Coffee & Tea Ltd

Great recommendations and great coffee! Friendly customer service and you always walk away with something tasty. A must-​visit for anyone into good coffee.
I have never actually bought a coffee drink here, though. It’s really the place to go for great beans. Go somewhere else for your latte…

Ok. For people who don’t know anything about coffee, this place isn’t for you. It does however, offer the most extensive selection and best coffee beans in the city. Ask Surly why it uses coffee and tea’s Finca Vista Hermosa for their coffee bender drink. For people giving this place a bad review for poor service, I know the owner and manager; if you are given an attitude, it’s your own fault. You probably said or did something ridiculous like walk into a local business and start taking pictures without asking. There have been problems in the past with individuals stealing Jim’s business ideas.

Know what you like before you go. If you are a fan of Vienna or French roast, this is your store. You will love the huge variety of dark, oily beans available to you.
However, if you value terroir, the flavors imparted to coffee beans from the land they grow in, or process flavors, such as the deep berry notes beans get from being dry processed, you will be disappointed. I didn’t see a roasted bean in the store that didn’t have the personality burned entirely out of it. If you go, look for the oily sheen on the beans. If you see oil and smell campfire, you know that coffee has been roasted to death. Contrast that with a coffee from Peace, Stumptown, or Intelligentsia, and you’ll quickly understand the difference.
Every bean that goes through the beautiful old roaster in the window is taken into or past second crack, which means it’s burnt. For a lot of people, this is the coffee they enjoy and prefer, and that is fine. Given the prices of the coffees, with many over $ 20 per pound, one could just as easily buy any heavily «roasted» coffee at one-​third the price, because it will taste exactly the same. Freshness is irrelevant after the coffee bean is burnt. There is nothing left to preserve.
I give three stars out of respect for the sense of tradition at the shop, for the gruff and cranky owner, for the variety, and for the fact that even though their coffee is not to my preference, it is appreciated and enjoyed by a lot of people who know what they like, and find it at Coffee and Tea, Ltd.

I’m sure this place had it’s day and maybe the Linden Hills store is better but I just purchased some very expensive beans ($ 30/​pound) from the Mall of America store. I did smell the beans before the purchase and knew that they were a little past prime. I should have turned around and walked out — instead I just followed through with the purchase because I’ve heard good rumors (and really needed beans). Sure enough I come home to spark up the tea kettle for a pour over and the coffee is stale tasting and likely over-​roasted for what was billed as a medium roast. This guy stocks like 30 different coffee beans which is to many. Guess what, that probably means they are not freshly roasted.
Unfortunately Minneapolis, you’ll have to air mail your coffee as we don’t really have a good local roaster BUT like I said maybe the Linden Hills store is better. DO NOT go to the MOA store hoping for fresh coffee beans.

If i could just walk by Coffee and Tea every day while they are roasting their coffee I would be a happy person. The smell is just… AMAZING… This is by far the best coffee shop in town. They are extremely happy with helping you find the best beans for you. I started shopping here since I was to lazy to go to Lunds to get some new coffee beans and it was the best laziness that I have had. You do not need to know anything about coffee when you go in, they will teach you anything that you need to know. Their selection is huge in a large range of prices
FYI you can also buy a cup of brewed tea /​coffee (which I didn’t realize for a while)

What a bunch of pretentious inflated A**HOLES! This little gem of a store has so much potential… It’s small, it’s hidden away, it’s independent, they appear to roast all their own beans and take a lot of pride in their coffee and their craft… BUT… I have never been to a place where you’re made to feel like you’re imposing as a customer and that your notion of paying them money for what they’re selling is offensive to them. Unbelievable. They have this awesome antique coffee roasting machine which they have in the window. I was spoken to like a child for taking a photo of it. Akward?

By far the last word in coffee in the Twin Cities… that is if you’re looking for the best coffee to imbibe. This is not the place for free wifi + burned/​stale overroast… get thee to the malls for that. They have a bench for two outside. As for those mentioning the lack of ceramic… A-​HA, here’s a little secret: if you order the Kopi Luwak (that’s civet poo coffee for Earthlings)…you get it in a ceramic cup to take home with you. BOO YAAAA!!!

Old school, gruff, tiny shop with lack of seating, ancient roaster, no fancy cups? Great, hard to find tea and fantastic in house roasted coffee… can also order by mail with no shipping fee… great stuff! People looking for the next foofy thing, this is not it. Those looking for a little old school hole in the wall with great knowledge and product, this is your next stop…

Summary: Great place to buy beans and get a drink to go. Not zacklee a place to sit down and catch up with anyone.
Nice little bean place. Pretty good selection and knowledgeable staff. I chatted up the guy behind the counter who was very friendly and helpful. I went in for cappuccino only. It ain’t built for that. But it was fine. Two kids (11 – 13) walked in & wanted to try a bean (because they never had munched a roasted bean before). It was provided to them kindly, if reluctantly.
No ceramic cups there, so I ding a star for that and not being a sit-​down oppty inside the place. It always tastes better in a mug vs cup, yeah? As other reviewers point out, they will grind and brew your choice. Quite cool and Much appreciated. I asked if I could take a photo of the picturesque Gaggia espresso maker. (I asked out of politeness). I was told the «owner doesn’t like people taking pics in the store.» «Weird,» I thought. I mean, I’m a prick like that, but that’s why I don’t have a store. «Imma HOARD all these pics for my Instagram fix, yo!» J/​k

We read lots of positive reviews about this coffee place and had high expectations before going there. We ordered a cup of Mocha. The taste was just ok. I didn’t think their coffee was anything special. The barista wasn’t friendly nor welcoming at all. We think this coffee shop is overrated in our case.

