Open Book

I have fallen in love… This place is truly a needle in a haystack! I’ve driven past Open Book for probably 5 years and never went inside until today. The place features over 3 levels of book-​related wonder, including a coffee shop, resource libraries, galleries, meeting spaces and cozy common areas (so basically a little mothership).
I love to work in a quiet cozy area that isn’t my stuffy little office, and this place did the trick. I went upstairs and found a cute little stone table that had some funky but comfy chairs (equipped with a (p)leather pillow for lumbar support).
My biggest draws above all were that Open Book offers free wifi (and I mean FREE as in you don’t have to buy a drink or pastry in order to get the wifi password) and that there is FREE parking on the east side of the building. I asked the barista about the time limit for the free parking lot and he said there wasn’t a limit… WHAAAAATTT?! Yes, Unilocal.FREE and UNLIMITED parking in downtown Minneapolis.
Thus I conclude that this place has shot right to the top for places Miah can work for free.

Good coffee and a nice small variety of beer. I love to come in the morning and study with a cup of coffee, eat lunch, and then cool off in the evening with a brew. It’s comfortable and mostly quiet, with wifi and study space. I did have some espresso grounds in a latte once though.

Many moons ago I ended up on an Emirates flight to Hong Kong (this is related don’t worry). It was the cheapest option from Bangkok. I’d never flown Emirates before, but I had heard the rumors. Most amazing airline. Best airline food. Outstanding service. Blah blah blah. One thing they don’t tell you is the level of attractiveness of Emirates flight attendants and pilots. Open Book reminds me of Emirates in that way. Everyone that works here is really, really, ridiculously good looking (to borrow a line from Zoolander). Although the food and coffee are excellent, I am really only going here to gawk at the beautiful specimens that wander Open Book’s floors.

This place is like an open book, everything is wide open (I’m struggling to come up with some good word puns)
Open Book is a building with huge glass windows in the front, and inside contains a coffee area, a stationary store, and presumably meeting/​class rooms somewhere. I mainly stayed in the coffee area. The area has high ceilings that gives off a nice open feel. Much better than being in a library with fluorescent lights right above you.
The menu is straightforward but there are some intriguing items. They have something containing graham crackers inside; I did not try that unfortunately. I went with the iced green tea latte — creamy, with a good green tea flavor. Kind of like eating green tea ice cream but without the feeling that I’m over indulging.
In terms of productivity, its quieter than a normal coffee shop, but not as sterile as a library environment. They do have music playing overhead, but it is unobtrusive.
If I had any talent whatsoever as a writer, I would definitely come here to pen the next great American novel. As is, I’ll come here to try some different types of drinks, to get some work done, and maybe crack open a book.
Note — the coffee shop portion is open an hour later and closes an hour earlier than the rest of the building. However, you can continue staying in the building for an hour more.

It was an okay experience. Open book is a great place to check out its very artistic. The little coffee shop in the Open Book was okay. The smoothie had a weird taste to it. which I am not a fan of. but I am sure the coffee and tea are great.

Art museum meets book-​making meet stationary store meets coffee shop. The building is gorgeous (and has won awards for being stunning). Large windows look out onto Washington St. and offer some pretty nice people watching. The coffee is great, the food reasonably-​priced and delicious.
My only complaint is that this place seems to have a pretty tight demographic: middle aged white women in yoga pants. But that could just be the times that I tend to frequent this location.

The in-​between is always better than one or the other. The first floor common area at Open Book is an ideal in-​between place for people who want to study and work outside library or workplace: it’s neither a full-​blown coffee shop nor (although all about books) a library study place.
Have you ever dreamed of a coffee shop with low noise levels and absolutely no music playing? Have you ever dreamed of a library study place that’s more relaxed than a real library? A place that doesn’t remind you of all your sleepless exam nights? Open Book is the realization of your dreams! It’s quite but not solitary confinement deep quite. It’s well-​lit, has large windows and high ceiling. Parking is free. Coffee is good. Displays and artwork are nice to watch when you want to take a break. The Minnesota Center for Book Arts shop is fun to explore and the Internet speed is acceptable. What’s your excuse now to not get your work done, Amir?

If you read enough of my reviews you may be able to pinpoint exactly where I work, but you won’t, because you’re not that creepy, right? Open Book is currently my favorite place to escape for lunch. Their soups are made from scratch, and you can definitely tell. Try the Spinach & Kale Florentine, and the Ratatouille, and the Tunisian Spiced Pumpkin, and the Minestrone (get my drift?). I’ve never had a bowl of soup I haven’t loved here. They also have a large selection of sandwiches. I’ve never tried one cuz I’m not the sandwich type, but if I was, I’m sure they are also amazing. They throw together a mean mixed green salad with an amazing mustard vinaigrette. Dessert lovers, do not fear there’s always a plate full of Ghirardelli browines and biscotti waiting to be devoured on the counter.
Besides all of the amazing food — there is also a SUPER cute little paper store. I have to restrain myself from going on a spending spree each time I enter.
If you’re in the neighborhood, you should defiantly check out Open Book!

Open Book is such a gem! The short distance from the U keeps most of the student crowd at bay.
This place offers free wifi, coffee and tea, lunch, delicious Ghirardelli brownies (must restrain myself from getting another), lovely artwork, open airy space, a small bookshop, and the comfort of a thought out place for individuals to get their reading and thinking on.
It’s unique, relaxing, and doesn’t have the hustle and bustle of most places that contain a coffee shop — first and formost Open Book is dedicated to literacy.

