Sovereign Grounds

The first time I visited Sovereign Grounds the shop was in a smaller corner of what is now the welcoming space for one of the finest coffee shops in Minneapolis. When I returned for a quick dark roast coffee weeks later Hakan, the owner, remembered my NAME! Friends tell me they’ve had the same experience - being greeted by name every time they stop in. Sovereign Grounds is a spacious restaurant filled with comfy furniture (much of it made by Hakan). You’re likely to see a pile of tiny sneakers where toddlers shed their shoes before rushing into the kid’s play area. You’ll see Moms and Dads enjoying delicious coffee drinks and home made pastries. Stop in and treat yourself! Talk to Hakan about reserving the back room for small meetings. (And don’t forget to ask the owner about his pictures of grandkids!)

This is by far the best local coffee shop I've had the pleasure of frequenting. The service is hands down, incredible. The baristas are friendly, and have wonderful banter. H, the owner, is my favorite person in our neighborhood. The drinks are delectable and delicious. Also, the playroom has huge dinosaurs. I have never had a less than perfect visit to Sovereign Grounds. Would highly recommend!

Good vibes, great chai, friendly service. Ample free street parking is nice too. Will probably be back again. Photo was taken around 5:20; it was much busier an hour before.

Great coffee shop to sit for awhile while your toddler and baby can play. The food was excellent and the coffee was great for the price.

Yum!! Super tasty and warm environment. Layla helped me out and was super kind! Wonderful and super pretty person. :) The banana bread was sooooo good. Even got another one to bring home. Killer brownie was also good, but not as amazing as the banana bread. Iced mocha was yum too! Chips and hummus was a nice savory treat as well. Lobby can get a bit crowded and loud with the older folks that come by, not the quietest or best for a place to study. They stay focused on their crosswords as long as their coffee is filled lol. POC and Queer friendly place!

First time visiting today. This is such a great spot—very lively and full of people chatting and working and playing. It feels like visiting a coffee shop in the pre-smart phone era. Haven’t felt this good about a coffee shop since I left NYC a few years ago. They also have gluten free pasties which is awesome :) And delicious coffee!! Will certainly return.

Super cute building. The drink I got was great, though the employee didn't know about the blended coffee that seemed to be an option on the menu. I did have a wonderful conversation with him while trying to understand whether it was avaliable, and he was quite humorous and friendly. Really glad I went here. Might go again when I have enough time to get to the bottom of the blended drinks mystery.

The play space for kids was pretty ok. Some imagination play things like houses and food. One small slide structure. Train track table in the middle. Food was okay, kids liked the carrot cake and banana bread. My turkey sandwich had soggy bread and was yet also not moist at all. The coffee tasted burnt and bitter. But the hot cocoa was good. Overall, wouldn't go back as a destination, but if I was in the area I may stop to let my kids play.

Adorable neighborhood cafe with ample seating indoors and outdoors to enjoy a lazy south Minneapolis summer afternoon or cozy winter day. Surprisingly broad array of food offerings - including sandwiches, pastries, and spinach pies. Friendly staff and lots of nearby street parking.

I've been creeping on Sovereign Grounds for quite some time now, but because it's a bit of a drive for us we haven't made it. Today was the day and I'm so glad! I went specifically for the kid play area and let me tell you--kids EVERYWHERE. If you want a quiet place to study in the later hours of the morning this may not be the place for you. I started with a plain coffee which was extremely tasty and reasonably priced. My daughter loved the play area! We split a quiche as well (why do I never remember pictures of the food? Working on it!) which was a huge hit. We will continue to go out of our way to come here for coffee and play.

I dropped by recently and was pleased to find it was just as good as I remember from pre-pandemic days. I grabbed the last big table on a Saturday morning. I love the cozy living room feel with well-worn furniture. The service is attentive, and the man who appears to be the owner really cares about what he does. I keep coming back for the fresh deli food. This time I ordered tabbouleh and an low-carb egg sausage cheese cup. Both were delicious and went well with my mint tea. I love family businesses that make you feel like you are visiting a friend's house. My friends who met me there for the first time also seemed to enjoy the space. We will be back.

