Reporting by James Kling, St. Cloud Times
Fall is the season for cozy drinks like the famed pumpkin spice latte. Many local shops have their own takes on the fall staple and unique, autumn-inspired drinks.
Many roast their beans in house, while others buy from local and other Minnesota-based roasters.
Here are some central Minnesota coffee shops worth visiting this fall
Kinder Coffee Lab
St. Cloud roastery Kinder Coffee Lab uses small-batch roasting to create a range of coffee options for customers to buy and brew at home, though it also serves some items in person. Its menu includes a range of coffee drinks, like espressos, Americanos, and cold and nitro brews. It also offers some non-coffee teas and refreshers, as well as pastries.
Its featured offerings this fall include a white chocolate pumpkin cold brew, a salted cardamom date latte and an apple crumble chai.
Kinder Coffee Lab is located at 214 Second Ave. N. in Sauk Rapids. It is open 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
The Local Blend
The Local Blend is located at 19 W. Minnesota St. in St. Joseph. It is open 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
St. Joseph’s The Local Blend offers a traditional coffee shop atmosphere, complete with a chalkboard menu on the wall. The coffee shop specializes in organic, local products. The Local Blend also makes its pastries, soups and breads in its on-site kitchen. While this coffee shop largely focuses on coffee and food items like quiches and sandwiches, it also has a wine menu and hosts events.
Its fall menu hosts many book-themed drinks including the Gatsby, which is a latte with vanilla and salted caramel, and the Meg Mark, a latte with vanilla and pumpkin. A popular non-coffee option is its cinnamon chai latte.
It does not roast on site but serves coffee roasted by Muggsy’s Beans, a longtime local roaster based in St. Cloud.
Korppi Coffee + Bakeshop
This one-of-a-kind coffee shop features lots of drinks and foods to choose from. Along with coffees and teas, the shop has housemade chai, hot cocoa and tea lattes. On its fall menu, it has its pumpkin spice latte, and for those looking for a cozy, non-caffeinated drink can try its hot apple cider. Coffee is brewed with beans roasted in Minnesota, from St. Paul to Lutsen.
Foods are homemade as well, with all types of eggs, granola, soups and French toast. And for something super special, try a ginger smoothie or a decadent nutty chocolate one.
Korppi Coffee is located at 71 County Road 120 in St. Cloud. The shop is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
District Coffee
Located in the heart of South St. Cloud, District Coffee offers lots of unique pastries from St. Joseph’s Flour & Flower. Two favorite coffees from the founders are the oat milk latte, Molly Windfeldt’s go to, and Amie Danielson’s top choice, an Americano.
Its seasonal fall menu includes a banana bread latte made with homemade syrup and a salted butterscotch latte. It also offers a homemade “Taste of Autumn” syrup to add to any coffee drink.
Some District Coffee specialties include crepes, bagels, sandwiches, eggs and pastries. In addition, the shop sells banana bread, overnight oats and caprese avocado toast.
District Coffee is located at 3035 Roosevelt Road in St. Cloud. Its hours are 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
Brewed Gems
One of Foley’s top coffee spots, this hybrid coffee and crystal shop offers lots of coffee, smoothies and tiki drinks. It was originally founded to help pay for owner Carissa Fouquette’s brother’s cancer treatment.
Its Halloween-themed menu includes a Pumpkin Ghoul, which is pumpkin, marshmallow and white chocolate mocha topped with caramel, and its monster fluff coco, which is cotton candy hot chocolate topped with whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles. It also has a boo berry tiki, which is blackberry, coconut and blackberry club soda topped with marshmallow cold foam.
Brewed Gems is located at 237 Fourth Ave. N., in Foley. It is open from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays to Fridays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays.
Cold Press Cafe
Cold Spring’s local roastery and cafe roasts all its specialty beans in house. Cold Press Cafe hosts many flavored syrups it also creates in house, including almond, blueberry, brown sugar, marshmallow and peppermint. Its seasonal flavor is pumpkin spice, which is also makes in house.
It offers indoor seating, a drive-thru option and outdoor seating before it gets too cold.
Its hours are 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. It’s located at 200 Red River Ave. S. in Cold Spring.
B-Side Indie Music Cafe
B-Side Indie Music Cafe based in downtown St. Cloud is a music-inspired coffee shop that hosts weekly events, many of which are music-themed, including open mics, local performers and music writing workshops.
Its fall menu includes the beige, which is its own take on the pumpkin spice latte, stick season, which is a carrot cake cold brew, and need in the hay, which is its iced pumpkin pie latte with cream cheese cold foam. Non-coffee options include the harvest moon, a chai and orange concoction, and a mushaboom, a matcha with banana bread and brown sugar spice flavorings.
It is located at 27 Seventh Ave. N. and is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times.
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