Address: 769 Cleveland Ave S Saint Paul, MN 55116
Coffee roaster: Bootstrap Coffee Roasters
B's brew: 12oz con miel w/ Autumnwood Farms organic whole milk
C's brew: 12oz con miel w/ Autumnwood Farms organic whole milk
Tunes played: Mahalia Jackson, Billie Holiday, Santo & Jonny, Amy Winehouse, Ernestine Anderson
Website: quixoticcoffee.com
Leaving Chicago for Minneapolis in the middle of winter isn't always ideal. When you have a new nephew to meet, though, the quick flight to colder temps is definitely worth it. We stayed at The Grand Hotel downtown Minneapolis, and split our time between there and St. Paul. It was a perfect weekend for overdue family time. We had read a lot of good things about Quixotic, and we managed to sneak away from family for a quick 30 minute visit before they closed.
The staff was so friendly, especially Kirstin who was sincerely excited for our new blog and even gave us a list of other coffee shops to try! We told the baristas that we love getting coffee in the Twin Cities because of the Cafe Miel, or Cafe Con Miel that is oftentimes on the menu. We explained that you won't find the word "miel" on coffee shop menus in Chicago. Little did we know that it is just the French word for honey. I read somewhere that said a Cafe Miel "is basically the liquid version of the world's best graham cracker". I would have to agree 100%.
Aside from the friendly staff and our delicious Cafes Con Miel, the atmosphere was lovely. Even though our visit was short, we spent 15 minutes sitting in the window admiring the abnormally quiet street and the Highland theater across the way. After a few of the patrons left, we were able to slip into a cozy wood booth to finish up our drinks. Our visit ended with the baristas sharing with us their enthusiasm for Quixotic. They wanted us to know everything that makes them such a wonderful shop. For instance, the milk they use is organic, and comes from a local farm!
