Bittersweet Eatery

Very charming little coffee shop and eatery attached to the Archer House hotel. I went here for breakfast and had a cinnamon sugar popover. OH MY GOD, where have popovers been all my life?! It was incredible, as was the honey almond butter I got on the side. I also chose from a wide variety of juice selections and paid under six bucks, including tip. The café has free Wi-​Fi and is an ideal spot to come and work and eat. Highly recommended for a super casual spot in Northfield.

I was just passing through Northfield and happened to stop by this place, and it was incredible! The staff is so nice, and the food is far better than a coffee shop. I had a slice of this giant sandwich they make everyday, and some soup. The place is great!

Was in town for work and used Unilocal to help me choose this place for my lunch and internet connecting needs. It delivered. Good coffee, delish sandwich and yummy deserts. Friendly efficient staff. I can easily see myself returning here again should I return to Northfield.

Bittersweet Eatery (or simply «Bittersweet» as it is known in town) is located in the building known as the Archer House hotel. Charming atmosphere. Regular seating, but also comfy sofas and chairs available for those who just want to enjoy a beverage.
It has a wonderful selections of scones and muffins — and the popovers are my favorite. They carry a variety of fair trade coffees and a small, but diverse, selections of teas.
Light breakfast (including egg bakes) and nutritious lunches are available. They offer a box lunch order (pickup only) for locals.
Bittersweet also has a lovely «tea room» available for small private parties such as business lunches or bridal/​baby showers.
They also currently have wi-​fi access for patrons. And they have daily newspapers and a variety of magazines for patrons to read.
It’s a great place to meet for a «cuppa» with friends — or by yourself!

I realize that no college students are reading this post, so maybe this is futile. But if you are the one, then I will tell you the secret of graduating from Carleton College! When you need to study, and the libe is way too social for you (only at Carleton…) DON’T go to Blue Monday’s. I love it there too, but the real place to get work done is here! Choose a table by the glass, take your books and hunker down. Best place to get work done.
I just *wish* I had a place like The Kitchen in Manhattan… unfortunately no place is this quiet and serene.

Some day, I’m going to get a job in Minnesota and move to Northfield. I have three reasons for this decision. First, I went to Carleton College and have wonderful memories of the area. Second, Northfield is a darling Midwestern town, probably the most perfect downtown area I’ve ever seen. And third, the scones at Bittersweet (formerly known as The Kitchen). Those scones are perfect, absolutely perfect. Granted, I’ve only had the blueberry ones, simply because on the rare times I’m in town, I can’t waste time experimenting – gotta get my blueberry scone. The others are probably just as good, though (if that’s possible), so I’ll have to try them when I move there.
The atmosphere is also wonderful. Light and airy, relaxed, and with a nice view of Division Street (Northfield’s historic central avenue). It’s in the Archer House, a nineteenth-​century inn, so you get that historic ambiance inside, too. It’s a great spot to have a light breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, or ice cream. The only thing I haven’t loved about Bittersweet was the fresh squeezed orange juice, which was rather bland – but it must have just been a bad orange, since it’s not like they’re doing anything to it besides squeezing it (in a really cool machine).
So if you’re in Northfield, I highly recommend dropping into Bittersweet. (You can fit it in while shopping at the gift shops surrounding it; they even have a small gift area in the café.) The only bitter part about it, in my opinion, is having to leave…