Nina's Coffee House

I love living in St. Paul. I like Minneapolis fine, but St. Paul's old soul pulls me out of my self, out of my routines, out of the doldrums of an ever-lasting winter, just by allowing me to spend a part of a gray frozen day in the warm cocoon of one of its many cozy coffee shops.

One such classic gem is Nina's Coffee Cafe in the mansion studded Cathedral Hill neighborhood. It's royal entrance opens up to sky-high ceilings, grand windows, and exposed brick walls. There are long benches where you can plant yourself with your laptop for the day, or cozy arm chairs for a chat with your friends. There is even a VIP-like section up a flight of stairs where you can go if you are feeling anti-social, or just really important for some reason.

The service is quintessential Minnesota Nice. The coffee is good and strong, and the very popular oatmeal is a giant bowl of creamy goodness. The fact that they serve a full menu ranks high with me, since I love to work from coffee shops and get irked if I have to pack up and leave at lunch time. It's a win-win. I don't have to brave the elements for lunch, and they get more of my money. Perfect.

I went there recently for a send-off coffee with my friend who left for New York. And what do you know, they had a giant likeness of the Statue of Liberty hovering over our table as if to say, "please don't leave Anna, we have all you need right here in Saint Paul."

Yes, they have donuts. What more could you ask for?

A generous helping of warm-you-down-to-your-toes oatmeal worth the 20 minute wait.

See! There she is. Who needs NYC anyway?

Grab a seat. Stay a while. 

F.A.Q

Child-friendly?

Kind of. It's big enough to drown out little voices, and there are lots of fun things to look at, but there is not a specific kids' play area and no room to run. Not that you should let your kids do that anyway. Who would do that? Shame on you.

Price range:

I thought the coffee was a bit steep (get it? Steep?) at over $2 for a small cup, but it is refillable and the food prices were in line with other coffee shops in the area.

Parking:

Street only, and beware of the 2 hour parking signs. They are everywhere.

Do they have a web site?

No, but they do have a Facebook page. Doesn't everybody? Nina's Coffee Cafe