Jackson’s Coffee and Gelato

My boyfriend and I hate that they are closing! They have the best gelato we have ever had!
Favorite flavors include:
Banana
Almond
Chocolate
Raspberry
Pistachio

Only a mere 5 months ago, I expressed the following dismissive sentiment: «I’ve no desire to hang around more than the few minutes it takes me to suck a few sample flavors from mini spoons, place my order, and fork over my payment.»
How quickly the tide has turned. In just a few months’ time, Jackson’s has transitioned from the oft-​neglected corner coffee shop to a makeshift office space and finally into my de facto permanent residence.
What keeps me coming back?
*Primarily, proximity. I essentially roll out of bed to Jackson’s front door.
*Previously, I labeled Jackson’s as «cold and sterile.» I now appreciate the office-​like environment, where the chorus of clickety-​clicks from surrounding keyboards motivates and facilitates enhanced and long-​term productivity.
*Laid-​back employees — none of that coffee snobbery going on here.
*Peanut butter rice krispie treats — big driver in terms of my Jackson’s satisfaction and development of diabetes.
*Gelato — a great array of creamy and refreshing natural-​tasting and ever-​changing flavors. They even offer some vegan rice milk-​based options.
Sometimes I miss an element of «coziness» here but I’ve got no plans to move outta Jackson’s any time soon!

They use an excellent bean roaster, are always sincerely friendly, and have a nice clean bright space. My favorite coffee shop.

I come here a lot for coffee. So do a lot of my co-​workers. It’s always great coffee and service. Much better than the chain shops all over the damn place. This place is indeed the bees knees. I give only 4 out of 5 stars because they never seem to have more than one person working at a time. I have managed a coffee shop before. Answering phones, taking orders, running the till and making the drinks is a lot for one person to do.
It does have some killer coffee. Just please guys. Get some more staff in there.

One of the best coffee shops in Minneapolis!
1. The coffee is amazing, seriously.
2. Their wifi is actually consistent and fast.
3. Kyler and his staff are wonderful.

Limited food option include lots of pastries but not much beyond that. Their instant oatmeal is affordable. They roast their own coffee and it is good. Not the most amazing I’ve ever had but solid flavors and clearly they know what they’re doing. Have had cold brew and standard drip and thumbs up to both. Definitely a neighbourhood spot that encourages libgering, hanging, working. Whatever suits your fancy. Often only had one person working. All in all solid local spot.

I just bought a 16 oz miel from Jackson’s Coffe and Gelato about ten minutes ago and it has revolutionized my coffee routine in the morning. My new caffeinated drink of choice, for sure. Also, I love the gelato and the service.

I wish this place was a little further away from my office.
It is a little weird the first time you walk in, when you’re not sure how the line flows, but it makes sense pretty fast.
And honestly, there’s no reason you should be standing anywhere but near the gelato and sorbet counter, because this stuff is epic. They make it there, fresh, and they have a ton of non-​dairy choices as well.
Among my favorites are Strawberry-​Mint, Blood Orange, and Pink Grapefruit sorbet.
They also have great coffee, pastries and sandwiches. There are lots of sandwich places around if you have time to wait for it to be made, but if you need to be in and out, this is the spot.
Plus, then you can get gelato. Win/​Win.

Best coffee within 2 blocks of the LynLake intersection. The employees all seem nice and the café is nice to sit in for a meeting or some studying if you need to.
The gelato is good but I would still prefer Izzy’s over this if I had my choice. When Izzy’s is just too far to go, we head here.
Tip, you can take a pint home if you don’t want to eat it there…

Yumm! I have been searching for comparable Nutella gelato since I left Italia 4 years ago. I was very pleasantly surprised with what hit my taste buds at Jackson’s. I got a half scoop of Nutella and a half scoop of their black chocolate. Both delicious, chocolately, creamy swirling over my tongue. Perfect stop to cool off on a hot July day. Unlike most gelato shops this one will let you get two flavors in their small portion. Gelato is so filling I really don’t need more than that!
The staff was friendly and offered us samples as well. Everything else in their display cases looked amazing as well. I will definitely have to go back to try their chocolate croissants and new gelato flavors :)

I like that this shop is open late and they have patio seating. Can’t say I know of any other place that is open until 11:00 PM on a Sunday! I thought the staff was friendly, the price was decent, and the Mint Truffle ice cream was pretty tasty!

Black chocolate is great. However, it would be nice if they had more of the rich flavors. Their fruit sorbetos taste great, bit if you are not in the mood for fruity you may be disappointed.

Delicious, low-​key, and great place to work. I love the gelato here and the vibe!

For my job I drive to clients’ homes daily, and usually have small gaps in between where I can find a place to get some work done. Usually it’s at a coffee shop, so I’m pretty picky about where I visit, and I always get excited when I’m in a new location and can try out the local coffee places.
This place I passed twice today, and I remembered the name and location each time so I could stop by during my longer break. Unfortunately, it didn’t deliver like I wished.
When I walked in the guy behind the counter was eating (which I know they have to eat sometime, but it’s still unprofessional to do it right at the counter), and looked perturbed that I interrupted. Since it was my first time in there (which was obvious as I was looking around, getting a feel for the place), I like to look at what’s on the menu for a couple minutes to figure out what I want. I told him I didn’t know what I wanted, so I was going to look for a bit, and he muttered a «yeah, we have a bunch of stuff…» and then still kept staring at me, waiting for me to pick something in 4.2 seconds.
Since it was awkward, I grabbed an oatmeal (which I get a lot of places), and a local trail bar, and settled on a coffee, asking for heavy cream with it. I order this everywhere, and very seldom do people not know what heavy cream is (instead of watered down half-​and-​half). He not only didn’t know what it was, but he seemed annoyed when he offered to put whipped cream on my coffee. …ummm not the same thing. I settled for the half-​and-​half on the counter, and was heavily disappointed by the bitterness of the blend he gave me (I couldn’t look since I was rushed).
It was also frustrating when he seemed very friendly with people that looked like friends, as I work in a service industry and know the importance of treating as if they are a regular. And if the customer is smiling, it’s usually a sign they are friendly, and not «a drag» which is how I felt when he was serving me.
On top of that, the total was almost $ 10 for oatmeal and a cup of coffee. The bar was delicious (go local company!), but I know the prices of most places for the same kind of oatmeal and a treat, and it’s overpriced.
There were some positives, like lots of outlets available, and a quiet atmosphere for working, and wi-​fi and all that the others listed, but for me I couldn’t get over the coffee I couldn’t even finish.
If there is coffee in the name of the place, the coffee needs to be good, period.

