Lux Coffee Company

Noah and the crew at Lux make their own syrups and their own chocolate, which puts the mocha and the maple latte in a different category than most small-town cafes. New Richmond is far enough from the Twin Cities that you'd need a reason to make the drive. Lux is the reason for a lot of people.

The room is cozy in the unfussy way. Couches, music at conversation level, toys in a corner for kids, a small retail wall with locally made FILOS leather goods and shop merch. Regulars know each other. One customer mentioned a stranger praying for her friend over coffee, which says more about the room than any decor description could. The vibe words that keep coming up are 'cozy,' 'mellow,' and 'family friendly,' and the toys in the corner back that up.

The coffee program is the actual reason to visit. Lux roasts in-house, and the current rotation runs a single-origin Caturra Colombia, an Ethiopian, and a Mexican. Latte art comes standard. Order the maple latte or the double maple cortado if you want the house syrup. The brown sugar iced latte and the iced caramel latte are popular for a reason. The cortado is clean. Whole bean Caturra comes home with people who liked their cup, and the mocha with the homemade syrup is a different drink from what you'd get at a chain.

The FILOS leather goods on the retail wall are the kind of touch that signals what Lux is. A small-town shop that pays attention to what else gets sold under the same roof. Not the spot for outdoor seating or a dog-friendly patio.

Families and remote workers get a good fit. Minneapolis or St. Paul drivers looking for a real specialty stop on a weekend will find Lux delivers more than the small-town geography would suggest.