Amore Coffee barista Paul Johnson says: “Six years ago, when I was getting into the industry, nobody was pouring art.” Using milk from Hope Creamery, Johnson says “we use the milk because it is the last family run creamery in Minnesota.” He layers the milk into a latte, creating rosettes and hearts on the surface of the drinks at Amore Coffee on Grand Ave in St. Paul.
Johnson works behind an outdated Conti espresso machine, serving coffee from Roastery 7. He’s soon replacing his Conti with a three group La Marzocco espresso machine, a veritable Cadillac of coffeemakers. Johnson has become a part of the community of barista who view their occupation as an art. To perfect his latte art he seeked out Andrew Milstead, a former employee of Kopplin’s Coffee, who helped him develop his barista skills.
Amore Coffee is currently owned by Cathy Hauser, who purchased the cafe about four years ago and added a variety of organic and gluten-free foods to the menu. Hauser’s also a radio personality — she appears on the show Radio Cafe, 3 pm Saturdays on AM 950 KTNF. Tag lined “what’s left is the truth” Hauser speaks like she is sitting in her cafe, playing trivia, delving into politics and discussing the current buzz.
Beyond beverages, Amore Coffee sells soups, sandwiches and baguette platters with salami, cheddar and brie, with a growing emphasis on organic ingredients. But as Amore moves to a more natural menu, they continue to run short on natural light. The cafe’s location in the middle of its building means that the sun can only be found in the afternoon and the sunny seats are quickly taken.
Amore Coffee
Cafe on Summit Hill
917 Grand Ave
St. Paul, MN 55105
651.222.6770
OWNER: Cathy Hauser
HOURS:
Mon-Thu 6:30am-9pm
Fri-Sat 6:30am-10pm
Sun 7:30am-9pm
ENTREE RANGE:$5-$15
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