(16ozDays team supporting the Vitality bag design drop)
Happy Sunday 16ozDays family, we have a very special post for you this week. One of our biggest focuses as influencers is to use our platform to uplift the small business around us, shedding light and publicity on cafes you, our lovely readers, may have potentially never found on your own! We want to use our space to build community around what we love: local coffee. So, with that, let’s get into it. This week, the 16ozDays team has done a cross-city roundup of some of our favorite women-owned cafes. We’ve covered everything your heart could desire, from bagels to coffee, and the stories in between. Without further adieu: let us introduce you to some amazing women in the cafe industry!
Vitality Roasters
(Front counter at the Vitality Skyway shop)
You knew this one was coming. If you’ve read ANY of our posts, you know how much we love this roasterie. Vitality is a women owned, women run shop here in St. Paul with a cafe in the Downtown Minneapolis Skyway. Everyone at Vitality from their owner to their employees are fantastic. They have personal knowledge about each of their growers which, also, are often women. You can find their beans sold and used at multiple spots around the cities, including Black Coffee and Waffle Bar.
Hark! Cafe
(Photo from Hark! Cafe)
Just over a year old, Hark! Cafe is the only exclusively vegan, celiac safe cafe in the Twin Cities. Owned by two best friends, Katherine and Lisa run all the day to day operations and will have a hand in making each and every dish or pastry in the shop. Hark! Cafe has become a safe space during the pandemic as well, requiring proof of vaccination to dine in, protecting the safety of both their staff and their visitors. Recently, Hark! Cafe has extended operations to nighttime bar hours, Thursday and Friday, 5-9 PM, and Saturday, 6-9 PM. For some fantastic house made cocktails, late night coffee, and light bites, be sure to swing by. Bring your laptop and get some work done, or your best buds before a night out.
Rise Bagel Co.
(Inside Rise Bagel Co.)
Started by Jen and Kate Lloyd, Rise has grown to one of the best bagel shops in not only the North Loop neighborhood, but in Minnesota as a whole. With humble roots of farmers market booths, Rise has, true to the name, really risen to the challenge. Now, their brick and mortar shop is full every Wednesday- Sunday with eager bagel fans. Offering a wide variety of sandwich options, vegan cream cheese, fresh OJ, and a coffee bar, you can’t beat Rise to fulfill your every desire for a bagel run.
The Dripping Root
(Street view of The Dripping Root storefront)
Minnesota’s first Black women owned juice bar, The Dripping Root is a relatively new establishment in the Minnehaha neighborhood. Catiesha Pierson opened her shop in May of 2021 and since then, it’s been nothing short of viral. With 100% fresh, organic juice squeezed daily, light bites to eat, and some beautiful mural art inside, The Dripping Root is a must stop for all drink lovers.
Honey & Rye Bakehouse
(Counterspace at Honey & Rye)
With a love for baking, Anne Andrus opened Honey & Rye in the lovely St. Louis Park neighborhood in 2016. Now, 5 years later, the shop is a fundamental part of the community and supplies pastries all across Minneapolis. Their team is motivated, driven, and always crafting new ways to leave a mark in the world. The shop is also involved in numerous community ventures including being a location for local CSA pickups, being a partner of the Susan Lindgren Elementary Schoolyard Garden, and hosts for girl scout ventures. Let’s just say Honey & Rye is much more than a bakehouse. We would also be amiss to not mention that their coffee is supplied by Tiny Footprint Coffee, the first carbon-negative roaster, super cool stuff!
Third Space Cafe
(Comfy seating at Third Space Cafe)
Another fresh addition to the coffee industry, Erin of Third Space Cafe opened up her storefront located in Uptown, Minneapolis in October of 2021. Former manager of The Last Drop, Erin was ready to dedicate her talents and passion into her own venture and boy, has it paid off. You can check our Third Spaces seasonal coffee flights, the perfect aesthetic for your next instagram snapshot, all year round.
Sisters’ Sludge Coffee Cafe and Wine Bar
(Triplet mural of the Sisters’ Sludge sisters)
Located in the Powderhorn neighborhood, the identical triplet sister owners were inspired by the beautiful cafes of Italy and decided to bring their own to Minnesota. Sisters’ Sludge is the embodiment of community, take their Espresso Club for example that meets every morning at 6 AM for a shot. With house made, declous food and a diner-like environment, Sisters’ Sludge is a great place to kick back and feel right at home.
Duck Duck Coffee
(Duck Duck signature entryway mural)
If there was an award for the most community-oriented Cafe, Duck Duck would be at the top of the list. Beyond having amazing roasts and deciduous house made vegan goodies, it seems like everytime we check their instagram the shop is hosting another event uplifting local artists, nonprofits, or community events. Kat opened Duck Duck’s doors in 2019, located in the Powderhorn neighborhood. We admire her shop for their outstanding commitment to advocacy and community work, oh and their coffee. When you go, make sure to try their chai and grab a treat for yourself or a neighbor too.
Thirty Six Cafe
(Inside the Thirty Six Cafe)
Coming to you from St. Paul, Thirty Six Cafe is owned by the ambitious Macy. She started her venture in 2019, coming from working in Labor Law, she was ready for a change of pace and oh boy, did she really create a place of dreams. Not only is their coffee amazing, but so is their food. This is where we tried our very first souffle pancake and our lives will never be the same. The shop is so welcoming, filled with pastel hues and a hand designed, silk flower rose wall. It’s a dreamy spot to visit and we hope you’ll all have the opportunity to soon.
Just like always, we wish we could add more shops to our list as this is just a snapshot of some of our favorites. As we often like to mention, using our money wisely as consumers to support and uplift shops around us is so so important. Helping build our coffee community to be a more inclusive and diverse space is something that every dollar contributes to and we urge you to be mindful of this. For more suggestions on great local cafes, check out our most recent post, 7 Coffee Shops for an Aesthetic Insta Pic and our most with The Top 10 Coffee Shops of the Twin Cities-Ranked. In this Order, and Why. Wishing you a coffee filled week, and you know what’s coming, don’t forget to tip your barista.
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