Nina’s Coffee Café

I used to go here all the time when I was frequently in that glorious Cathedral Hill neighborhood and miss going here for some java!
They have great desserts, sandwiches, salads and other light lunch grub. My favorite part is the aesthetic; there are lots of cute little nooks that you can curl up in and read while you sip on a good cuppa java (And they know their way around an espresso bean, ya’ll!)
Service is always quick and snappy and the food never fails to satisfy your taste buds.
One word to the wise– this is one hoppin’ place, so snagging a seat at a table may be slim pickens (but customers are always open to sharing a table with you, so never be afraid to ask!). They do however have a bookstore hidden downstairs and I always head down there first because it’s a less congested area.
All in all, this is one of my favorite gems in the metro!

RATING ON WINE GLASSES:
DIRTY!
They should really do better at cleaning their wine glasses. It’s not just 1 dirty wine glass but THREE dirty wine glasses. Wine served in dirty cups will definitely alter the taste of the wine.

This is a great local coffee shop that I can’t believe I haven’t been to until now. It’s in a nice historic area and the interior certainly matches the location, both classy and artsy. Love the hanging artwork, the painted bookshelf mural and typewriters!, and classic brick walls. I got a medium hot chocolate (and in a ceramic mug woohoo!), which would probably constitute as a small at most places, plus it was $ 3.90, a little pricey in my book. It was good though, and I probably drank it way too fast meaning it unfortunately didn’t last long. It’s a great place to work or study (free Wi-​Fi of course), however, it’s not a quiet environment between the loud-​ish music (for a coffee shop) and the transmission of people’s voices. I went on a weekday afternoon and had a tough time locating a place to park (but at least it’s free!) and when I got inside, there was only one table open, so I was glad I was able to snag it. It’s nice though because there is a sign that asks customers to share tables during busy times, so I guess I won’t think anything of it if I have to ask (or get asked) to share a table with someone. Also while I was there, they were giving out free samples of a cinnamon roll! There are a couple very comfortable looking couches, which were unfortunately occupied, and a staircase leading to two more chairs. All in all, really cool place.

Gorgeous coffeeshop! If I lived here, I would definitely come here to study and/​or work during free times. The walls were painted like the interior of a library and it is very spacious inside. The tables are long and wide, great for reading and/​or studying. The service was doable, not the best but not the worst. The drinks were good, although I can’t speak for all of their drinks since I only got the tea. The little staircases led to a small «upstairs» area where people could go and sit down to do some solo reading.
With the snow falling outside, this coffeeshop was even more beautiful and warm on the inside. If you live in the area, I would definitely recommend coming here.

Very cute coffee shop with very good coffee. Only thing is their prices are pretty high and the chai is in the smallest mug ever. Don’t think I would ever order it again. Ambiance is great, seek out the single table at the top of the stairs, it’s the cutest! It is a little noisey since it gets busy, so studying here can be distracting. The downstairs bookstore that moved will also be missed a lot!
Major tip — if you’re looking for Naked Nina’s (Nina’s new juice nutrient bar), it’s two blocks down Selby, right across the street from the Cheeky Monkey.

Not very clean in the kitchen. Watched their staff cross contaminate more than 10 times in 30 minutes. They even used the same towel that was sitting right next to the trash to wipe the fridge, then, the cutting board before making someone’s sandwich. They also used their bare hands to move the trash before going into the fridge and preparing food… without washing their hands. Three different people did the same thing. I might buy a beverage but won’t be ordering food, even sweets, here again.

This is a gorgeous building and I like how it’s decorated, but everything else was a disappointment. I came here because of the high reviews here and I just didn’t see what everyone was so excited about. My sandwich (which came with tomato when I saw the girl write down on the slip «NO TOM») was decent but came with a weird greens salad and sharp vinaigrette. My coffee, which I wasn’t told I had to get myself when my sandwich would be brought to me, was mediocre at best and topped with spices when I just ordered mocha. My $ 4.50 medium was served in a normal size coffee cup. On top off all this, there is a weird parking lot that is clear on the other side of the building, if you can’t find street parking (and at night on Sunday, you can’t).
If I lived in walking distance or on a bus route, this would still be a viable option, but the disappointment on top of its out-​of-​way (for me) location means I’ll never come back.

