Coffee Shops and Bakeries in St. Paul: Five to Try

Coffee shops and bakeries in St. Paul range from a bread bakery on Grand Avenue to a French patisserie at Selby and Snelling, a family roaster and a new West Side cafe for pan dulce. Five places, found through tourism boards and local magazines, make a good morning route, whichever side of the river you start on.

Each is described by two independent sources, and the notes below say what each is known for.

Where are the best coffee shops and bakeries in St. Paul for a morning?

Pick a neighborhood and walk. Grand Avenue has a bread bakery, the corner of Selby and Snelling has a patisserie, the Mac-Groveland blocks have a pie and biscuit shop and the West Side has a roaster and a pan dulce cafe. A weekday morning is calmest and gives you the best pastry selection.

Arrive early for bread and pastries, because popular items sell out by midday.

Which St. Paul coffee roasters are worth a visit?

A coffee roaster on the West Side is described by Explore Minnesota, which lists its three signature roasts. Visit Saint Paul lists it among the West Side's places to eat, and it sells espresso drinks, pour-overs, cold brew and pastries.

Ask for the roast you have not tried. Staff in a roastery usually know what is freshest.

Where can you find West Side coffee and pan dulce?

A Latine, queer and woman-owned coffee shop on Cesar Chavez Street is another stop. Mpls.St.Paul Magazine reported it officially open and recommended it for specialty Mexican coffee and pan dulce, and Visit Saint Paul says its pastries come from El Burrito Mercado.

Hours and the pastry case change, so check the shop's own page before a special trip.

What are the best St. Paul pastries for a French-style breakfast?

A patisserie at the corner of Selby and Snelling brings some popular Minneapolis patisserie items to St. Paul, according to Explore Minnesota, and Visit Saint Paul lists its French pastries, quiche Lorraine and BLT on baguette. It is a good stop before a walk on Cathedral Hill.

A bread bakery and cafe on Grand Avenue is one more stop. Southside Pride reported its opening, and Mpls.St.Paul Magazine's best new restaurants pointed to Eastern European breads and Jerusalem bagels.

Where can you eat St. Paul biscuits and pies?

A pie and biscuit shop on Snelling Avenue South is known for biscuits, sandwiches, and sweet and savory pies, according to Explore Minnesota. Visit Saint Paul highlights its biscuits and gravy and a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit sandwich, and the shop sells take-and-bake biscuits for later.

Order one thing to eat now and one to take home. Biscuits reheat well.

What should you order at a St. Paul bakery?

Ask for the thing the shop is known for and one thing you have not seen before. At a French patisserie that may be a laminated pastry such as a croissant, at a bread bakery a loaf or a bagel, and at a biscuit shop a biscuit with gravy. A pastry is best eaten the day it is baked, so buy what you will eat and carry the rest only if it travels well.

Coffee changes the choice. A bright roast suits a buttery pastry, and a cup of the sweet, spiced coffee at a Mexican cafe suits pan dulce. Ask the person at the counter for a pairing, since they taste the menu every day.

How early do St. Paul bakeries sell out?

Popular bread and pastries often sell out by late morning, especially on weekends, so the first hours of the day are the best time to go. Weekday mornings are calmer and leave time to talk to the staff. Opening hours vary by shop and season, and some cafes close in the afternoon, so check each page before a special trip.

If you plan to buy bread for the week, ask whether a shop can set a loaf aside. Many will, and a short call saves a wasted trip.

How do you rate and tag a bakery or coffee shop?

Rate the item, not the shop. A croissant, a bagel and a biscuit deserve separate scores, and a note on the line is useful. Tags such as Bakery, Coffee Shop, Specialty Coffee and Pastries describe the room and what it does well, and Dog-Friendly or Family Friendly can help a stranger.

Tags earn badges and help people find a place. They are a rater's note, never a guarantee, so confirm hours before you go.

How do you plan a St. Paul coffee and bakery route?

Start with the roaster or the cafe for a drink, walk to a bakery for something to eat and finish with bread to take home. Put the stops in a list with a note on what to order, and share it with the people you are meeting.

The Minneapolis coffee shops and bakeries guide does the same for the other city, and the Grand Avenue guide adds lunch.

More in the US food guides, and across the state in the Minnesota guides.

Open the Mosey app on your next bakery morning, rate the pastry you chose and save the place to a list for the friends who ask where to start.