South Minneapolis Coffee Shops, Ranked on Everything Except Coffee

I’m a coffee addict. I’m also a coffee agnostic. 

Every day, I take the bus to one of my favorite south Minneapolis coffee shops. I order an identical 16-oz. medium brew with a dash of oat milk, locate the table closest to the window, open my laptop, and click-clack away on the week’s writing projects.

While I’ve never noticed what my coffee tastes like (I swear it's all the same), I’m exceedingly opinionated about the coffee shops I frequent. What follows is my attempt to rank my favorite south Minneapolis coffee shops, based on my rigorous criteria of: 

1. Vibes (hanging out): good spot for chatting with friends?
2. Vibes (grinding): good spot for locking-in?
3. Music: an objective analysis.
4. Affordability: based on the price of 16-oz. drip coffee. 
5. Gluten-free food options: I have IBS.
6. Accessibility (disability access): can people with mobility disabilities access the space?
7. Accessibility (public transit): based on Metro Transit maps of frequent service and regular bus lines within a 10-minute walk.

9. Code Blu Coffee: 14/25
2620 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis 

1. Vibes (hanging out): 2/5
2. Vibes (grinding): 5/5
3. Music: 1.5/3
4. Affordability: 3/3
5. Gluten-free food options: 0.5/3
6. Accessibility (disability access): 1.5/3
7. Accessibility (public transit): 2/3

Overlooking Franklin Avenue in Seward, Code Blu is a charming, minimalist coffee shop. Large south-facing windows and a high glass ceiling provide ample lighting. The seating area is tight and decorations are sparse: a couple paintings on one brick wall, paper butterflies on another. But what Code Blu lacks in eye-catching decor, it makes up for with a perfectly soothing ambiance conducive to many industrious hours working on a writing project or doing whatever math people do.

Music is quiet and does not stand out; 16-oz. coffee is $2.95. The only gluten-free food options are a few granola bars. The tight seating space and singular low-top counter make it relatively inaccessible. You can access Code Blu via the 2, 7, and 67 bus lines.

8. Isles Bun & Coffee: 15/25
1424 W. 28th St., Minneapolis

1. Vibes (hanging out): 4/5
2. Vibes (grinding): 1.5/5
3. Music: 1/3
4. Affordability: 2/3
5. Gluten-free food options: 1.5/3
6. Accessibility (disability access): 2.5/3
7. Accessibility (public transit): 2.5/3
8. Bonuses: +1 for world’s best cinnamon bun; -1 for world’s longest lines

Isles Bun & Coffee is a bustling Uptown staple known for its recently honored “world’s best” cinnamon rolls. Patrons from across Minnesota make the trek to see what the hype is all about, evidenced by the daily lines down the block, even in the depths of winter. Amid the recent uptick in food tourism, Isles remains a lively neighborhood favorite for locals. Seating fills quickly and it’s quite noisy, but it’s the perfect spot for catching up with a friend over a cinnamon bun or gluten-free scone.

Music is loud—upbeat pop and classic rock. 16-oz. coffee is $3.50. Gluten-free food options include scones and baked oatmeal. The front door has a step, but the back door is accessible with a long entryway and despite an often-packed store, staff help their disabled customers get situated at a table. You can access Isles via 6, 17, and 21 bus lines.

7. Caffetto: 16/25
708 W. 22nd St., Minneapolis

1. Vibes (hanging out): 4.5/5
2. Vibes (grinding): 2.5/5
3. Music: 1/3
4. Affordability: 2/3
5. Gluten-free food options: 1/3
6. Accessibility (disability access): 1/3
7. Accessibility (public transit): 3/3
8. Bonuses: +1 for open until midnight

Enter Caffetto, home to the Uptown punks. The main seating room is a hodgepodge of deteriorating couches and second-hand tables, uncomfortable in a decidedly comforting way. Lighting is decentralized—each table has its own lamp and individuals have autonomy over lamp usage, a marker of the cafe’s anarchist vibe. You might overhear labor organizer 1:1s, or watch in awe as programmers with dual-monitor setups smash their keyboards. Decor is distinctly grunge-core. The basement is jammed-packed with pinball machines, more seating, and the most terrifying (and inaccessible) bathrooms in Minneapolis.

