Chris:
There are a bunch of reasons why working in the software industry can be fun, but one of my favorites is that most of the time, I can get my job done with nothing more than a laptop, a cell phone, and an Internet connection. As a result, I spend a fair amount of my time working from cafes, coffeeshops, and other local hangouts.
The Twin Cities has a great selection of locally-owned, indepenent places that provide a variety of options for a nice workday atmosphere. When I was recently back in the Bay Area, my friend said he couldn't even think of a coffeeshop in his town that wasn't a Starbucks! What sadness! Here, with so many options, I tend to gravitate toward places that offer a combination of good food, drinks, and a workable atmosphere. So Minnesotans, here's my list of workday haunts, in all its glory:
Birchwood Cafe -- If I'm feeling like a great lunch or even better baked goods, this is my place. Or even if I just want to feel... happy! There's something about going to Birchwood that is uplifting; maybe it's the friendly staff, the community newsletter, the devoted patrons, or the checkerboard floor. Whatever it is, the food is high quality, the menu rotates weekly, the desserts change daily, and the Wi-Fi is reliable. Pros: Best food, wide variety of baked goods, lively and friendly atmosphere, usually good music. Cons: Can be crowded, only a few outlets, food prices a little too high for daily visits, lunch can be packed with folks anxiously looking at your table.
Common Roots Cafe -- A newcomer to the rotation, Common Roots Cafe is just down the street from the Wedge, and always seems packed with the inhabitants of its youthful surrounding neighborhood, poking away at their laptops and reading textbooks. Perhaps it is the low prices, large drinks, or simply the location, but students have really taken to this place since it opened earlier this year. The food is mostly organic, sustainable, and vegetarian-friendly, although the options are a bit limited. Baked goods are in a similar boat. Coffee drinks are relatively cheap, and oversized. You can sit for a while sipping your large latte, but that extra size means that the coffee flavor tends to be more diluted than at other locales. Homemade bagels are a big thing at Common Roots, but being from New Jersey I don't find them especially interesting. Pros: Lots of seating with outlets, parking, pretty good snacks, great music, hippe & urban vibe, reservable private room, very worker-friendly. Cons: Not for the coffee purist.
Java Jack's / Rustica -- Talk about a dynamic duo. Java Jacks and Rustica share the same space, but are different entities. Good thing, too, because they both really shine at what they do. Let's start with the coffee. Jack's just got a fancy new machine, and a few of the baristas there are top notch. We're talking latte art here, folks. The beans are generally better than most of the places on this list, with the exception of Kopplin's. The only ding is that every once in a while I encounter a new(er) barista whose coffee drinks aren't quite up to that of the others. On to Rustica. Well, what can I say, other than the fact that it is probably what I would call the best classic bakery in the Twin Cities. Their French pastries and breads are considered some of the closest in the area to those of France, with all their buttery, flakey freshness. They make the only pain de sucre that I know of; here they simply call it a "brioche bun." And their chocolate cookie is deep and rich, when you need that extra kick of cocoa to go with your caffeine. Pros: Amazing pastries, above average coffee drinks, outdoor space in the summer, good light. Cons: Wi-Fi sometimes unreliable, seating not super-comfortable, limited (non pastry) food options, slightly older crowd.
Blue Moon Cafe -- Blue Moon wins on one front: outlets. There are more outlets per seat here than anyplace I know. The ratio of outlets to seats might even be greater than 1. Blue Moon is also a pretty eclectic place, which can provide a nice change every once in a while. One thing that particularly bugs me here, though, is that the double latte is served in a pint glass. This thing gets so hot that you literally can't pick it up for 20 minutes. That, plus it means it's large enough to be too diluted for my taste. Still, this place is designed to be pretty work-friendly -- although it's small enough that you might start feeling conspicuous after a few hours. Pros: power, welcoming atmosphere, good music. Cons: lack of snacks, pint glass lattes, location.