There's really nothing wrong with Sovereign Ground, especially if you have kids (there's a playroom), it's just not the coffee shop for me. Upon entering it felt like a cafe I loved in college, with mismatched antique furniture, lots of students and work-from-homers on laptops, and yummy sandwiches and beverages... but then you hear a kid in the other room around the corner losing their minds and that spell is broken. If that doesn't bother you -- great -- Sovereign Coffee is definitely worth a stop, it's just not what I'm looking for.

This place is so unique and utterly fantastic if you have young kids! They have an entire space dedicated for an indoor playground, including toy kitchens, a little jungle gym, train table, and lots of cars/puzzles/smaller toys. We visit a lot in the winter months and it's such a lifesaver for our toddlers! I'm not a big fan of their coffee, but my husband likes it so could just be a personal preference. They also have lots of baked goods / sandwiches which is nice.

I'd say this is a FABULOUS place to go with young kids but not as good of place to take work calls or do focused work. There is a room to the side with a bunch of toys, including a play kitchen, which was popular with my friend's almost 3 year old. I was there midweek around 10am and it was pretty hoppin'! I ordered an iced coffee and a scrumptious egg and spinach pie thing. I comfortably nursed baby while hanging here without anyone batting an eye, which is a very nice perk of going to a kid-friendly coffee shop. Will for sure be back.

Been going here for 20 years and wont stop it feels like home. The play area is perfect for kids if you need to do work or keep them distracted. The owner is so sweet. The baristas give me very good recommendations when I cant decide.

I've been thoroughly enjoying visiting Sovereign Grounds. I've visited to chat with friends, as well as settled in to get work done. It has the best cozy coffee shop vibe! The coffee is delicious, as well as the baked goods I've tried. I recommend the mocha, it's my favorite one I've found in the cities. The employees are all very kind and the service is fast! Some people have mentioned noise from the playroom being distracting, but I find it quite mild, especially when I use headphones it becomes pretty much unnoticeable.

Good coffee, great food homemade, lots of laptops , lots of children screaming in adjacent playroom. The food for lunch and pastry is superior to just about anyplace I've been to. The proprietors are so warm, so friendly, so authentic, that they are part of the experience.

I stumbled upon Sovereign Grounds after having my blood drawn at the Health Partners just down the street. I had fasted for several hours and wanted to treat myself to a coffee and something sweet. Sovereign Grounds was packed with customers for a Monday mid-morning. The cafe is very cute with big windows to let the sun in and a colorful kids playroom in the back. An older gentleman behind the counter (I believe he's the owner) greeted me and took my order quickly. I was delighted to see they had not one but two gluten free bakery options (blueberry muffin bread and PB cookies). I got the cookie, an iced coffee with oat milk and a bag of beans. The owner thanked me for buying their in-house roasted beans and then asked, "you new to the area? I've never seen you before." I replied that I had gotten my blood drawn just up the block. He then said, "Oh! You must be famished if you've been fasting. Here, have another cookie on the house." How sweet! It really meant a lot and the cookies and coffee were delicious

This is one of the most delightful neighborhood coffee shops the cities offers. The best price for coffee I've found as well as delightful rotating baked good items. It's not swanky like some other shops, but it's cozy and quite, perfect to get some work done (that's why so many people often have laptops) or chill and read a book for while. It's in a great area for a walk with a coffee. If you're seeking a chill spot, with good coffee; this is a must visit.

This is one of my go to coffeeshop for meeting friends with kids because they have a nice selection of drinks/food/baked goods and snacks for the kiddos plus a nice size play room for the kiddos to explore and run around. This place does get fill up fast on bad weather days and the nice can bring loud from the playroom but the separate dining area to work with a view. They have a nice selection of toys for the kids to keep busy and the playroom has recently been repainted with a different murals. They have separate bathroom in the back of the playroom with a changing table and hooks for jackets and other stuff. Remember to wash your kiddos hands before and after playing in the playroom to prevent your kiddos from getting sick.

First time there to meet a friend. Wonderful neighborhood coffee spot. The coffee is roasted on site and can be ground to your specifications. I took a pound home. Wonderful spot to hang out. I will definitely be back.

