Spyhouse Coffee is a seasoned favorite in the Twin Cities. With 6 locations in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN, Spyhouse has made a name for itself in its 22 years of business.
Known for its in-house specialty roasting and attention to thoughtfully designed spaces, Spyhouse Coffee has become a mini-franchise of sorts in the Twin Cities, serving countless students, remote workers, and morning commuters.
With an appreciation for the arts, the owner of Spyhouse has designed some beautiful cafes.
Spyhouse Coffee Locations and Hours
Since 2000, Spyhouse Coffee has grown to include 6 cafe locations, including 4 Minneapolis spots, 1 St. Paul shop, and most recently, a Spyhouse downtown Minneapolis location in the exquisitely decorated Emery Hotel lounge.
Locations include:
- Whittier – 2451 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
- Uptown – 2404 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55405
- Northeast (Roastery + Cafe) – 945 Broadway St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
- North Loop – 907 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401
- St. Paul – 420 Snelling Ave S, St Paul, MN 55105
- Downtown / Emery – 215 S 4th St., Minneapolis, MN 55401
Spyhouse cafes are open every day of the week.
Hours vary per location, but aside from the downtown location, which closes at 2 pm, and the North Loop location which closes at 8 pm, the Spyhouse shops stay open until 9 pm or 10 pm.
The later hours make these shops the perfect study spots.
Check out the Spyhouse cafe page for up-to-date hours.
Spyhouse Coffee Menu
The coffee menu at Spyhouse has your regular hot and iced coffee drinks along with Matcha lattes and a nice selection of seasonal drinks like Jasmine Tea, lemonade, and flavorful iced tea drinks.
Spyhouse has 4 trademarked house-crafted drinks and the rest of the menu is a recognizable mix of lattes, cappuccinos, and cortados.
What to Order
Try the Solid Gold, which is an oat milk latte with a mix of turmeric and ginger that is sweetened with maple syrup and topped with pepper.
Or try the Spygirl, a lavender and honey latte that delivers sweet and floral flavors.
I enjoyed a hot vanilla latte on my visit to the St. Paul location and an iced Spygirl latte on my visit to the downtown location. If I had to choose, I’d choose the Spygirl, but I also wish I had tried it hot.
The Roast
I personally found the flavor of the coffee to be a bit mild. On my first visit, I ordered a vanilla latte. While I enjoyed that the vanilla wasn’t overbearing or too sweet, I didn’t get as full a flavor profile as I’m used to with my lattes.
Turns out the latte I had on my visit to the Saint Paul location was a medium roast. I would have guessed it was a light roast, which I also enjoy, but overall the roast was a little less bold than I’m used to.
I’m certainly not a coffee expert by any means and don’t know much about roasting, so take this review with a grain of salt.
Food at Spyhouse Coffee
The food options at Spyhouse Coffee locations are not as extensive as some.
The shops mostly serve a delicious selection of baked goods. Try the blueberry muffin, chocolate croissant, or even a stout cookie or donut.
I did order a pastrami croissant during my afternoon working in the downtown Spyhouse location, but I’m unsure if that was due to the location in the hotel lounge.
Price
Expect to pay a little more than average at Spyhouse Coffee.
The vanilla latte I ordered was $7.23 before the tip. And the Spygirl latte I ordered was even a little higher. Compared to other cafes in the Twin Cities, Spyhouse is a little more expensive.
Cafe Astoria was a similar price, but that was for their artistic Secret Menu items. The regular vanilla latte was still around $5.50, not pushing $8.
On average, the coffee shops in the Twin Cities were higher than the specialty shops I was used to in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but Spyhouse was a little higher than even its peers.
Spyhouse Coffee St. Paul – Remote Work
Spyhouse Coffee located in St. Paul, MN is situated in an old grocery store on Snelling Ave. The corner shop bookends a spacious neighborhood with convenient street parking that is more plentiful compared to other shop locations. The atmosphere is quaint and gives neighborhood vibes. The outdoor patio space is a nice option too, when weather permits.
Seating
The seating inside the cafe is adequate, but not vast. The window seat facing the street offers a nice view and great lighting for taking pictures or doing some journaling. There are five tables that face the entrance of the shop. The tables can comfortably hold a laptop and maybe a portable monitor too.
Remote Work
The best spot to set up to work remotely would be the larger table near the back of the shop that faces the barista station or one of the tables tucked around that first corner for a more quiet space.
Overall the noise levels aren’t too high here, and since the hours are consistent and easily span a regular work day, Spyhouse St. Paul is a good location to work at.
Spyhouse Downtown Minneapolis
The Spyhouse Coffee bar/lounge in downtown Minneapolis is exceptionally aesthetic. The coffee bar is located just off the lobby of the recently renovated Emery hotel. The soft lighting and mix of deep greens and natural woods create a hushed atmosphere that is easy to focus in.
Seating
Expect lots of space with seating to spare in the exquisitely decorated lounge. It includes two large conference tables, adequate seating along a long modern fireplace, and plenty of smaller tables along the larger-than-life planters that separate the lounge from the hotel elevators and walkway. And if those spaces aren’t what you’re looking for, claim a corner table near the pool table tucked in the far corner.
Remote Work
The downtown space feels solemn and vast like a library, but free enough to welcome meetings & meetups.
I enjoyed being able to choose from a number of different spaces to set up my remote office on my visit. The number of seating options and available power outlets made it easy to choose.
I was impressed by how spacious and quiet it was given the number of people working and meeting in the space. Likewise, even the larger conference table that I sat at near the elevators was a quiet space.
Props for the large bathroom and the readily available iced lemon water near the reception area.
There’s also a stunning bar in the Emery hotel for after hours.
Frequently Asked Questions – Get to Know Spyhouse Coffee
Who Owns Spyhouse Coffee?
Spyhouse is owned by Christian Johnson, once a student of University of Minnesota who aspired to work in arts administration. Christian is passionate about providing excellent coffee to the Twin Cities, enjoys deep diving into the numbers of his business, and growing his coffee brand.
Christian’s experience making extended study sessions in the cafe near his dorm was his first experience being a part of cafe culture. This experience is what ultimately led him to start his own brand.
Does Spyhouse Coffee Have Wifi?
Yes! Free wifi is available at every Spyhouse Coffee location. You can bank on getting some work done or studying while you enjoy your coffee.
