College is hard and tiring and sometimes you just need a cup of coffee to perk you up for that 8 AM or an afternoon full of homework. If you go to Gustavus, or a school nearby there are tons of local coffee shops that are definitely worth taking a trip down to. Here are five of them:
1. River Rock Coffee-
River Rock Coffee is located right down the hill from Gustavus in downtown St. Peter. The owners and baristas are some of the nicest people you will ever meet and the coffee and treats are amazing. There are a lot of places to sit and it’s the perfect place to perch up for a bit and do some studying or catch up with some friends. Their market salad is delicious and I usually order an oat milk latte and it never disappoints!
2. Diamond Dust Bakery-
Diamond Dust is located just off of the Gustavus campus and is such a cute place! The decorations are fun and very fitting for it being not only a coffee shop, but a bakery. If you are looking for a yummy (and cute) cupcake to go with a sweet latte this is definitely the place for you.
3. Fillin’ Station Coffeehouse-
The Fillin’ Station is another great coffee shop to go to and get some homework done. It is located in old town Mankato. Each month the shop features a different artist and hangs their art up around the shop. It’s always fun to come down and see the work and it also changes up the atmosphere a bit. I usually order a vanilla latte with almond milk, but they have a ton of specialty drinks to choose from too which is fun.
4. The Coffee Hag-
The Coffee Hag is located in old town Mankato and has a great atmosphere. Colorful artwork covers every wall and the staff is always super welcoming. My favorite drink to order is an iced bees knees with almond milk. Super sweet and yummy. The Coffee Hag also has live music every now and then which is cool.
5. Dunkin Donuts-
Dunkin Donuts is also located down the hill from Gustavus in St. Peter. If you are looking for a place to do a quick drive thru, this is it. There are many choices of drinks as well as donuts and you can’t ever go wrong with one (or a dozen) of those.