Awesome Harvest wrap. Hit the spot on a damp December afternoon. The atmosphere is laid back and the service is very friendly. Found it by mistake, but will definately add to Good Map favorites.

It is really hard to not like Nina’s because if you come here on a beautiful fall day the atmosphere, the books, the quaintness of it all with the addition of all these young (and old) hipsters in their bookish glasses and macbooks (you know I am talking about you) just make you feel warm, home-​y, and like you are English.
I got the potato leek soup and the quiche lorraine and they were both sub-​par. I know. I hate to ruin it all for you. But that is what I am here for because I am an evil Minneapolis broad who just has no appreciation for St Paul quaintness. The potato leek was… okay. The quiche lorraine had not much of a crust and was overly salty. This is what I get for coming to a coffee shop hungry. Shame on me. Like going to a steakhouse and getting a salad. The drinks though were great, the staff are funny and on top of their game as they managed the crowd ebb and flows like a well oiled machine. If I lived in the area, I would totally be here all the time working on homework that I somehow manager to always be behind on but I wouldn’t eat here.

Nina’s is right in my neighborhood, and I come here often to get work done. Somehow the atmosphere is conducive to working and/​or hanging out with a friend and chatting. They have great coffee and nice efficient baristas, also gluten free as well as standard pastries and food items. Love!

Went to order breakfast today, two breakfast sandwiches for $ 6.76/ea as listed on the sign. The order total though came to $ 15.07 with tax? After getting my receipt, I found out that they charged me $ 7.00 for each PLUS seeing I had a 4^th item on the sandwiches, an additional $ 0.24/each (though the menu board clearly said that you get up to 4 items on the sandwich).
After asking for the difference back, the person working at the front counter said that they had changed the price awhile ago, and that’s the new price I would have to pay. I immediately asked for a manager. The manager politely asked what I would like in return. I advised that I would like the difference back. It seemed like she had a hard time calculating what the original price would be so I figured it out for her.
Come to find out, the owners of the company do not want to spend the money to update their menu boards. I’m also a small business owner, and understand that making changes to pricing can be time consuming and costly… but in their case, they could easily put a piece of paper over the old price with the new price laid out on it.
I’ve been here a few times in the past, and I think the last time I went there, I had a similar issue, but that was several months ago, and don’t remember the details. At this point, even though it is a very cute place, nice atmosphere, I won’t go there because we don’t know what we will be charged!

This coffee house is located in one of the best neighborhoods in the Twin Cities. Service is good, fast, and coffee is great. It does get busy, especially during peak hours but they move quickly to get you in and out. A little pricey, but in my opinion totally worth it.
Atmosphere is AMAZING! And they have outdoor seating when weather is nice.

Food is excellent. Drinks are baller. Smart staff. Cool look. Great for studying, meeting new people, etc. Worth trying if you need a place to chill outside of the home.
Only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because parking can be really troublesome because it’s so popular/​busy. Also, I feel like there should be more seating.

My favorite coffee spot in the Twin Cities. The multi-​level, hard wood and brick interiors have no less character than the restored Victorian neighborhood which it adorns. Come here after an autumnal stroll down Summit Avenue, past the cobblestoned side streets, and the beautiful, creepy gothic belfries (some of which are reputed to be haunted) and the cold, stoney exterior of the James J. Hill House. Nina’s is just above Common Good Books, owned by Garrison Keilor. Sometimes you can see the old man wandering the streets, his eyebrows preceding him by several city blocks.

Came here for coffee and pastries late night before closing. Get the caramel brownie, one of the best brownies I’ve had in the city. I would definitely come back during the day, love the quaint and whimsical look inside (and the fake stairway to a bookcase). Definitely has a unique personality, and decent seating.

Nina’s (don’t know if it’s pronounced ‘Knee-​Na’ or ‘Ni-​na’) is my go to spot when I have a bit of work to get done on the weekend.
Me and everyone else it seems… This place is always packed with students or professionals sipping coffee and typing away at their laptops. This can sometimes lead to difficulty finding a table, but I’ve always been able to find my own space.
That’d be the only negative. Otherwise, great coffee (my fave is the chai tea latte) and awesome lunches. Will keep coming here for as long as I can :)

Tasty local eats with nice coffee and AWESOME freshly baked muffins, scones, croissants, donuts, cookies and OOOOOOOOOOOH sweet baby Jesus.
If you want a laid back, mellow and locally owned coffee shop vibe to warm up in, do some Googling or read a book with a coffee and a slice of cake — this is the place for you. If you have ever been to Grey’s Dog in NYC’s West Village or the Crêpe-​vine in San Francisco’s sunset district this place has a very similar vibe.
They also have brunch, lunch, snacks etc like eggs, oatmeal, quiche, salads… All that good stuff but the winner for me was their apricot and white chocolate (!?!) scone. Boner-​luscious. Go try it out! (But guys, wear lose fitting pants, no one likes to see boners or even semis walking around proudly in coffee shops).

