INFLUX Magazine Spring 2024

Despite the vibrant atmosphere and their<br />

creatively named drinks, I left disappointed.<br />

However, it is a great place to take some<br />

aesthetic Instagram shots. While we were<br />

there, a bachelorette party walked around<br />

the different restaurants, but even they<br />

didn’t stop at the coffee bar.<br />

FRGMNT Coffee<br />

729 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis<br />

Ordered: Decaf dulce de leche latte<br />

with oat milk<br />

Cost: $7.80<br />

Alayna and I were exhausted. At 1:36<br />

p.m., we arrived at FRGMNT Coffee. As<br />

soon as we walked in, two friends who<br />

hadn’t seen each other in a while were<br />

reunited. A couple worked side-by-side<br />

at a long table. A large group sat by the<br />

TV and shelves covered in geometric art.<br />

Two people read in front of an industrial<br />

fireplace.<br />

I was tempted to pick up a treat from<br />

Cardigan Donuts, but I was already buzzing<br />

from the caffeine and figured adding<br />

more sugar to the mix would be a terrible<br />

idea. The pink tile behind the counter was<br />

different from the black fabric that lined<br />

the leather couch and the white geometricpatterned<br />

wall. Somehow, it still worked.<br />

Alayna and I sat on a large couch next to<br />

a couple who were watching a TV show<br />

together on a laptop. We played the card<br />

game Trash while I drank my coffee.<br />

What we were most excited about was<br />

the possibility of seeing a dog, as we’d<br />

both had this coffee shop come up on<br />

our Instagram Explore pages separately<br />

because they allowed dogs.<br />

Eventually, our wish came true.<br />

Winston, a 6-month-old Goldendoodle,<br />

walked in with his owner. He was a ball of<br />

energy and brightened up the atmosphere.<br />

He was definitely my favorite part of<br />

the visit. This latte was also one of my<br />

favorites, but the price makes it a treat<br />

solely for special occasions.<br />

Spyhouse Coffee Roasters<br />

907 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis<br />

Ordered: Solid gold latte with oat milk<br />

Cost: $7.03<br />

At 2:22, we arrived at our final<br />

destination: Spyhouse Coffee Roasters. I<br />

was all coffeed out. I didn’t think I could<br />

handle another cup of joe. Alayna hyped<br />

me up before I ordered. When I finally<br />

ordered, I struggled to speak. All the<br />

caffeine had caught up with me.<br />

The black-and-white, classic decor was<br />

not the vibe or headspace that I was in<br />

at the moment. I wanted something cozy<br />

and relaxing, but no matter where I sat, I<br />

felt uncomfortable — no doubt due to the<br />

eight previous coffees. Still, I had to power<br />

through.<br />

The solid gold latte is flavored with<br />

ginger and turmeric. I had never tasted<br />

a coffee like it before, but I could barely<br />

take a second sip. All the milk and caffeine<br />

combined had filled me up over the course<br />

of the day. The turmeric left a weird feeling<br />

in my mouth and the pepper sprinkled<br />

on top overpowered everything else. It<br />

also didn’t help that a portrait of former<br />

president Franklin Delano Roosevelt stared<br />

me down as if I had to finish my coffee or<br />

else I’d be wasting it.<br />

Eventually, my friend Leah Hawley<br />

picked us up and thankfully finished my<br />

coffee so I didn’t have to suffer the wrath<br />

of FDR.<br />

Final Thoughts<br />

I spent $52.46 on all the coffee, which<br />

is more than double the amount I usually<br />

spend on coffee in a month. I hit the wall<br />

halfway through our visit at FRGMNT,<br />

which contributed to my perception of<br />

Spyhouse. Had I not been practically<br />

keeling over from my caffeine consumption,<br />

I probably would have enjoyed it more.<br />

However, each place I visited had its<br />

strengths.<br />

If you want a super fun, bright, engaging<br />

place to hang out with your friends,<br />

Fairgrounds is the place to go. It had the<br />

best atmosphere, and I had the most fun<br />

here. It also had the cheapest coffee of the<br />

day while still being good quality.<br />

Backstory was my favorite place overall.<br />

It had the best coffee and design. You could<br />

either put in earbuds and get to work or sit<br />

and chat with your friends. It was perfect<br />

for both.<br />

If you choose your favorite places based<br />

on the music and the vibes, Corner Coffee<br />

is the place for you. I can’t think of a better<br />

style of music to listen to while drinking<br />

coffee. It was also a great cafe to get work<br />

done.<br />

The Last Drop had the best Instagramworthy<br />

aesthetic. I did get some cute shots<br />

of the flight and the vibrant furniture makes<br />

it a fun place to look at.<br />

If you’re looking for a place where you<br />

can read, work, hang out with friends or<br />

potentially run into a dog, FRGMNT is<br />

great. The coffee tasted great. And there’s<br />

nothing better than seeing a new furry<br />

friend when you’re not expecting it.<br />

If you want to try a flavor you’ve never<br />

tried before, Spyhouse is a great option.<br />

There’s a lavender and honey flavor that<br />

I’m intrigued by, so I’ll probably have to<br />

head back there myself!<br />

While I’m glad I experienced this, I<br />

don’t think I’d go on another crawl again.<br />

The human body was not meant to handle<br />

this much coffee in one day! As someone<br />

who only drinks coffee maybe once or twice<br />

a week — and only orders it caffeinated<br />

when she forgets to ask for decaf — this<br />

was a struggle. After we left Spyhouse, the<br />

jitters started. After eating a bagel, some<br />

carrots and pasta, courtesy of Leah, I fully<br />

recovered from my over-caffeination threeand-a-half<br />

hours later. However, getting<br />

to explore the city was so much fun. Thank<br />

you to everyone who followed along on<br />

my journey through these pages. And now<br />

learn from me and split up your days when<br />

visiting each cafe.<br />

Backstory Coffee Roasters located in Minneapolis,<br />

on February 16, <strong>2024</strong>. Photo by Fiona Curran<br />

26 <strong>INFLUX</strong> MAGAZINE SPRING <strong>2024</strong> SPRING <strong>2024</strong> <strong>INFLUX</strong> MAGAZINE 27