— Very decent Americano (always use this as a standard when I try a new place). Don’t think I’ll ever find a better Americano than Atticus in Spokane, so I’m lenient on this one.
— Great space for getting work done, relaxing with a good book, or chatting with a friend. Good mix of music at a quiet volume. Pleasant, open, sunny space.
— Parking lot for customers, and non-​metered street parking on Bryant Ave.
— Free WiFi, no issues with lag.
— Very friendly service, cheap prices.
— Didn’t try the gelato this time… as much as I wanted a DIY affogato, can’t spoil my visit to Pumphouse Creamery later today =). Look forward to giving it a try during my next visit to MN, though.
Overall great addition to Uptown… thanks Jackson’s!

Jackson’s is nicely tucked away in the heart of Lyn-​Lake right next to the delightful Rusty Quarters video arcade. I’m not normally a gelato fan, ice cream’s slightly healthier cousin, but I have to say Jackson’s really won me over. Their variations of chocolate (white chocolate especially) were super tasty.
The vibe in Jackson’s is quiet. This is a place you can come and do some reading, be it on an iPad, Kindle, or even an actual book made out of paper if you happen to own a relic like that. Otherwise just surf the web and turn your brain off while you enjoy the delicious gelato.
Lyn-​Lake is a great neighborhood, and in many ways, feels like the Uptown of old only slightly more refined. If you’re nearby, and it’s hot outside, then drop into Jackson’s, it will definitely win your heart.

Omg, 3 words. Cold pressed coffee. YUMMMMMM!!! So, it was super hot, but I was hung over and needed my caffeine fix. The girl behind the counter said they didn’t have iced coffee but could make me a cold pressed coffee. It was heavenly. So good! Beat the pants of any Starbucks coffee.
I additionally felt the compulsion to get some mango Gelato. It was delicious. However, there were some clumps in it. So, not the best Gelato I’ve ever had.

Absolutely delicious!
I’ve spent some time in Italy and ate my way through my fair share of gelato, and while I can’t say that Jackson’s is on par with the best of those places, it’s definitely quality. I had a small cup of half pistachio and half grapefruit sorbet (they let you split flavors if you want to have more than one kind), and while both were good, I would agree with the post that says «GET THE SORBET». It was so light and refreshing… I’d probably eat an entire pint.
Jackson’s would be a really nice place to have coffee and get some work done — it’s very sunlit and there’s people-​watching galore outside the windows looking out on Lake Street. The service was friendly and upbeat — I’m definitely planning on making a repeat visit.

The first good thing about Jackson’s Coffee and Gelato is that the space is open and uncluttered. The huge armchairs and black tables and chairs are obviously not the most beautiful furniture in the market. However, unlike many cafes of the same style, you don’t feel under siege in there. Perhaps, the large windows help amplify the sense of psychological freedom. Whatever it is, you could be sure that you don’t get claustrophobic in there.
Gelatos are all delicious. My favorite is the Black Chocolate. They sell their gelatos in different sizes of cups and cones. They also have gelato pints for take-​out. Moreover, you could order affogato (a scoop of the gelato of your choice (traditionally vanilla) topped with a shot of hot espresso.)
But I usually don’t order affogato. Because I like to have the control of my own drink. I order black chocolate gelato and a shot of espresso separately. You should try it: Take a spoon of gelato and as it melts in your mouth take a sip of espresso. It’s like heaven in your mouth! I like the combination of gelato and espresso better this way. My taste is perhaps cultural! In my home country, the common drink is bitter, bold, black tea. But those who want to drink it sweet, instead of adding sugar to their cup of tea, drink it with a sweet thing called «qand» (it’s similar to sugar cubes, but is not exactly sugar cubes.) They put a «qand» in their mouth and then sip their tea. I adopt the same technique with my black chocolate gelato and shot of espresso and the result is way better than an affogato!

My wife and I took a walk around Lake Calhoun and we had a Groupon for Jackson’s and my wife LOVES Gelato. So we stopped by the Lake Street coffee shop next to the famous Bryant Lake Bowl and we got our $ 20 gift card for the coupon.
I ordered a cold press coffee and the shopkeeper/​server was super nice. My drink showed up in less than a minute while my wife perused the Gelato.
She got the 2 scoop deal and got raspberry and key lime pie. It was a good size serving for $ 5 and again, the guy behind the counter was super cool. She gave me a bite of the raspberry, full of flavor and creamy. She had just got back from Italy about a year ago, and she said it was the best in the Twin Cities and just like Italy.
Then I tried the Key Lime Pie, oh my gosh! They actually have pie crust like crumbles in there and the key lime flavor was citrusy and wonderful. It really was the best Gelato I have ever tried.
The coffee was was a little bitter, but I didn’t add anything to it, so that was my fault. Really, it was good, but I should have added a little milk and sugar. They were advertising a Cajun Iced Coffee, I should have tried it out.
Awesome place!