months.

This Highland Park coffee shop’s quirky name — which means “romantically idealistic”— reflects Quixotic Coffee’s desire to offer respite in a world full of worry, real or imagined. The nitro bar, one of the first in the Twin Cities, is reason enough to stop by. Try the dreamy Marko Polo: foamy nitro cold brew, half-and-half, and house-made caramel and vanilla syrups. 

It doesn’t get classier than Nina’s, in the heart of St. Paul’s historic Cathedral Hill. This shop has an old soul — it’s filled with nooks and crannies to nestle into, and has soaring windows that flood the space with light. Be warned, it’s hard to leave Nina’s. Come for the espresso and stay for the paninis on the dinner menu.

Instagram darling Café Astoria is a sun-filled, bustling shop that serves creamy smoothies, light daytime dishes like crepes and salads, and specialty drinks. (One favorite, the “Bee Sting,” is made with wildflower honey and bee pollen.) Co-owner Leah Raymundo’s creativity shines through on the “Secret Menu,” which features lattes and matcha pours with rainbow foam. 

What Caydence lacks in space, it makes up for in heart. Rows and rows of vinyl record bins harken back to simpler days, and cozy seating beckons customers to stay and listen to music. Sip decadent drinks like the “Polyphia,” made with peanut butter and cardamom, or the caramel creme brulee latte. The back room here comes alive at night — a lineup of local musicians creates an intimate community vibe in this Payne Avenue shop.