Music is sometimes a disconcerting mix of hypnotic pop, screamo, and heavy-metal (not for me), other times it’s my indie-folk cup of tea. 16-oz. coffee is $3.50. Gluten-free food is limited to bananas, potato chips and bagged pickles. Their entryway is wide and accessible, however the bathroom is downstairs and, as mentioned, inaccessible. You can access Caffetto via the 2, 4, 6, and 17 bus lines.

6. Disco Death Records & Coffee: 16.5/25
721 W. 26th St., Minneapolis

1. Vibes (hanging out): 4.5/5
2. Vibes (grinding): 4.5/5
3. Music: 3/3
4. Affordability: 0.5/3
5. Gluten-free food options: 0/3
6. Accessibility (disability access): 3/3
7. Accessibility (public transit): 1/3

You enter Disco Death to the sound of a gentle electronic door-jingle. A comfortable elongated couch and a half dozen tables line one wall. Pothos plants sit aloft, animating an otherwise minimalist space. A modest, eclectic record collection faces the seating area (hence Disco Death). Spherical lights dangle from the ceiling, providing a gentle illumination that complements the natural beam from the large windows. One might spend an afternoon at Disco Death reading a book, shopping for records, or writing a story for Racket. 

Music includes ethereal instrumental mixes and delightful jazz tunes. The downsides of Disco Death? No drip coffee, a small Americano is $5, and zero gluten-free food options. Record displays, seating, bathroom and barista sink are all low to accommodate disabilities. You can access Disco Death via 4 and 17 bus lines.

5. Uncommon Grounds Coffee House: 16.75/25
2809 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis

1. Vibes (hanging out): 5/5
2. Vibes (grinding): 4.5/5
3. Affordability: 1.5/3
4. Accessibility (disability access): 0/3
5. Accessibility (public transit): 2.5/3
6. Music: 3/3
7. Gluten-free food options: 0/3
8. Bonuses: -0.25 for bathroom code; +0.5 for open until 9 p.m.

The decor at Uncommon Grounds is beyond reproach. Located in an renovated 1877 Victorian home, it feels more like a quaint bed and breakfast than a coffee shop. The walls are covered in a delicate, floral wallpaper with yellow, green, and red hues. Pothos dangle from the ceiling and three small trees are tucked behind the couches. An impressive brass espresso machine behind the barista counter surely makes delicious drinks for people who are into that kind of thing. Dim chandeliers produce the perfect romantic lighting, only topped at night when the staff brings out electronic candles to each table. Cozy couches surround sturdy faux-marble tables. Uncommon Grounds is the perfect spot for a first date, or eavesdropping on one.

The music is angsty indie-folk and alt rock, including Waxahatchee, Big Thief, and MJ Lenderman. 16oz coffee is $4. But Uncommon Grounds is not without pitfalls. There are no gluten-free options (although the scones are great for anybody with functioning digestive tracts) and stairs are required for entry, making the store completely inaccessible to people in wheelchairs. You can reach Uncommon Grounds via the 6, 17, and 21 bus lines.

4. Dogwood Coffee Co. (East Lake Street): 18/25
4021 E. Lake St., Minneapolis

1. Vibes (hanging out): 4/5
2. Vibes (grinding): 4.5/5
3. Music: 1.5/3
4. Gluten-free food options: 2/3
5. Affordability: 1.5/3
6. Accessibility (disability access): 3/3
7. Accessibility (public transit): 1.5/3
8. Bonuses: -0.25 for bathroom code; +0.25 for open until 7 p.m.

Dogwood has become a Twin Cities institution, with three stores dispersed across Minneapolis and St. Paul. The Lake Street location is my favorite. A retro ski-mobile hangs next to the merch display, while exposed heating pipes create a blue-collar industrial vibe. Fairy lights line a wall separating the front and back seating rooms. Sliding into the secluded booths in the front seating area is like entering a different dimension devoid of distraction, and is a personal favorite work spot.

