Location
4301 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis
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Ratings
| Location: | ★★★★ |
| Atmosphere: | ★★★★★ |
| Coffee: | ★★★★ |
| Food: | ★★★★ |
| Service: | ★★★★★ |
| Vibe: | ★★★★★ |
| Overall: | ★★★★½ |
Pros
Great Uptown(ish) location, excellent selection of coffees, food and beer/wine, spacious and inviting.
Cons
Password-protected Wi-Fi. Yeah, that’s about it.
Review
Maybe it’s because it’s late on a Friday afternoon. Maybe it’s because I’m here to meet with a new client in 15 minutes. Maybe it’s just the place. Whatever the case, I just have a really positive feeling being at Common Roots.
I lived in Uptown for a couple of years (nearly a decade ago, my God), but it’s been long enough now that coming here there’s a whole different vibe. I feel like I’m in a different city, a bigger city. Except I’ve never seen a coffeehouse this big in the heart of a bustling commercial district in Chicago or Los Angeles.
Since it’s late afternoon, I eschewed my usual cappuccino and breakfast pastry. It’s not quite dinnertime yet either, but I had to get something to eat. I went with a cup of the hearty vegetable soup, served with tortilla chips, and a cup of dark roast. Common Roots brews Peace Coffee, so it’s good, but basically the same that you’ll find in a lot of places around town. The soup is very tasty, with lots of garbanzo beans, carrots, and tons of herbs in a tomato-vegetable broth. My only complaint about the soup is that my first spoonful was little more than a giant bay leaf. Oh well. That’s easily set aside.
I need to keep this review short as my meeting is coming up soon, but I think I’ve already made my point: Common Roots is probably the most appealing coffeehouse I’ve reviewed yet, from its spacious and inviting decor to its large selection of high-quality food and beverage options. And as I’m soon to experience firsthand, it’s also a great place for a business meeting, with a separate reserved common room in the back.
A note on the photo: No, it’s not snowing in September. That’s my bug-splattered windshield. I snapped a quick photo as I was crossing the intersection in front of the building. And yes, I had my eyes on the road.
