But First Coffee: Black Coffee + Waffle Bar
Happy Sunday friends!
It’s been a looooooong winter here in the Twin Cities and I’m definitely starting to feel the impact. I’m feeling a lot less motivated and at some point, my cute winter outfits morphed into a revolving look of whatever leggings and oversized sweatshirt I find first in the morning. My favorite sports teams have been well represented but I have not. We’re currently in the middle of our fourth or fifth snow emergency this month and spring can’t come fast enough. March, I’m ready for youuuuuu!
In the summer, I tend to walk to cute little coffee shops in my neighborhood instead of working from home. Since about December though, I’ve typically found myself camped out in my pjs with Netflix on and my laptop resting on my knees. While my cat is loving the extra struggles, it’s not the most conducive situation for cultivating creativity. I do have a few fun trips coming up soon that I’ll be sharing on the blog! In the meantime, I’m trying to press the reset button and embrace the last few weeks of winter. That means getting up, getting dressed and getting out there!
Which brings us to this new series I’m excited to start sharing: But First Coffee. If you’ve followed me at all on here or Instagram, you know I love my coffee. In addition to doing more winter activities (and dressing cute for them), I’m going to start working from coffee shops and cafes more often too. I started this blog to share my love of writing and now I can use it to share my love of coffee too! I live in St. Paul so most of my trips will be to coffee shops and cafes in my area but there are so many in Minneapolis (and on my travels) that I neeeeeeeed to try (Penny’s, I’m looking at you)!!
I’ve been living in this neighborhood for a few years now so I can’t believe it took me this long to discover Black Coffee and Waffle Bar (or that my sister actually discovered it first)! Waffles are a main breakfast staple for me so I was excited to find two of my loves combined into one nearby location. In the name of full disclosure: this place is crazy busy on holidays and weekends. I’ve stepped right inside the door to find myself immediately in line to order. However, I wouldn’t be sharing this place with you if it wasn’t worth the wait! They don’t take reservations so I highly recommend visiting during the week or at off times if you aren’t willing to wait.
The waffles and toppings are all house-made with a new specialty waffle featured every month. If you don’t like one of the waffles listed on their menu, they also offer a build-your-own option with all the toppings you could dream of! I went with the Strawberry Cheesecake waffle and it did not disappoint. Who would have ever thought of graham crackers on a waffle?! Not me!! There are so many other ones like the Naughty Waffle (strawberries, bananas, blueberries, almond butter, granola and whipped cream) that I can’t wait to try! For those with gluten sensitivities, they feature a gluten free waffle as well.
The coffee served at Black Coffee and Waffle is primarily from Dogwood Coffee Co, a local roaster. However, their Marshall location also features a rotating list of guest roasters in addition to Dogwood. I ordered one of my usuals, a chai tea latte, which was delicious. However, I can’t wait to try the Vanilla Matcha Latte next time! Yes, I know neither of those are actually coffees but I love ordering things I’m not skilled enough to make at home. Basically, if I can’t brew it in my Keurig, I’m going to order it at the coffee shop (lavender lattes are always a fave!). If you’re in the Twin Cities, I definitely recommend you give this place a try!
Do you have a favorite coffee shop or brunch spot? How are you coping with the last few weeks of winter?
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