Music plays quietly with no identifiable theme. 16-oz. coffee is $4.25. Gluten-free food options include pastries, potato chips, chia pudding, salads, oatmeal, and hard-boiled eggs. Wide hallways and a disability reserved table make Dogwood the most accessible of the coffee shops I frequent. You can access Dogwood via the 21 and 9 bus lines.

3. Pow Wow Grounds: 18/25
1414 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis

1. Vibes (hanging out): 4/5
2. Vibes (grinding): 1.5/5
3. Music: 0/3
4. Affordability: 3/3
5. Gluten-free food options: 2.5/3
6. Accessibility (disability access): 3/3
7. Accessibility (public transit): 3/3
8. Bonuses: +1 for Native-owned; - 0.25 for bathroom code; + 0.25 for free condoms

Pow Wow Grounds is a small, unassuming space in the heart of Phillips. The gentle buzz of fluorescent lights and warm hanging lamps set the backdrop to a few central tables and peripheral bar seating. Pow Wow Grounds is a gathering spot for Indigenous communities of Minneapolis and is adjacent to the All My Relations Gallery, which features Indigenous artists. The current exhibit by Rory Wakemup called “Smart Wars” is a conjoinment of Star Wars costumes and traditional regalia, depicting warriors “in battle to reawaken Indigenous ancestry on planet Earth.” 

Pow Wow Grounds does not play music. 16-oz. coffee is $3. Gluten-free options include wild rice chicken soup, three sisters soup, corn chili, and snacks. The store is accessible with a wide entryway and can be reached via 2, 9, 14, and 67 buses and the Blue Line.

2. May Day Cafe: 18.5/25
3440 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis

1. Vibes (hanging out): 4.5/5
2. Vibes (grinding): 3.5/5
3. Affordability: 2/3
4. Accessibility (disability access): 3/3
5. Accessibility (public transit): 1/3
6. Music: 2/3
7. Gluten-free food options: 1.5/3
8. Bonuses: +1 for workers-owned

The May Day Cafe Workers Cooperative website puts it best: “May Day is where Powderhorn gathers.” If you live or spend time in the neighborhood, you’re almost guaranteed to run into somebody you know. Both communal and individual tables fill quickly: Every time I’ve been to May Day there’s been exactly one chair open, a kismet sign of where to sit. Palestinian, Pride, and BLM flags reflect the values of the community that May Day serves, and walls display rotating work from local artists, currently paintings by Jim Foreman. The store is bright and lively, consistently occupied by both worker-bees and friends catching up.

Music varies hour-by-hour, including everything from Chappell Roan to Run-D.M.C., Anderson .Paak to Pete Seeger. 16-oz. coffee is $3.50. Gluten-free food includes burrito bowls, breakfast sandwiches, soups and a delectable but meager selection of pastries. The store layout is accessible. You can access May Day via 14 and 22 bus lines.

1. Seward Cafe: 19/25
2129 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis

1. Vibes (hanging out): 3.5/5
2. Vibes (grinding): 1.5/5
3. Affordability: 3/3
4. Accessibility (disability access): 3/3
5. Accessibility (public transit): 3/3
6. Music: 1/3
7. Gluten-free food options: 3/3
8. Bonuses: +1 for workers-owned

Seward Cafe has an endearing DIY feel—you can tell the space is well-trodden and cherished. Decorations include a homemade paper streamer chandelier and hand-painted vinyl. Palestinian flags and abolitionist posters adorn the walls. The seating area is large and open, with worn tiled floors and obnoxious rickety chairs. By the barista counter, bright murals of the sky and dandelions add a flair of liveliness. A mutual-aid pay-it-forward system allows customers to optionally pay for unhoused people to eat free.

Music is a motley mix of mostly punk, but also laid back guitar riffs, pop and folk. 16-oz. coffee is $3. Gluten-free options are abundant, ranging from “Earth bowls” with hash browns, eggs and veggies to soups and classic diner food. The entrance is accessible with wide walkways and low tables. You can access Seward Cafe via 2, 9, and 67 bus lines and the Blue Line.