Latte at Backstory Coffee Roasters in Minneapolis’ North Loop. Photo by Fiona Curran

“The human body was not meant to handle this much coffee in one day!”

Starbucks. Caribou. Bruegger’s.

Colleges tend to have so many coffee chains on campus, and while their offerings are tasty, I felt that there was something more. Out there. In the city.

As an Illinoisan, I haven’t explored downtown Minneapolis as much as I wanted to in my time as a student. I started college during the pandemic, and now, with only a few weeks left, I just didn’t know how to get started.

My friend Alayna Sikac would send me videos of cute coffee flights and pleasing latte art and we would talk about going on a little adventure. She’s also an out-of-state student, but we never planned a day to go to the city.

So when InFlux prompted me to think about what I wanted to search for, coffee was at the front of my mind. I pored over my saved videos on Instagram, screenshotting the names of every cafe and plugging them into Google to determine the best location for The Crawl. As the Grammy Awards provided the background music to my maniacal planning, I picked the six best shops.

Alayna and I prepared for a full day of walking around the North Loop. At 9:15 a.m. on a very sunny, very cold February day, we hopped on the light rail to start The Crawl.

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Fairgrounds Craft Coffee and Tea

116 N. 3rd Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55401

What I got: Frothy monkey (decaf espresso) latte with skim milk and caramel flavoring

Cost: $5.52

When we walked into Fairgrounds Craft Coffee and Tea at 9:43 a.m., a colorful, lit-up “F” greeted us. My name starts with the same letter, but I can rarely find anything to show it off, so I felt immediately welcome. Pendants from past Minnesota state fairs hung on the walls and greenery covered the various shelves. The lights were made out of old glass pour-over coffee makers. The bright, warm, natural sunlight woke me up before I even had any coffee. And, perhaps my favorite part, they had swings you could sway on while sipping your coffee. Alayna drew on the Etch A Sketch propped up by the espresso machine.

The barista couldn’t have been kinder to us and walked us through the menu, which included drink options of coffee, tea and kombucha. Fairgrounds makes their vanilla and caramel in-house and doesn’t charge customers for milk alternatives as many other cafes do.

As I sat sipping on my latte, which had a cute balloon floating on top in foam art, I thought about what a strong start Fairgrounds was for The Crawl. Alayna and I stayed there for almost an hour and while we were sad to leave, we were even more excited to continue on our journey.

Backstory Coffee Roasters

528 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55401

What I got: Honey cinnamon latte with skim milk

Cost: $6.61

At 10:43 a.m., Alayna and I walked up the stairs to Backstory Coffee Roasters and I immediately loved the interior design. Plants combined with dark, moody shades of green are two of my favorite aesthetic decisions, and this place had both! The lights looked like blooming flowers and the natural sunlight came in through huge windows, adding to the industrial feeling. The coffee bar was gilded in bronze on the top and mirrors lined the back wall. People could chat while sitting at the marble countertop.

The large bookshelves were filled with antiques, with each section highlighting a different vibe. The back wall was my favorite. It was covered in unique vases, a typewriter and two mannequins that both unsettled and intrigued me. Along the walls were U-shaped couches where you could socialize with friends. A group of guys lounged in sweatsuits and on the other side, a group of girlfriends chatted with coffees in hand. In the center of the room, people filled every seat at a long wooden table where they typed away on their laptops.

I loved everything about Backstory. Every time I shifted my focus, something new stood out to me. I liked how it was segmented into the social areas and the places where you could lock in and work. The quiet music relaxed me, even though I forgot to ask for my coffee decaf. I did think this was pretty expensive for a latte, but it was also one of the most delicious coffees I had during The Crawl. After Alayna and I stopped ogling the little cow snow globe we found on one of the bookshelves, we bundled up and braved the cold to our next spot.

Corner Coffee

514 N. 3rd St. #102, Minneapolis, MN 55401

What I got: Salted bourbon caramel latte with oat milk

Cost: $7.50

By the time we walked into Corner Coffee at 11:37 a.m., I felt a caffeine buzz. The cafe was smaller and cozier than the first two places we’d been but still had nice natural lighting and plants. However, this place leaned into the fact that it’s a cafe in Minnesota. As soon as you walk in, there is a light-up Minnesota cutout, and there are multiple others throughout the building. The logo for the shop has the Minneapolis skyline in a circle. The skyline is also painted very faintly on the distressed, wooden wall in the back of the shop where I spent my time.

Alayna and I sat and enjoyed soft-rock music from the ‘60s and ‘70s, and hummed along whenever Fleetwood Mac played. Even though some great music played through the speakers, the other customers sat with headphones on while getting their work done. We were talking at a respectful volume, yet I still felt like my conversation with Alayna was too loud. I didn’t want to disturb anyone.

I sipped my latte, which was made with the bourbon-infused salted Ghiradelli caramel that is created in-house. Unfortunately, the foam wasn’t very thick so the latte art didn’t stay on the top while I drank, but the taste was interesting. The top was lightly dusted with Hawaiian-style black lava salt, so you had to drink it at the right angle to make sure you weren’t only tasting salt. I thought it was a cozy place to visit.

The Last Drop Cafe

506 N. 4th St., Minneapolis, MN 55401

What I got: Valentine’s Day coffee flight

Cost: $18

We finally started the second half of The Crawl at 12:45 p.m. The Last Drop Cafe, which turns into a wine bar in the evening, is inside Graze Provisions & Libations, a trendy food hall. I’d seen the Valentine’s Day coffee flight on Instagram since January. Alayna and I sent this one to each other a few times and we were so excited it fit into our route. The sequined curtains sparkled in the sunlight, which lit up the neon furniture, especially the lime green table. There were games you could play with your friends and floating egg chairs you could hang from while chilling with your coffee.

