Urban Bean Finds a Second Home
Greg Martin at the Urban Bean coffee shop, 2401 Lyndale Ave.
Image credit: Billy Briggs
Coffee connoisseur Greg Martin moved quickly when he heard of a possible vacancy at 24th & Lyndale, the former home of Muddy Waters.
His eagerness has paid off.
Just 100 days after taking over the spot, Martin has transformed the space into one of the sleekest coffee shops in Uptown with a minimalist feel and raw features from the building’s previous incarnations.
Already, Martin's Urban Bean has all the hallmarks of becoming a neighborhood joint just as compelling as its Bryant Avenue predecessor of the same name (don’t fret: it remains open). Dog treats sit on the windowsill while a carefully crafted playlist that Martin and his staff collectively cook up provides a bit of homespun ambiance.
The charm for which Martin has become legend has also carried over. Want to know more about what you’re drinking, just ask: Martin and his team are more than willing to discuss the process and taste, helping newcomers discover their inner-barista.
Not that you can really go wrong.
Urban Bean’s selection of Dogwood Coffee and espresso staples such as cappuccino, macchiato, Americano, cold press, frappes, lattes and mochas are executed in ways that will satiate the most senior of sippers (the cappuccino, for example is a perfect blend of espresso, steamed milk and foam that requires no sweetening).
The combinatin of good coffee and good vibes is already drawing a crowd. Artists, musicians, designers, stylists and writers have all found a home at Urban Bean. You should, too.
Also new to the Twin Cities’ dining scene:
- Claddagh Coffee, 459 7th St. W., St. Paul. Coffee house with specialty coffees.
- McCormick’s Pub, 331 Broadway Ave. S., Wayzata. Wayzata’s take on a classic British pub.
- The Lowry, 2112 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis. A retro chic interior with a full bar, serving modern comfort food.
- The Public House, 700 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis. Craft beers and a variety of tacos.
- Toppers, 702 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis. Wisconsin pizza chain opens another Twin City location.
- Andale Taqueria y Mercado, 7700 Nicollet Ave. S., Richfield. A Mexican restaurant and Mexican grocer in one.
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Comments
This guy is an ass
"The charm for which Martin has become legend" ? Are you kidding me? The guy is a total dickhead. As a previous tenant, he almost blew up the building I was living in by chopping through a live gas line with a sawsall at 1 am. Thought it was funny. He also ripped off the upstairs tenant of several thousand dollars, and bragged to me about it, thinking it was funny. When he was running the urban bean on hennepin, he would constantly brag about his cheating on his wife to the regulars, with his female employees.
Some charm.
This guy is a pitiable old man, trying his best to hide his wrinkles behind a sheath of capris and hipster apparel. He is pathetic, this article is pathetic, and his coffee shop is pathetic.
Every time I bike by the new
Every time I bike by the new Urban Bean, there's 3 customers inside. All more intrigued by their Facebook pages than their coffee or convo. I put $20 down that Greg closes this location in a year.
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