Such an awesome spot– great atmosphere, good coffee, cool place to chill and really unique stuff in the shop.

Kudos as usual for making such great writing events possible. We’re a very lucky city to have so many writers, indie publishers, and publishing folks here. And when events like «Guttenberg Meets Google» happen, it’s further confirmation that MInneapolis/​St. Paul will always be a place for good literature AND a place where the future of books will continue…
Still buzzing from today’s presentations… and loving my job even more!

Open Book is a combination of many things I love and appreciate: design, tall ceilings, art, cheery ambiance, free parking, free Wi-​Fi and of course, caffeinated beverages.
Besides the aforementioned aspects, I also love that Open Book has a lot of soup and sandwich options. When I go to a coffee shop I tend to stay there for a long time so it’s nice to know you can have more than a muffin…(and while we’re on the subject, go for the Mediterranean sandwich – especially if you’re a feta cheese fanatic).
Also, I’m fully aware at how odd this may sound, but I really appreciate a place that has cardamom, cinnamon, etc. at my disposal. I drink my coffee black, but every now and then I like to toss a little cardamom in it to (literally) spice it up!
I don’t remember the specific hours, but try to go when the Minnesota Center for Book Arts shop is open. I am a sucker for pretty things, school supplies, cards, journals, etc. and they have a ton of options!

It’s worth moving to the area just so this can be your sparsely populated polling place.
Besides that, the coffee here is pretty decent though really expensive. There is a great gift shop in back for all kinds of paper/​fiber arts. I’d recommend checking it out!

I work in the area and whenever I have a chance I walk to Open Book to browse their bulletin boards with the local arts and literary happenings. The ambiance is arty and underground which inspires me.
The café is so cute and the service is great. I really would like to spend some time there writing and additionally there is an attached art gallery that I would like to frequent.
Great place to hang out.

This review is about the café portion of Open Book, not the other parts of the building. I like the open atmosphere and layout of the café. This is a good place to get a cup of tea, read a book or consider making one of your own (in the book arts center a few feet away).
When I went they had one vegan soup (artichoke) and some vegan rice crispie bars from French Meadow, but no vegan sandwiches. Unfortunately, they only carry Oregon Chai, which is a serious negative point, in my opinion.
If they had some vegan cookies or cupcakes, along with a tofu or tempeh sandwich, this place would merit an extra star. As it stands, it’s pretty decent.

This is a really cozy place that is really nice to visit. They have a nice little café located in the building with really nice people working everywhere. I actually came here on a class field trip, we came to learn about letter pressing and book binding. We were able to get a full tour of the building and the lady guiding us was really informative about the whole process that goes into books. Apparently they have a book club meetings here, as well as a bunch of book signings, I haven’t been to any of those, but they seem like it would be really interesting.
I will definitely come back, not sure when though.

I visited Open Book for the Book Arts Fair.
It is a beautiful space that holds a nice and cozy café, the Loft Literary Center, workshop space, small boutique, and a small museum. All pay homage to the written word and book arts. It’s a special space in the Metro area; we are truly lucky to have this space.
I love the fact there is a digital marquee outside announcing the upcoming and current events along with other information. Very movie and theater like.

I was back at Open Book yesterday to revisit the scene of my first (and hopefully not only) ROTD. This time I brought Gayle and my son with me.
There is so much to like about this place. This Warehouse District building (near the Guthrie) is gorgeous on the inside with the various spaces that encourage collaboration, learning and book arts. I continue to enjoy the art and creativity, the old printing presses, the coffee shop, and of course the gift shop.
This is great place to come back to again and again…

I’ve heard a lot of great stuff about Open Book/​MCBA for awhile but I was never motivated to check it out until recently. I found out that my future faculty advisor at MCAD was having his work shown there in conjunction to some other graphic design specific events and since nothing beats starting a fresh new school as the over enthused bordering on stalker student I decided to check it out.
One star for parking and a bazillion more stars for how fantastic the space is. There’s a great coffee shop inside and a cute book store where you can find awesome handmade books, prints (awesome ones from Aesthetic Apparatus), and book making material. There seems to be a lot going on, definitely more than meets the eye. I think you can even rent out studio space, I’m not sure. This is the kind of place I can imagine myself holing up in during the winter cold, sucking up their wifi bandwith, and drinking endless amounts of hot coffee.

Open Book is home to the Loft Literary Center, which hosts literature readings, educational series for readers and writers, and sponsors the McKnight Prize for Writers. Also in the mixed-​use center is the cooperative Rosalux art gallery, the Minnesota Center for Book Arts (very cool! you can take book-​making classes and they often have exhibits up), a non-​profit publisher, Milkweed Editions, and the Coffee Gallery.
The space is BEAUTIFUL. High ceilings, wide plank floors, a really cool spiral staircase. You can rent the «Book Club» room for meetings — it has a deck! There’s also several other classrooms and meeting rooms, for public lectures and meetings, and a performance hall for book and poetry readings.
The little coffee shop is an excellent place to work, read, write, or socialize. You can look out onto Washington through the huge windows. Delicious sweets like Special K bars. Soup, sandwiches, coffee.
Open Book should be on your radar if you have any literary inclination. And the space is a must-​visit for folks wandering along Washington, or looking for a place to sit down in the Mill District.