The flight was adorable. The first one was called “I Love You A Latte.” While it was the cutest, I could not drink it to save my life. It tasted like iced milk, almost as if they had forgotten the coffee. It was terrible. That didn’t stop me from eating the accompanying conversation hearts, though. The “Marry Me Matcha” drink wasn’t any better. I’ve never been a huge fan of matcha and this one coated my mouth weirdly. To make things worse it was topped with strawberry foam that tasted extremely artificial. The “Berry Sweet Milk Tea” tasted watered down and fake, but Alayna enjoyed it more than I did. I only liked the “Cupid’s Cold Brew,” which had perfect foam and a bold coffee with hints of mocha flavoring.

The Last Drop has some standard coffees, too, like lattes and cold brew, but it promotes its seasonal flights heavily. Despite the vibrant atmosphere and their creatively named drinks, I left disappointed. However, it is a great place to take some aesthetic Instagram shots. While we were there, a bachelorette party walked around the different restaurants, but even they didn’t stop at the coffee bar.

FRGMNT Coffee

729 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55401

What I got: Decaf dulce de leche latte with oat milk

Cost: $7.80

Alayna and I were exhausted. At 1:36 p.m., we arrived at FRGMNT Coffee. As soon as we walked in, two friends who hadn’t seen each other in a while were reunited. A couple worked side-by-side at a long table. A large group sat by the TV and shelves covered in geometric art. Two people read in front of an industrial fireplace.

I was tempted to pick up a treat from Cardigan Donuts, but I was already buzzing from the caffeine and figured adding more sugar to the mix would be a terrible idea. The pink tile behind the counter was different from the black fabric that lined the leather couch and the white geometric-patterned wall. Somehow, it still worked. Alayna and I sat on a large couch next to a couple who were watching a TV show together on a laptop. We played the card game Trash while I drank my coffee. What we were most excited about was the possibility of seeing a dog, as we’d both had this coffee shop come up on our Instagram Explore pages separately because they allowed dogs.

Eventually, our wish came true. Winston, a 6-month-old Goldendoodle, walked in with his owner. He was a ball of energy and brightened up the atmosphere. He was definitely my favorite part of the visit. This latte was also one of my favorites, but the price makes it a treat solely for special occasions.

Spyhouse Coffee Roasters

907 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55401

What I got: Solid gold latte with oat milk

Cost: $7.03

At 2:22, we arrived at our final destination: Spyhouse Coffee Roasters. I was all coffeed out. I didn’t think I could handle another cup of joe. Alayna hyped me up before I ordered. When I finally ordered, I struggled to speak. All the caffeine had caught up with me. The black-and-white, classic decor was not the vibe or headspace that I was in at the moment. I wanted something cozy and relaxing, but no matter where I sat, I felt uncomfortable — no doubt due to the eight previous coffees. Still, I had to power through.

The solid gold latte is flavored with ginger and turmeric. I had never tasted a coffee like it before, but I could barely take a second sip. All the milk and caffeine combined had filled me up over the course of the day. The turmeric left a weird feeling in my mouth and the pepper sprinkled on top overpowered everything else. It also didn’t help that a portrait of former president Franklin Delano Roosevelt stared me down as if I had to finish my coffee or else I’d be wasting it.

Eventually, my friend Leah Hawley picked us up and thankfully finished my coffee so I didn’t have to suffer the wrath of FDR.

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Final Thoughts

I spent $52.46 on all the coffee, which is more than double the amount I usually spend on coffee in a month. I hit the wall halfway through our visit at FRGMNT, which contributed to my perception of Spyhouse. Had I not been practically keeling over from my caffeine consumption, I probably would have enjoyed it more. However, each place I visited had its strengths.

If you want a super fun, bright, engaging place to hang out with your friends, Fairgrounds is the place to go. It had the best atmosphere, and I had the most fun here. It also had the cheapest coffee of the day while still being good quality.

Backstory was my favorite place overall. It had the best coffee and design. You could either put in earbuds and get to work or sit and chat with your friends. It was perfect for both.

If you choose your favorite places based on the music and the vibes, Corner Coffee is the place for you. I can’t think of a better style of music to listen to while drinking coffee. It was also a great cafe to get work done.

The Last Drop had the best Instagram-worthy aesthetic. I did get some cute shots of the flight and the vibrant furniture makes it a fun place to look at.

If you’re looking for a place where you can read, work, hang out with friends or potentially run into a dog, FRGMNT is great. The coffee tasted great. And there’s nothing better than seeing a new furry friend when you’re not expecting it.

If you want to try a flavor you’ve never tried before, Spyhouse is a great option. There’s a lavender and honey flavor that I’m intrigued by, so I’ll probably have to head back there myself!

While I’m glad I experienced this, I don’t think I’d go on another crawl again. The human body was not meant to handle this much coffee in one day! As someone who only drinks coffee maybe once or twice a week — and only orders it caffeinated when she forgets to ask for decaf — this was a struggle. After we left Spyhouse, the jitters started. After eating a bagel, some carrots and pasta, courtesy of Leah, I fully recovered from my over-caffeination three-and-a-half hours later. However, getting to explore the city was so much fun. Thank you to everyone who followed along on my journey through these pages. And now learn from me and split up your days when visiting each cafe.