Located in the Victorian-time-warp St. Paul, MN neighborhood of Cathedral Hill, I discovered Nina's Coffee Cafe' in autumn 2008 while taking an evening class nearby. Location is certainly part of the appeal, as Nina's is above Common Good Books (the indie bookstore owned by Garrison Keillor) in a gracious corner brick building constructed on the cusp of the 19th and 20th centuries. Nina's is an IBA member.

Nina's is very writer-friendly (several customers with laptops claim to spend hours there without staff complaint), although background music can be distracting. As someone who eschews hot drinks, I cannot review the coffee, however, the soup and sandwiches are very good, although the latter are somewhat overpriced considering their small sizes. Vegetarian options are limited but available. I recommend the upside-down bran muffins!