The Bottom Line
Pros
- Cosy atmosphere
Cons
- Service and food can be hit-or-miss
Description
- 1662 Grand Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105-1804 - Telephone 651-698-3324
- On-street parking on Grand Avenue and surrounding blocks, but watch for parking restrictions on some streets.
Guide Review - The Coffee News Cafe
A black awning leads to a Dickensian space, where dark wood and gloom dominate, but it's picked up by funky artwork, neon menus, and cheery staff and overall the ambiance is grungy but welcoming.
There's notes all over the walls. Don't abuse our wi-fi, share the tables, be nice, don't graffiti the bathroom. Are college students that bad mannered? Or perhaps some people were making themselves too much at home? Everyone there seemed to be very relaxed and occupying tables fairly.
The coffee is excellent (most of the time) or nasty (very occasionally.) There's a large food menu. The sandwiches and salads are good, fries are great, baked goods are killer. Standouts are the apple and brie panini, the greek omelette, the skinny garlic fries, and the "Killer" club sandwich.
The six-layer carrot cake, however, looks a lot more lethal. There's home baked cookies and bars if you can't face that much sugar.
If it's breakfast or lunch time, and you are near Coffee News Cafe, then definitely stop in.
