Location

3800 37th Ave. S., Minneapolis
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Ratings

Pros

Cool (if a bit hippie) atmosphere, excellent service, great vibe, surprisingly spacious, great coffee and food.

Cons

Its somewhat hidden location and small-from-the-outside appearance make it easy to overlook.

Review

Yet again, my plan this week was to review Brewberry’s, and again, it was so crowded that I couldn’t find a place to park (which scared me about what it would be like inside). I suppose that’s a good problem for Brewberry’s to have, and I applaud them for their continued success in the wake of Caribou’s full-frontal assault. Still, I would like to actually go there sometime, and I’m not sure if or when that will actually happen.

So the second choice for today was Tillie’s Bean, but along the way I drove past Fireroast Mountain Cafe, as I so often do, and finally decided to give it a chance.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with the outward appearance of Fireroast Mountain. It looks well-maintained and friendly. But for some reason it’s just out-of-the-way enough (despite being on a secondary thoroughfare — or at least, in Minneapolis parlance, a “snow route”), and since it’s the only business within a few blocks of its location, it’s just never been a destination for me. I always drive by it on my way to somewhere else, and I always say “someday I’ll go there.” Well, someday is today.

My first impression upon walking in was one of surprise… it’s much larger than it appears from the outside. There’s a relaxed, kind of hippie-ish vibe about the place. There’s a good mix of booths, tables, and an arrangement of cushy sofas and chairs in the center of the main room.

Coffee drinks are the usual assortment, and as with most of the indie coffeehouses I’ve visited so far, they’re pretty darn good. (Yes, I said “pretty darn good.”)

The food options exceed those of a typical coffeehouse, and lean decisively in the direction of “Southwestern”-style: burritos, quesadillas, nachos and tamales, in addition to the usual sandwiches and salads. I went for the breakfast burrito with eggs and chorizo, and I was just about to knock down my score for service, as it seemed I had been forgotten, when the beast was brought to my table. It was well worth the wait. I was not expecting a giant, Chipotle-esque log of a burrito, and I am pleased to say it exceeded my expectations. It’s a delicious mix of rice, black beans, eggs, black olives, corn, chorizo sausage and salsa. It’s a bit… um… “juicy”… but that’s what the plate is for. The only dissatisfying part is the somewhat unnecessary and inadequately-melted slice of cheese, but it’s lost amidst all of the other ingredients anyway. This is definitely a fork-and-knife burrito. The chorizo is cooked perfectly and I am afraid I am going to need to pause here to take a few more bites. Back in a minute.

That’s better.

Fireroast Mountain Cafe appears to be run by a married couple who have great personalities and genuinely make you feel welcome. It’s refreshing to see people who enjoy what they’re doing and bring a passion to their work. I’m pleased to see that they’re doing brisk business, because they’re definitely doing a lot of things right, and deserve to succeed. So, if you happen to be in the area (or, more likely, you live near it), be sure to check it out! And if, like me, you drive by often and say “someday,” stop putting it off and get in here.