Location

230 Cedar Lake Rd. S., Minneapolis
GOOGLE MAP • YELP

Ratings

Pros

Lively neighborhood feel, nice outdoor seating area, great coffee.

Cons

Very out-of-the-way unless you’re already in the neighborhood.

Review

I can honestly say this is the first time I have ever been in the Bryn Mawr neighborhood, having lived in Minneapolis for more than seven years. I just never have any call to be in this part of the city. Until today, that is. I have a meeting with a client nearby later this morning, so I decided it was a good opportunity to review a new place in an area I rarely never visit.

Bryn Mawr Coffee Shop is in a wedge of a building on a triangular block, at the corner of Cedar Lake Rd. and Oliver Ave. Much like my own Nokomis East neighborhood, there’s a small-town downtown feel to the place… in fact, at another business district a block and a half away, there’s a directory to local businesses that refers to “Bryn Mawr Downtown.” And much like my own neighborhood, there’s probably not a lot of reason for the freeway denizens to take the exit into this little pocket of a small community nestled right in the heart of the city. That’s a shame, in the sense that those people racing by to their suburban McMansions don’t know what they’re missing, but on the other hand, it’s precisely that “hidden gem” aspect of the place that makes it so appealing.

Bryn Mawr really does feel like that kind of hidden gem. Bryn Mawr Coffee Shop is clearly a hub of the neighborhood — it’s rather small inside, with just seven tables, one sofa in a corner, and no “comfy chairs,” but in the time I’ve been here, a group of “regulars” have been carrying on a lively conversation at the largest table, and a steady stream of neighborhood residents have been in and out for their morning caffeine fix. At an adjacent table, a dad is sharing a muffin with his young daughter.

It appears so far that I’m the only person here who doesn’t know everyone else, but I was not made to feel unwelcome or like an outsider coming here. This is a place where everyone is welcome, and it seems like a great place to hang out for a while, especially at the large outdoor seating area, which has a nice garden feel despite being directly on the street. It helps that this small commercial block is nestled in amongst tree-lined residential streets.

The coffee, of course, is excellent. You can be as froufrou as you want, but if you can’t brew a cup of coffee to please the old guys who hang out here all morning, you probably won’t be in business long. There’s a good assortment of hot breakfast options, bagels, etc. along with the full range of pastries typically found at such an establishment — muffins, croissants, cookies, brownies, etc. Lunch is also available. I played it safe with my usual selection of a large cappuccino and a blueberry muffin. The muffin is good, not outstanding, but I suspect that if I were to try something more elaborate, I would be more impressed.

Overall, once again I find myself at a quintessentially neighborhood-centered coffeehouse, which is no more or less than I would expect. And as with Caffe Tempo in Kingfield, or some of the other places in my own Nokomis East neighborhood, if you don’t live here, you probably don’t have much reason to come here. And if you do live here, you’re probably already a regular.