Downtown café makes a comeback
For the first time since closing a year ago due to the pandemic, Fiddlehead Coffee Co. began welcoming customers to its downtown shop this week.
The café, located at 412 Third Avenue SE in the Flats on 4th building, is starting with a soft open — with hours from to 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. — as it on-boards its new staff, before transitioning to normal hours.
In a post to social media, Fiddlehead’s owners told customers to stay tuned for additional updates on its lunch menu, weekend brunches and concerts.
“What a year it has been,” the company wrote. “Never did we foresee such a start to our little family business but we feel like if we can get through this, we can get through anything! And we did it because of you! We are so blessed to have you all supporting us through such crazy times.”
Fiddlehead first opened the 2,700-square-foot café in January 2019 after spending time inside of Forager Brewery. The company also operates a second location in the Avani apartment building at Miracle Mile.
Another coffee shop on the way
Scooter’s Coffee, a fast-growing chain with nearly 400 locations nationwide, is close to opening its first Rochester shop.
The company told us this week that the new shop, to be located at 1600 South Broadway in what was Daube’s, is scheduled to open sometime in late March. Crews have been working to remodel the space for several months.
According to Scooters’ website, the shop will offer drive thru service with hot and cold coffee drinks, along with a variety of smoothies and pastries.
The Rochester location will be the company’s third in southern Minnesota. The other two shops are in Fairmont and Worthington.
Scooter’s will join an increasingly-competitive local coffee market. Another shop, Roasted Bliss, out of St. Charles, plans to open in the next few weeks at 2550 South Broadway, just about a mile down the road from Scooter’s.
Cameo to resume indoor dining
And finally, fresh off of launching their latest concept inside the Rochester Athletic Club, Cameo owners Zach and Danika Ohly are preparing to reopen their popular downtown eatery for indoor dining on March 18.
The restaurant, located in the Castle at 121 North Broadway, will return with a refreshed “new American cuisine” menu. Reservations for table seating can be made in advance by visiting the restaurant’s website.
Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.
