Premium Coffee at 4 Convenient Locations – Five Watt Coffee is a must-visit in Saint Paul, MN.
In 2014, Five Watt opened its first location and began making a name for itself by serving craft coffee with a cocktail twist. The specialty menu takes notes from imaginative bartenders to create a mix of flavors that’s truly one of a kind.
Did someone say bitters and espresso?
Try the Kingfield (Vanilla, Five Watt Coriander Bitters, Espresso, Milk, Black Hawaiian Salt).
Or the Pollinator (Honey-Lavender Syrup, Cardamom Bitters, Espresso, Milk).
I’ve had both. They are worth the almost $7.
Five Watt Coffee Founders
Five Watt Coffee was founded by Lee Carter and Caleb Garn after they met working together at a cafe called Bull Run. The friends eventually started Five Watt based on a similar approach to coffee, a shared passion for music, and an eagerness to bring a bartending flare to the third-wave coffee scene.
Five Watt Coffee Locations
Five Watt now operates 4 locations in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. Each of the 4 locations serve a drink unique only to the space, but you can’t go wrong with something off the specialty menu.
Locations and hours include:
- Kingfield – 3745 Nicollet Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55409
- The original location. Open 7 am – 6pm daily.
- Lyndale – 3350 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
- The building the founders met in originally. Open 7 am – 6 pm daily.
- E. Hennepin – 861 E Hennepin Ave UNIT 106, Minneapolis, MN 55414
- Your neighborhood shop in Northeast Minneapolis. Open 7 am – 7 pm daily.
- Keg and Case – 928 7th St W #103, St Paul, MN 55102
- The newest location in the Keg and Case market. Open 7 am – 5 pm daily.
What to Order
I enjoyed a Kingfield latte on my first visit and Pollinator on the second. Both drinks are stupendously unique. The Kingfield delivers a delicious nutty roast with house-made syrups, black Hawaiian salt, and a hint of bitters. The Pollinator delivered a softer flavor so the coffee was allowed to shine through a little more with a slight hint of the signature bitters.
This shop definitely ranked first in my casual ranking system while I traveled and worked remotely in St. Paul. Quixotic Coffee was a very close second.
Price
Don’t be surprised to pay nearly $7 or a little over (before tip) for a Five Watt specialty latte. This unfortunately is the going rate for the specialty drinks in the Twin Cities. And catch a shop like Spyhouse serving up a flavored latte for $6.50. This sustains the specialty roasting, direct-to-farmer relationships, and house made syrups, no doubt. Not to mention inflation. It’s just a little higher than I’m used to paying.
The Roast
The roast at Five Watt was one of my favorites in St. Paul. Let’s just say, the bean water was giving everything I expected to receive. While I didn’t order a simple drink, like a cappuccino, I still tasted the fullness and what I can only describe as the nuttiness I enjoy.
Again, I don’t know much about the roasting process. Five Watt was just closer to my personal preference. The roast would definitely make this shop my go-to if I were a local.
Food Options at Five Watt
The food options at Keg and Case are mainly baked goods. Expect giant chocolate, almond, or regular croissants, and a selection of indulgent muffins. This location is unique since the market also hosts half a dozen + other shops and food options.
Think of Keg and Case as a warehouse shopping mall. During the weekend, you can enjoy specialty gift shops and restaurants, including craft beer, fresh juice, pasta, and more. Almost every shop is closed on Monday and Tuesday, though. On my Sunday visit, I had plenty of food options. On Monday though, Five Watt was the only shop open.
Food at Other Locations
Food options at the Lyndale location feature items like avocado toast, eggs, a couple of sandwiches, and even an everything bagel. The Kingfield location offers some gourmet-looking toast options. Try Pumpernickel topped with cream cheese, dried figs, and arugula, or a taste of Greek food with a Caprese salad on toast, or the sweet lemon glazed French toast.
The E Hennepin location has a good selection of bagel sandwiches. From plain to pesto slathered to even cream cheese and salmon-topped, you’ll be sure to find an option that suits you.
(Based on food items pictured in Google reviews for each location.)
Remote Work at Five Watt Coffee – Keg and Case
The fact that Monday and Tuesday make up the weekend for the craft shops and food options at Keg and Case, left me with a spacious and quiet atmosphere to work in the Monday I visited.
Remote Work
The place was quiet aside from the flow of morning coffee runs and a couple of meetings, and even an interview that took place in the Five Watt sitting area.
I worked the entire 8-hour day at this location and had no issues, aside from the lack of food options. With a couple other remote workers near me making typing away and making phone calls, the space actually felt very office-like.
Seating
Seating is plentiful. There’s a large round table, several comfortable booth-style options, and 6 smaller tables with a bench seat equipped with an outlet strip that could host an army of laptop chargers.
Even during my weekend visit, I found the Five Watt seating area very quiet and easy to focus in. Great remote work option.
Closing Thoughts
Five Watt coffee succeeds in bringing a new flare and flavor to the coffee scene. You will not be disappointed by the laid back and almost grunge outlook on shop design the founders have leaned into. This vibe mixed with the cocktail inspired lattes and perfect brews make for a feeling and flavor you’ll certainly want to go back for.
