Whether you want a meet-up with friends or some quality time with a good book, a coffee shop near Minneapolis homes for sale or St. Paul homes for sale is always the right choice. Our real estate agents share their favorite local coffee shops for a morning jump-start or a midday pick-me-up.

Top Coffee Shops Around the Twin Cities

Backstory Coffee Roasters - Minneapolis, MN

Address: 528 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55401

Customers keep returning to Backstory Coffee Roasters for the relaxing ambiance as much as for the first-rate beverages. As one online reviewer put it, the airy and elegant interior is "way too gorgeous" to be a coffee shop.

Be sure to try one of the seasonal specialty drinks:

• Pumpkin butter flat white
• Caramel apple matcha
• Blue cranberry espresso tonic

Hours are 7 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.

Five Watt Coffee - Minneapolis, MN

Address: 3745 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55409

Expand your caffeine horizons with a visit to Five Watt Coffee. Their complex, creative drinks use house-made syrups and unusual ingredients such as bitters, sea salt, and spices.

Take a look at what's in the Pumpkin Spice Lawsuit:

• Real pumpkin puree
• House-made cinnamon bitters and cinnamon whipped cream
• Whimsical secret ingredient described as a "pending lawsuit" from you-know-who

Five Watt Coffee is open seven days a week from 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

Spyhouse Coffee Roasters - Minneapolis, MN

Address: 945 Broadway St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

If you take your coffee with a side of social conscience, stop by Spyhouse Coffee Roasters. As part of their Gender Equity Project, the company develops quality sources with women producers, paying a gender-equity premium on top of the generous initial price.

Pair your drink with a tasty selection from the food menu, such as:

• Carbonara egg strata
• Brown butter doughnut
• Piccolo pastrami sandwich

Doors are open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.

FRGMNT Coffee - Minneapolis, MN

Address: 1011 S. Washington Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55415

Coffee shops are often small, intimate places, but FRGMNT Coffee co-owners Ben Banse and Sarah Roehl developed a creative footprint for their shops. Each is located in a shared lobby within a busy building, allowing them to take advantage of the spacious surroundings and varied decor.

FRGMNT's name is an abbreviated from of the word "fragment," meaning "part of the whole," to highlight their role within:

• Neighborhood
• Industry
• Community
• World

Hours are 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m.-6 p.m. weekends.

Café Astoria - St. Paul, MN

Address: 180 Grand Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102

In the mood for something different? Café Astoria features a beverage menu to cover all tastes. They even offer several ice cream flavors to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Here are just a few of the available options:

• Peanut butter burst smoothie
• Mango matcha frappe
• Lemon boom fresh fruit tea

Café Astoria is open seven days a week from 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

Quixotic Coffee - St. Paul, MN

Address: 769 Cleveland Ave. S., St. Paul, MN 55116

Yes, the literary allusion in the name of Quixotic Coffee is intentional. On one hand, the definition of "quixotic" is "romantically idealistic," much like Don Quixote himself. The shop is also designed to help you escape the "giants" of everyday concerns that can be as intimidating as Don Quixote's legendary windmills.

Quixotic Coffee is open seven days a week from 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

Planning Your Next Coffee Stop in the Twin Cities

Which Minneapolis coffee shops offer creative specialty drinks?

Five Watt Coffee is especially known for inventive drinks made with house-made syrups, bitters, spices, and other unexpected ingredients. Backstory Coffee Roasters also offers rotating seasonal specialties.

Where can I find a coffee shop in St. Paul with more than standard coffee drinks?

Café Astoria has a broad menu that includes smoothies, matcha drinks, frappes, fresh fruit teas, and other options beyond traditional coffee.

Which Twin Cities coffee shops have a distinctive atmosphere?

Backstory Coffee Roasters, FRGMNT Coffee, and Quixotic Coffee each offer a setting that stands out, from spacious interiors to shared-building spaces and literary-inspired design.

See What's Brewing Around the Twin Cities

Life in the Twin Cities is so vibrant that it's sometimes referred to as "the Mini Apple." Call today to learn more.