The Wild Bean — Restaurant in Mahtomedi

Edit: I can say I have changed my previous 2-star rating after ownership changes. Maddie has really poured time, money, and effort into revamping this place. Only knocked off one star for quality of coffee. Wishing it was better, but it’s not awful. :)

———— 2 stars: Location and community

Why not 5 stars: A few years back it would've been 5 stars, but since new ownership over the last two years, it has slowly gone downhill. The biggest complaint would be paying $35 for four sandwiches, only to find the ciabatta is completely soggy on half and brick hard on the other half... literally inedible.

I've talked to the owner and employees multiple times about this for years and there has been no resolve. This occurs about 80% of the orders.

As much as I love the local place, another concern is cleanliness. With the same gloves, the barista took orders on the register, made coffee, made sandwiches with meat, opened the freezer to get the soggy/hard bread, used the microwave, dug their hand into the chip bag, got a bakery item out of the case, and fixed their hair. Upon leaving, the same gloves were still on.

This completely breaks my heart to leave this review because I want to see this place succeed, but management has got to step it up and take initiative. If things change, I'll...

I really wanted to like this place, but I’m genuinely disappointed. When I asked the staff if their matcha was ceremonial grade, no one seemed to know until one of the girls eventually said yes. I ordered an iced matcha latte and clearly asked for no sweetener. When my drink was handed to me, it was immediately obvious from the color and consistency that it wasn’t ceremonial grade, but I decided to give it a try. The first sip was overwhelmingly sweet, even my friend, who usually enjoys very sweet drinks, couldn’t finish it. I went back to ask if sugar had been added, and was told that their matcha is pre-mixed with sugar.

If I business is unsure of the product qualify when purchasing it, I high advise to not serve it. I’ve spent years studying matcha, not only tasting different brands, but also learning about the traditional process of cultivation, shading, and stone-grinding that defines true ceremonial quality. I felt I was lied to and should have trusted my intuition when the staff didn’t know the answer and was looking at each other wondering what I was...

This is definitely my favorite coffee shop in the metro area. The music is quiet enough that I can work on my laptop. Everyone who works here is always nice, and I've actually had a few really nice conversations with other patrons, too. I really enjoy the drinks and baked goods I get here, they're always yummy. The vibes are absolutely adorable and sitting outside chatting with a friend when it's warm out is nice. I haven't taken my dog here yet, but outside the door they have a water dish, treats, and a place to hang up your dogs leash while you run in and get your coffee. I love the browsing and sometimes buying things from the little shopping area. The only thing I'd change is I'd love if it were open later, I just can't get enough...