Kopplin's -- If you're a coffee afficionado, Kopplin's will basically be your favorite place in the Twin Cities. With a selection of rotating beans, impeccably pulled coffee drinks, organic milks, impressive latte art, expert baristas, and even a mini-library filled with books about coffee, Kopplin's drinks will be so good that they will actually distract you from your work -- they're that good. In fact, Kopplin's is apprently owner of the only commercial Clover machines in Minnesota, for single-cup artisan drip coffee. These guys are coffee nerds -- they even have a coffee blog. I think my favorite blog post is the one where he talks to the farmers about how the type of grass the cows are eating is affecting the changes he recently noticed in the foaming of his milk. WOW. This could be intimidating to some, but this place is actually super-friendly, warm, and provides a variety of drink options to keep you caffeinated throughout the day. Not options in the sense of "triple grande caramel macchiato," but rather "cappuccino with these beans... or with these beans... or with these beans, oh, but can you try changing the tamp pressure this time?" Now get this -- they have a new bakery case filled with pastries fresh from... Rustica! The one-two punch of coffee and pastries. What's holding me back? Uhh, location. And space. It's actually kinda small. So it's perfect when I'm in the neighborhood, or if I just want to stop in for a short time. But probably not the best all-day option. Pros: The pinnacle of coffee in the state. Warm space. Amazing pastries. Devoted following of coffee nerds. Cons: Middle-of-St.-Paul-location, no (non-pastry) food, small space.
Turtle Bread Company -- Turtle Bread is always a pretty good bet. It probably doesn't win on any particular front, but it's reliable and generally is good at all of the key metrics. If I feel like a sandwich, this is where I head; anything on their striato makes a great lunch option. They have possibly the widest variety of desserts, notably their excellent blueberry rhubarb pie when in season. Coffee drinks are mostly reliable but nothing special. Two locations guarantee that I'm not too far from the Turtle if I'm anywhere in the Southwest metro. Both spots have only a few outlets -- notably the Chicago Ave spot -- but the side room off the Linden Hills location provides both privacy and quiet if that's the desired atmosphere. Pros: Best sandwich options, good desserts, wide variety of food and drink choices, two locations, quiet (Linden Hills). Cons: very few outlets, sometimes too bright to work (Chicago Ave), relatively few other laptop workers, awkward tables (Chicago Ave).
Dunn Bros -- Yes, it's a chain, but that's the heart of its advantage: location, location, location. No matter where I am in the cities, there is always a Dunn Bros somewhere nearby, with all its free Wi-Fi goodness. I can't believe that Starbucks still charges for this! Besides, Dunn's is locally owned, so it doesn't *quite* count as a chain. Plus, each one has a different vibe anyway. Pros: Many locations, generally friendly and neighborhoody. Cons: Snack options vary by location; unpredictable coffee (each location roasts its own), sometimes too bitter.
Here are a few that are on the "standby" list if I'm in the neighborhood or don't need an Internet connection -- but I don't often seek them out specifically for working:
- Moose & Sadie's -- Pros: Good downtown option when necessary. Good desserts and coffee drinks, hippie and energetic vibe. Cons: Wi-Fi turned off during lunchtime. Must pay for parking.
- Riverview Cafe -- Pros: Unique location. Cons: Weird space, too open, kind of a turnoff for me. Kids can be loud there.
- Lucia's Bakery -- No Wi-Fi. Not enough seating. Super crowded during lunch. Oh, but it's soo good, I still take my laptop there if I don't need Internet and am going during off-hours. Yeah, it's a stretch.
- Yum! -- Pros: Friendly staff, fun coffee bar seating, good pastries, easy parking, quiet back room. Cons: No Wi-Fi, uncomfortable stools, few outlets, Bodum coffee cups.
- Gigi's -- Great snacks and desserts, good food, good coffee drinks, enough seating, warm and lively space, so it would be perfect except... no Wi-Fi the last time I checked.
- Urban Bean -- Didn't like the snacks here the last time I tried them. Very worker-friendly space, though -- good desks and outlets. If I'm this close to Rustica / Jack's, I usually just drive the extra few blocks.
- Spyhouse
- Wilde Roast Cafe
- Sebastian Joe's