My favorite cozy neighborhood coffee shop! I feel lucky to be so close here, the owner (and all staff) is so nice and welcoming and the atmosphere is very comfortable. They open early too which is a plus. Be sure to try a pastry if you stop in, their baked goods are amazing!

The best coffee shop in the twin cities, especially for bringing your kids and fur babies! Their maple latte is my favorite!

What a neat little place! The owner is very kind and makes amazing pastries and good coffee. What makes this place unique is the children's play area inside! I was able to meet a friend for coffee and our kids played while we caught up! Her daughter is two and my son is 5 and they both had fun. Food and drinks are reasonably priced (around $3 each). I would highly recommend this spot to moms with kids! I will be coming back! Note: Parking is only along the street and can be tricky.

The ambience inside was perfect - a quaint coffee shop with all the smells, sounds, and bustling of energy you could hope for. My 3 year old loved the play area, which was overrun with small children on a Saturday morning. We got a hot chocolate (prices were very reasonable) and pastries. The lemon bar was great. I think I had a slightly overcooked batch of scones, but it tasted fine and I won't pass judgment because the owners clearly care about the quality of their food and service. I would definitely come here again!

Nice coffee shop with great pastries and other food items. Very popular with the locals.

This was a nice little coffee shop with a friendly worker and great coffee. My grandpa goes here often and recommend it to me so I decided to try it out. I got an Irish cream iced latte and it was delicious and smooth. The menu is simple but lots of flavor options. The worker was very kind and quick. The business was clean and cute. Cant wait to stop in again.

absolutely my favorite coffee house,. this is artisans coffee.... roasted on the premises. baked good are sensational, the morning glory muffin is among my favorites. Hakan is an authentic proprietor..kind, helpful. friendly... sovereign ground...is as good as it gets.

I enjoy taking my toddler out to kid friendly spaces. I like how this cafe has a room for kids to play at no cost. But the four times we have gone there, my daughter gets very sick. This past week we got a nasty stomach bug which went through the whole family. I'm worried they don't clean the play equipment and toys. It's very sticky and there are so many toys everywhere that look really old. I think this kid-friendly cafe can be a great place, but I think cleaning needs to be a priority where the workers take shifts to sanitize every few hours. And maybe get rid of some of the toys. I don't think that many is needed.

Quaint, clean and very good coffee options and baked products to go with the coffee! Great place to have a relaxing conversation and coffee!

I love this place! As a nanny it is the perfect place to have a chill morning! The staff is amazing and super friendly as well! Recommend this place to all my friends! With or without kids;) they also have really good pastries and sandwiches!

This cafe is a cute little gem. It's got an eclectic and comfy vibe, with several options of both drink and food. They offer all the standard caffeinated creations of both the hot and cold varieties. I love that they have a long list of flavored syrups you can add, like lavender, amaretto, peppermint, and cherry to name a few. They even have some sugar-free syrups. They have a deli menu too with the usual cafe fair like soup, salad, and sammies. But their case also has lots of other treats on rotation, like gluten free quiche, roasted brussel sprouts, lemon poppyseed muffins, cinnamon rolls, and pasta salad. The water and bussing bin is by the back of the counter. The service was friendly, yet a bit slow. And unfortunatley the wifi barely works.

I love this place! The coffee is great, the prices are perfect and the owner and staff are so nice!

This place gets four stars for the play room available for kids. It is a great option for adults who want to catch up with friends and they don't have to worry about finding a babysitter or a fun outing for the kids if its bad weather outside. If you don't like kids and noise, I would not recommend this place on the weekends at least. I got a chai latte, it is comparative to most other coffee shops. They offer a standard menu of coffee/tea/food items. I also got a slice of their blackberry oatmeal walnut bread. The slice they gave me was huge! I actually took a lot of it home to enjoy with my dinner. They also offer gluten free options at the bakery. The service is a little slow but to be fair, there was only one person at the counter and having 3-5 people come in at a time with their food/drink orders is a lot for one person to handle. Street parking available and easy to find in the neighborhood especially.

Amazing coffee every time, such a cute coffee shop with a great vibe. The raspberry oat bars are to die for! Love stopping here for a snack across the street during work! Not to mention the owner is the sweetest person ever

Great neighborhood coffee shop and more. Coffee drinks very good and made to order and sandwich, deli-style lunch items. Parking near-by. Good place to stop in after a movie.