I don’t understand all the hype over this place. It doesn’t strike me as very clean & their drink options aren’t great. & they don’t offer non-​dairy milk substitutes, like almond milk. :(

The chai here is one of the best that I have had. I’ve had many opportunities to try chai teas and this one really through me for a loop. The most impressive thing about it was the fact that I did not use soy milk to enhance the chai flavor. That is what made me decide that this chai was the best that I had ever tasted.
Unfortunately, the coffee my friend purchased was burnt and very bitter. You could not even smell any of the notes in the coffee, just burnt. I think it was due to the fact that the trainee was the person who made her coffee and the owner was the person who made my chai. I will definitely return for more chai teas!

It’s next to Tilia’s and it’s a cute place to stop by to have my friends try the kopi luwak coffee. Kopi Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world! It’s $ 420 a pound or $ 10 a cup. You even get to keep the ceramic cup after you drink the coffee.
It’s a little cramped and old school. The owner scolded at me when I took my phone out and said, «do not take pictures in my store!» He must’ve thought I was an undercover coffee agent. If only my life were that cool! ;) In reality I took my phone out to check into the location on Unilocal.
The Kopi Luwak was good, not great. I most likely will not try it again. The peaberry coffee has a good taste, light and not too bitter.

If you consider yourself a coffee aficionado and love having a great selection of beans to choose from (including the infamous Kopi Luwak, sold at over $ 400/​lb), you’ll love Coffee & Tea Limited. This place beats Starbucks any day.
Moreover, the owner here is super friendly, down-​to-​earth, and brews each cup of coffee with such care — He even gave me a 20 oz cup when I ordered a 16 oz Cappuccino Americana because he didn’t want the whipped cream to get pressed up against the coffee cup lid. Where else can you find such service?
Though, I must say, you’ll pay for such quality. As only an occasional coffee drinker, and having an Entertainment Coupon in hand, I didn’t mind shelling out the dollars. But I’m not sure I would say the same if I required a cup o’ joe every morning.

I live in Chicagoland and order their beans on pretty much a monthly basis. typically the Sumatra Blue Toba. Makes a really good espresso. expensive yes but you have you have some pleasures in life.
I think it makes the mailman salivate… the shipping box emanates coffee aroma.

If only I could bottle the smell of those roasting beans…
Hands down, the best bean I’ve ever found. I guess I don’t really think of it as a «coffee shop» that I’d go and sit down at… which is my answer to the complaints of limited seating. That being said — they do make a MEAN cup of coffee for you on the spot. Typically I just get my beans and make them at home.
The owner is awesome, and was really helpful in giving me suggestions for brewing a better cup at home. He also treated the dog! :) They have been getting my repeat business for years, as well as (unknowingly) supplying caffeinated christmas gifts for my family.

I love this place. The owner, who often is working here, is a great guy. I don’t own a dog, but this place is super dog friendly. If you do own a dog, they will often have a treat ready for him or her. When I was there recently I did overhear a guy turn down the buffalo treat because his dog only eats Boar’s Head ham or turkey. Yeah, ok.
Anyway, the coffee choices are excellent and the mocha latte is top notch and it’s always good to support the excellent mom and pop shops.

Easily some of the best coffee in the city. With a roaster with this much experience it is no surprise. The coffee selection is amazing and the prices are some of the best in town.
I think the tea often gets overlooked, but is great as well. They have a many choices for a nice cup. Try the special grade Lapsang Souchong — it is the best smoked tea I’ve ever had.
Lastly, the staff are wonderful. They are always friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.
You should probably stop reading this and just go there now. I mean it.

The Twin cities has some fantastic roasters and Coffee & Tea Ltd. is perhaps the best among them. The folks here know their coffee. Price is very reasonable and the product is far superior to the surrounding shops. Only concern is a lack of indoor seating. But in the summer there is nothing nicer on a Saturday morning than coffee on the bench outside talking with passers-​by.
And yes, the kopi luwak is really as amazing as they say and worth $ 10/​cup. I kid you not.

LOVE the custom cup… pick your bean, they grind it and brew you a cup on the spot. Freshest cup in town by far.
Jim, the owner, roasts coffee in a roaster that pre-​dates WWI… yes, almost 100 years old. He is a classic. Try his 5 Star French roast which I have been having every morning for a month… awesome.
This place is a one of a kind experience. The interior is either «vintage» or «worn out» depending on how you look at it. Another great Linden Hills offering worth the trip.