Finnish Bistro Coffee & Cafe — Restaurant in Saint Paul

My experiences at the Finnish Bistro have been pretty hit or miss. I was initially attracted to them for their wide selection of menu items that can be made gluten free, but if they are at all busy (e.g., a third of the seats are full), they don't seem to be able to handle the volume and quality slips. Today I was in with my husband and ordered a chicken quesadilla (gf version). It took a while to order since only one register was open and two employees were talking to a customer at the front of the line. There was someone else behind the counter, and I don't know why she didn't start taking orders. I almost left, but I had worked up an appetite for what I planned to get. When I finally did get to order, it was sort of a frazzled experience, and they must have either pushed the wrong button on the register or just misheard me, since they made me a veggie quesadilla. There was no opportunity to correct the mistake since the receipts they hand to customers aren't itemized. When we got the food (which was just announced as gf quesadilla-- no chicken or veggie description), my husband and I had both eaten about a slice each before realizing neither of us had actually gotten any chicken (which isn't that strange since I had started with a a small slice and it was super loaded up with cheese, so it seemed like the chicken might have just migrated), and no one had asked how our food was although they asked the table next to us. There was quite a long line to the counter to go talk to someone to fix the issue, so we decided to just keep eating, but the veggie version really wasn't all that good, and certainly not worth the $17 or so we paid for it due to the gf upcharge. The flavors just didn't complement each other. Other times the food has been better, but I guess we usually go in a mid-afternoon lull. I do remember one of the other few times we went at a busier time and I tried ordering a London Fog (which was on the menu then, not sure if it still is), and I don't think they actually brewed the earl grey before integrating the steamed milk, because it just tasted ridiculously watery and they'd left out the vanilla. I had ordered it to go though, and was long gone by the time it cooled enough to taste the...

Finnish Bistro is by far the best coffee shop / diner in the Twin Cities. I have been there several times and they always have excellent food, beverages, and especially nice deserts.

The atmosphere, decor, and ambiance is very warm and cozy, the ideal setting for an early date night or weekend lunch. It is also quiet enough to read a book by yourself and meditate so that you can ponder the deeper things in life. Dining inside will give you the best experience and help you to make new memories.

The staff is friendly and courteous. One time I purchased the salmon quiche. It was so tasty that I saved some for the following day. My leftovers tasted just as good as it did when it was hot in the diner.

The poppy salad dressing is so delicious that if the owner decided to package it and sell it online and at grocery stores, she would make a fortune. I am happy to support this woman owned business as well as their founder who started "Taste of Scandinavia".

The cakes that they sell are the best that I have ever had including a lemon cream torte & a strawberry wedding cake torte. You would be missing out big time if you went there and didn't try one of their cakes. If you have a birthday to organize and you need a cake in the last minute, I recommend calling them ASAP. They usually have at least 2 whole gourmet cakes for sale each day. In all of the times that I have visited, there were several whole cakes available whenever I needed them.

If you are looking for mouth watering, savory, European comfort food & deserts, then you have come to the right place! Bon Appetit!

P.S. If you are on a special needs diet such as: gluten free, sugar free, egg free, dairy free or low fat diet, then this place is not for you. There are several other options for this type of food in the twin cities. I also recommend purchasing items from their menu as they are written without requesting nor makimg changes. If you desire your food to be prepared your way, then you can go to...

Had never been to the Bistro before, but my daughter had heard good things. So we went on a Thursday night before a play we were attending Northeast. We got got there at 6:00. Charming little area, loved the European Bistro feel. We mulled over the menu for a bit and were disappointed to find our first choices were not available . I wanted to try the Stuffed Cabbage and my Daughter the Butternut Squash Soup. Both were sold out. Then I chose the Thursday special, Chicken Chili, that was out as well. I decided on the Beef Pasty, my daughter on a grilled cheese. I did not care for the pasty. The flavor was just not to my liking. It was well constructed, filled well, and looked appetizing, just didn't care for the flavor. The side salad was very "Off" with the addition of raw onions. The onion just too overpowering. The entire salad was "oniony" as my daughter said. She doesn't care for onion at all. I like onion, but I agreed. I'm guessing the salad is made in large batches and there for the onion melds with everything. My daughter somewhat like the pasty so she started eating that and gave me the other half of her grilled cheese, as she wasn't too thrilled with it. She felt (and I agreed) there was too much cheese and it wasn't melted. Definitely could had stayed on the grill longer as it was barely "golden". Did have a good flavor though.

We decided to try a latte after dinner to bring to the theater with us. We also each got a treat. My daughter got the AMAZING Almond Kringler... our dissatisfaction from our dinner experience was quickly forgotten. This Kringler was WOW. And I had a Brown Sugar cookie which was also Top Notch. And our coffees were great!! Nice treat to enjoy during a great play!

We will not judge the Bistro on one visit for dinner. We are making plans to come back for breakfast. And the Kraut w/ Kielbasa & veggie Soup.... That could be life changing.

Staff was wonderful by the way,. Friendly...