This is one of my favorite small businesses in the Twin Cities. Before the pandemic it was a neighborhood hot spot - indoor playground tables full of people chatting and enjoying coffee and treats. I drive 15 miles from Apple Valley to come here. Why? - The owner is one of the nicest people I know. He is genuinely kind. He takes the time to know his customers, keeps my order in mind. - Personally I think they make the best scones in the Twin Cities. I like my scones a bit crunchy, not too sweet, no doughy, and that's exactly what you find here. - Really good coffee. The Turkish Roast is a family favorite. Great roast that's dark on flavorful but not overbearing. During the pandemic they're open but only serving takeout. I'm making an effort to try to frequent the store as much as possible. If you have a small business you care about, now is the time to show them some love.

The Turkish roast coffee is the best! It is dark, extremely smooth and less acidic. Drink it there or get it fresh ground to bring home.

Love getting some coffee and a snack and being able to take my daughter to play here. Such a great shop in the neighborhood.

Tea, coffee, nice sunlight, tasty pastries, and handmade lunch items, plus a wondrous kid area -- all run by a generous guy who works his tail off. I can schedule a meeting with the toddler in tow and actually get something done. Or I can bring my busy boy here on a cold and rainy day to beat the cabin fever blues. Thank you, Sovereign Grounds for making life better! And for the record, I see plenty of people here without kids in the front room, so come here even if you don't have kids in tow and absorb their abundant energy from afar!

I came here on a Sunday morning at about 10 with my toddler and met my friend and her 2 children (3 and 6) and came purposefully for the play area so the adults could chat and kids play. It's a big coffee shop, and then a separate playroom for young kids. The play room also had plenty of tables and chairs for the parents. You had to take shoes off but I suppose you don't want to track in water and mud. There were quite a few other kids. There was a play gym with slides and a big variety of toys. My guy was pretty shy at first but seemed to have fun. My friend's kids had a great time too and my friend and I could catch up. They have a bathroom in there too. There are also bathrooms out in the main area. They had a great selection of bakery items and a few different lunch items. They had a good variety of pre packaged kid snacks too, smart! Oh and a drinking fountain. I wish there was more on the breakfast front. I had the quiche and a coffee with a peppermint flavor shot. It's a great idea and I'd probably go back even though it's 25 minutes from me.

Great space for all people, kids through adults! The guy helping (I believe owner) was very helpful and kind. He even asked what color was our favorite for our cups He gave recommendation and even was funny at times. The prices are reasonable and the service was great. You can tell it's a family business..the owners adorable grandkid came out of the back wanting a cookie The play area for kids was busy but lined with tables and parents were generally watching their children well. Lots of toys and books for all ages! Highly recommend.

We have lived in this neighborhood for 11 years and are proud to call Sovereign Grounds our neighborhood coffee shop. Early in our tenure we came so our kids could enjoy the play area. Now they come with their friends to grab a smoothie or bakery item. It's great to see how this place is such a big part of their growing up. The service is outstanding, quick, and personal. Hakan, the owner, knows your name from the first time you come in, and makes you feel at home by greeting you by name every time you come back. Excellent coffee and even better baked goods, all made from scratch. Salads are often Middle Eastern inspired and universally excellent.

The first time I went, I had to leave because there was just one man working the counter, and about four customers in line and it took about 8 min for the man to take the order and complete the couple of drinks. I knew I'd be in line for quite some time as the service was slooooooow. There were other workers who seemed to just be hanging while one guy was doing it all. I also wasn't aware of the ambiance before arriving, loud, with a large play area for kids and there always seems to be a lot. Probably wouldn't be a good study / work environment. I decided to give it another chance, seeing as it's just across the street from me. It was quicker service and the cold press coffee was good. Nothing special. The lentil soup was warm and flavorful. I'd prob just drive down to Caribou where service is more prompt and the employees are more friendly.

Best coffee and best service! The owner is so friendly and always makes you feel welcome. This is the only coffee place that I'll go to. Great local spot in the Hale/West Nakomis neighborhood.

