Your furnished studio at Oakland’s on 9th comes with WiFi and a real desk, so you can work from home on most days. But every remote worker hits the afternoon when the four walls start to shrink. Downtown Minneapolis has plenty of places to fix that. Here are the coffee shops, skyway cafés and library corners worth knowing if you are staying with us for a week, a month or longer.
What is the closest coffee to Oakland’s on 9th?
Our building sits at 215 South 9th Street, one block from the skyway (not connected to it). Two spots on Nicollet Mall are the easiest to try first:
- Mocha Momma’s, 300 Nicollet Mall — inside the Minneapolis Central Library. It is a non-profit café that gives young people mentorship in life and job skills, so your latte does some good. Check the Hennepin County Library page for the library’s current hours before you plan a long session.
- Gray Fox Coffee, 700 Nicollet Mall — one of four downtown locations. Meet Minneapolis notes it has been weekday-only, and hours vary by location, so confirm before you go.
Which downtown cafés work best for a laptop day?
Meet Minneapolis specifically flags a few downtown spots as good for remote work. FRGMNT Coffee at 1011 S Washington Ave has open spaces, shares its room with an indie bookstore, and sits steps from U.S. Bank Stadium and the Guthrie. Brühaven at 1368 La Salle Ave is a craft-beer taproom that serves coffee in the morning; Meet Minneapolis calls the spacious room a great atmosphere for remote work, and it is dog-friendly. Both are a longer walk or a short ride from the studio.
For a hotel-lobby feel, Spyhouse Coffee’s downtown café at 215 S 4th St is inside Hotel Emery and lists hours of 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.
Can you work from the skyway on a cold day?
Yes, and it is the trick that makes Minnesota winters manageable. Two skyway-level coffee shops are listed by Meet Minneapolis: SK Coffee (50 S 6th St, Unit 290), serving single-origin coffee, and Vitality Roasting (601 S Marquette Ave, Suite 220), a women-operated roaster with local art. Because we are a block from the skyway rather than connected to it, you will walk one block outside to reach it, then stay indoors. Our guide to how the skyway works explains entrances and hours.
A few tips for working outside your studio
- Go early. The coffee shops above are mostly quiet in the morning and fill at lunch.
- Bring headphones. WiFi and outlets vary, so treat a café as a change of scenery, not a backup office.
- Save video calls for your studio, where the desk and the connection are yours.
Want the full picture of a work-trip stay? Read Working Remotely From Downtown Minneapolis, and see our walkable grocery guide for stocking your kitchen.
Ready for a month-to-month studio with a desk, fast WiFi and a full kitchen? Book your stay at Oakland’s on 9th or call us at (612) 314-5124.
Keep reading: Which Minneapolis Museums Can You Visit Without a Car During a Stay at Oakland’s on 9th?