It’s comfy, a place to study, welcoming atmosphere, the staff can be snobby sometimes but worth a try and many revisits, no bad experiences yet. Awfully busy and with a lot of people so not necessarily a quiet coffee shop. Coffee was great, food was okay
So far– just some average home makeable sandwiches.

There is a warmth here that is not present in your run of the mill chain coffee places.
The high ceilings give the illusion of space, but it is a little difficult finding seating, especially if you’re with a group of friends. Its hard to fault them for this, as people like myself come to this place for some coffee, maybe a light snack, and then to hunker down and hopefully be productive. One thing I would ding them for is the lack of many outlets, especially in light of the number of people with laptops I saw.
There is only one unisex bathroom, kind of in the view of everyone, so if you’re super self conscious and imagining everyone is looking at you as you enter and exit the bathroom, hopefully you don’t have a nervous bladder.
The menus are written on large chalkboards behind the counter. I’m not a big coffee guy, so wouldn’t know if they have a legit selection or not but a quick perusal left me thinking there could be something for everybody. I opted for a smoothie, and was pleased that it didn’t taste entirely like it was from concentrate or syrup.
All in all, there are many things that I could probably ding them for and lower my rating on the review for this place, but sometimes the sum is greater than its parts, and sometimes the irrepressible goodness of a place cannot be denied. I’d say this is more a coffeeshop to catch up with a friend or two, or to doing some personal reading.

The coffee is questionable, it’s crowded, it’s cramped, parking is a pain, the unisex bathroom makes me cringe, butt-​flattening wooden chairs and benches, limited outlets, and pricey sandwiches is what I encounter when I come to Nina’s.
However, if you’d asked me if I love Nina’s, I’d say I do.
The bustling ambiance, the loud music, the hot chocolate, the Three Pigs Panini, and being surrounded by people doing work makes for a very productive environment for me to get some homework done. Plus, the regular appearance of the guy with an afro and a peacock feather in his hair and always with a big ol’ smile on his face is pretty awesome. (Have you seen him?)

Important thing to note: I don’t drink coffee so I can’t comment on that in my review.
I have a meeting here almost every Tuesday afternoon. It’s become one of my favorite coffee shops in the Twin Cities. All the staff are very friendly and pleasant. For such a busy place, they keep the line moving at a good pace. I typically drink tea — hot in the winter, iced in the summer. They have lots of different ones to chose from. I’ve also tried a few of the baked goods and they’ve all been really yummy.
Free Wi-​Fi is available.
It does get pretty busy, especially in the winter when people can’t sit outside. Every once in a while we have trouble getting a table. There is overflow seating downstairs though if it is packed upstairs.
The bookstore downstairs is really nice too.
Overall, I much prefer Nina’s over the more typical chain coffee shops. It’s got a little bit more personality.

I’ve never eaten at Nina’s on Cathedral Hill but have stopped in for coffee several times and I really like this place. The staff has always been really kind and accommodating, and the overall atmosphere is really positive!
This time I asked for a specially made iced latte drink and they happily complied. My Carmel-​Carmel latte was just the right amount of sweet and they didn’t overdo the ice, which I really liked.
They also have a really cool idea where you can buy a drink for a friend or frequent customer and post the sleeve with a note for them on a board to redeem for their free beverage next time they’re in. How clever!

Great ambiance, but they don’t take the coffee and espresso seriously enough. This day in age, you need to fall into one of 2 camps: mass coffee (caribou, starbucks, dunn bros), or specialty coffee that focuses on good, local beans and latte art. This place is neither. It belongs in the 1990s with other shops that feature excessive clutter, mediocre drinks, and a panini press. Like I said, the ambiance in awesome, the building is a 19^th century formal brothel, so you can’t beat that.