You must try the spinach pie. Take it home and heat it in the oven (not microwave) at 350 till crispy and brown. You will thank me (and Hakan) for the rest of your life. And it wouldn't hurt to get a freshly baked dessert like carrot cake or a scone or muffin. Don't say I didn't warn you. AND the coffees not bad

I lived close to this place for a long time and it was my first time there today. It is a great little coffee shop with a very family touch to it there is even a kid play room inside I thought it was so kind and sweet of the owner to put that inside the place and they fresh ground their coffee. Every shop I go to I always get a ice coffee latte and this place has great coffee here I definitely recommend it for friends and family's coffee is definitely a 10 Out 10 here I definitely be coming back here

My favorite neighborhood coffee shop! Service is always quick and the food and coffee is delicious. My favorites are the iced miel and a peanut butter cookie! And some Turkish beans to go!

The children's play area (???) was larger than the actual cafe it seemed and it was definitely a hot-spot for families with small children. I had a pretty long wait and there were way too many kids there for a coffee shop. The service seemed pretty friendly but the coffee was Not Great and, as someone who is not kid-friendly, I could not see myself coming here again.

VERY cool coffee shop. It's divided into two rooms. One room is for the adults; the 2nd is for the adults...with kiddos. Both rooms have tables that you can enjoy your beverage or meal at. The owner has been running this great place for over 20 years. He knows his customers by name and it feels like he's genuinely interested in them. It goes both ways. Very nice atmosphere in that respect. Food is good. You can get pastries, desserts, salads, sandwiches, soups...there's a selection. Some are unique, too...not your typical items (i.e. Turkish lentil soup). The room that is for adults and kids? BRILLIANT. Honestly. You can enjoy your coffee or lunch - solo, on a date with your spouse, with a friend - as your kids play with a number of different toys. Love it! I will definitely be back.

This place is really cute: mismatched tables and chairs and old, worn sofas but in a very inviting way, you know? And there's a play room in the back for kids. Wifi is pretty fast, the tea selection is actually pretty wide, and there are large beautiful windows at the front at which you can sit and just people watch. Bathrooms are pretty clean, too. Cons: The guy at the register was really apathetic. The place isn't very professional-looking, but I think it doesnhave charm. For example, the tea selection is just a bunch of boxes of tea stacked on each other on a tray, and you dig around for a flavor you want (they give you a cup of hot water). I liked this, but be warned: this isn't a place like Caribou Coffee or anything.

Went here for the first time just now and I thought they had fresh sandwiches, ordered the turkey cheddar, gross! Old tomatoes, stale bread! 6$ for this and I'm going to throw it out because it tastes old and stale

Bumping up to 4 stars because WiFi has improved and the owner Hakan is such a delight. Get the salad sampler or lentil soup!

Wish this gem more closer to where I live. I'd be in there a lot. I had heard about this coffee shop but today was my first time visiting. I arrived around 1:30 in the afternoon and the place was busy but there were still choices for me as to where to sit. The kids room was rocking. I approached the counter where a few other people were waiting to order. When it was my turn, I was warmly greeted by the white-haired Gent behind the counter, "I haven't seen your face before." It was Hakan, the owner. He knows his regulars! I told him that I had heard of this place but that was my first time visiting. "Are you hungry?" He asked. And when I said I was, quickly recommended something yummy for me to try. I had the gluten free herb and tomato quiche. It was gluten-free because it was full of hash-browns potatoes. It was really good and I would recommend it. I spent about an hour and a half doing some work on my computer before my friend joined me. By then the place had cleared out a little bit as moms with little kids left to pick up older kids from school. My friend - who had a gigantic tuna sandwich- and I were able to enjoy a cozy chat before heading our separate ways. I will definitely go back sometime soon.

Great local coffee spot, ideal for kids too! Gets busy when it's raining in the kid area!!!!! Good coffees and home cooked foods!

Nearby coffee shop for me and it obviously has a local following. Owner knows all the regulars well and was very helpful w/ me being new to the area. The baked goods are delicious, especially the strawberry rhubarb bread. Large space so parents w/ young kids can rampage on one side while others who want a cup of Joe and some solitude can coexist.

This is an awesome place to duck into for a delicious cuppa. The atmosphere is dark and mellow. The owner likes to treat his customers right.