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 and the orange cardamom latte.

If you’ve been in a bit of a latte rut lately, head over Misfit for a shake up. Try a whiskey-influenced coffee “cocktail”  — the “Whiskyoto” features Kyoto coffee brewed with whisky barrel chips, burnt sugar, sweet corn, and black pepper. Find the Misfit trailer around Minneapolis for a taste of the lavender plum latte or the cold brew colada.

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.

This coffee shop is gorgeous — a dreamy vignette of plants, glowing signage, and wooden swings. Fairgrounds might be forgiven if they slacked on their menu offerings, considering the build-it-for-the-gram-and-they-will-come mentality nowadays. But the entire menu is top-notch, with unique drinks like Power Flower milk tea elixir or a cherry cordial cortado.

What do auto repair and coffee have in common? Not much, but that didn’t stop the owners of Good Carma Auto Repair from opening an adorable cafe in an empty building across the street from their repair shop. Matching the customer-focused ethos of the auto shop, Carma is bright and cheerful year round, making it an ideal spot to hang out while your car gets a tune up. Try a chai latte or a cold brew blended with ice cream.

Dogwood’s insistence on sourcing from small farmers and co-ops pays off in luscious, well-executed pours: Try the spumoni latte, made with pistachio sugar crumble and cherry, or a rich cortado. Each of the three Dogwood shops features clean, modern lines and simple decor —  the newest addition in Northeast Minneapolis has a vast patio with an industrial urban vibe.

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, a vinegar-based drink, 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 lined with 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 specialty drinks (like the “Bee Sting,” made with wildflower honey and bee pollen), creamy smoothies, and light daytime dishes like crepes and salads. 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 indulgent 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.