Courtesy of Wesley Andrews
Wesley Andrews Coffee
It’s official: We’ve progressed past fall and landed in chilly territory. Before you eye roll or lament about how it’s soooo hard to drive in snow, can I indulge you in one hallmark of the season?
Two words: Cozy drinks. Yes! Drink them by a fire as the snow falls, with a book in one hand and a mulled cider in the other. Hug the mug and feel the warmth between your palms. Drink them alone. Drink them with friends, lovers, haters. We’ve been isolated from one another for far too long. Let’s rekindle with a cozy latte or tea. Here’s a few places to find some.
Wesley Andrews Coffee and Tea: Did someone say the holidays in a mug? Warm up with a mug of steamed cider, pomegranate juice, and cranberry juice with a dash of allspice and hints of orange for Wesley Andrews’ pomegranate cranberry mulled cider. Or are you feeling herbaceous? The fan-favorite Rosemary Fennel Latte returns for the winter season. What else do we do but drink it in celebration?
Third Space Cafe: The newest cafe on Lyndale is bringing the spice for the season in the form of The Nutcracker, a latte with hazelnut, pistachio, and sweetened chili syrup. Try their eggnog cold foam cold brew or their lingonberry sprotonic, an espresso tonic with lingonberry syrup, garnished with rosemary and lime.
Bootstrap Coffee: Visit the St. Paul coffee roaster for new lattes like their Gingersnap Latte, Mint Thyme Mocha, and their Festive Matcha—vanilla, mint, and a dash of cayenne for a cool yet spicy twist on a teatime classic. Bootstrap recently removed their alternative milk upcharge for oat and almond milk, so you can sip freely on your oat milk latte without the extra expense. Oh, what a glorious world.
Misfit Coffee: Our favorite misfits are serving coffee with a side of eclecticism this winter. Feeling blue? Erhm, violet? Drink their Violet, you’re turning violet, a bev served hot or cold with espresso, blueberry syrup, graham cracker, and vanilla. Or try their date night (served cold) or their steamy date night (served hot), a mixture of date, walnut, and panela syrup with nitro cold brew (or espresso if you’re going steamy), oat milk and pistachio. ‘Tis the season for a toddy, so sip on the Misfit Toddy, a hot concoction of coffee scotch, amaro, cocoa nibs, sarsaparilla, jalapeño honey, with an orange garnish.
Northern Coffeeworks: Cozy up with a peppermint mocha with crushed peppermint and whipped cream, a salted caramel latte, or a Toboggan Noggin, Northern’s Cabin Vibes cold brew mixed with eggnog and sprinkled with spices.
The Get Down Coffee Co.: The Twin Cities’ newest coffee shop is bringing its A-game with the Sweet Potato C.R.E.A.M. Latte and the We Got the Jazz Latte.
Spyhouse Coffee: Crystallized orange peels dipped in chocolate were a mainstay on my family’s Christmas cookie trays as I grew up. Now at Spyhouse, I can relive those memories before and after the holidays with their chocolate orange latte that incorporates house-made orange syrup, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, and a sprinkle of cardamom.
Nina’s Coffee Cafe: Swing on over to Cathedral Hill or to Nina’s new Stillwater location for a vanilla cardamom latte (vanilla syrup with espresso, steamed milk, and a dash of cardamom powder) or a spiced maple brown sugar latte.
Cafe Ceres: Starting December 1, Cafe Ceres is shelling out a mocha with peppermint rosemary whipped cream and a gingersnap latte—with fresh ginger, of course. Rosemary leaves are steeped in peppermint syrup and mixed with whipping cream to create this seasonal whip. You can add the concoction to any drink, but why wouldn’t you go for the mocha?
