Local Knowledge: Pick up a sweet pastry made at nearby Rustica bakery to accompany your caffeine fix—like the bostock, brioche soaked in orange flower water and topped with almond spread. —Joshua Pramis

It wasn’t terribly long ago that coffee was strictly an acrid, utilitarian beast (Denny’s cup might have been endless, but it was questionable whether one should have begun in the first place). Local in-store roasters Dunn Bros and ubiquitous juggernaut behemoth Starbucks raised the ante in terms of flavor and selection, but their greatest strength doubles as their Achilles heel: sameness and uniformity from cup to (resoundingly predictable) cup.

A growing local coffee roasting and preparing movement is bringing another perspective to the java conversation, though, by fostering a handmade artisanal approach. A recent visit to Kopplin’s in St. Paul found the place packed with a mid-day throng of students, parents and commuters—all willing to pay more-than-Caribou prices for individually made coffees and cappuccinos.

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Kopplin's Recommended as a "Top 10 Boutique Coffee Shop"

Bon AppÉtit Magazine | January, 2010
by Andrew Knowlton



A coffeehouse used to be just a few couches, ho-hum muffins, and free Wi-Fi. But a new generation of artisinal roasters and enthusiastic baristas is offering not only a quality cup of joe, but also sophisticated menus and innovative design. End result? Now you've got a real reason to hang out.

Great coffee starts with great expertly roasted beans. The Twin Cities' finest coffee shop sources from Terroir, a first-rate roaster. The pastries—including cinnamon buns and pecan shortbread—come from artisanal bakery Rustica.

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Kopplin's Featured in Eat.Shop Twin Cities



Eat.Shop Twin Cities is a curated guide of inspired and unique locally owned eating and shopping establishments in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Kopplin's "really good coffee" is featured on pages 44-45.

There are three things that are top of my list after I have my baby: take a scalding hot bath, eat a plate of raw fish and drink cup after cup of Kopplin's coffee. Andrew has a reputation in the Twin Cities for making the best cuppa joe in town—I could barely contain myself from indulging there while watching happy caffeinites start their day right. If coffee doesn't rock your boat, the tea selection there is just as carefully curated—though I will say to you tea people, I think you are missing out. Kopplin's might have you switching teams, if you give it a chance.



Kopplin's Voted Best Coffee Shop & Best Barista

City Pages | 2009



"Everyone loves the story of David versus Goliath. People love to see the little guy win. It's the reason we root for underdogs, watch Hoosiers, and support small businesses run by our neighbors. Kopplin's Coffee is such a business. This tiny cafe, nestled in a quiet section of St. Paul, can knock the portafilters off any coffee shop in Minneapolis. The baristas here can explain the cupping notes of an Ethiopian Bonko Sidamo and pour a latte Rosetta with enough fronds to provide shade. It was once thought that coffee reached its peak with the influx of the Starbucks mermaid, but then folks like Andrew Kopplin came along and pushed the game further. Enjoy a cup brewed in his $11,000 Clover coffeemaker and watch as a ristretto shot pours out a naked portafilter. Everything about this place is quality, and its customers quickly become converts. It's a reason to love your morning, and a reason to respect the underdog who is making his coffee the very best."

- City Pages



Mariah Patzner of Kopplin's Voted Best Barista

City Pages | 2009



"A barista can change your day. Be it with a simple smile or by remembering your favorite drink, they help get your morning started. But a barista like Mariah Patzner at Kopplin's coffee in St. Paul can change your life. For reals. One sip will make you a believer. She honed her craft in the hills of Eugene, Oregon, at a small roaster called Wandering Goat. There she went through a barista boot camp of sorts, spending days learning how to mete out 20 grams of espresso from a burr grinder, tap the grinds with 20 to 30 pounds of pressure, and perfect a ristretto pull by watching, smelling, and timing the water moving through a naked portafilter. If you have no idea what that means, don't worry. Patzner would just as soon talk about her other love, one more familiar to St. Paul natives: books. As for her own craft, one simple sip of espresso made with her care, attention, dexterity, and love will change the way you experience coffee. As a result, Mariah Patzner will change your life."

-City Pages