Best coffee shop by day, wine bar by night - 318 Café - 2014 Best of MN

The 318 Café is a classic fit in Excelsior: a charming ambience without a hint of preciousness or pretense and a tastefully curated menu. The beverage program is exemplary by day with the caffeinated stuff (make mine an orange sea salt mocha or a prairie passion tea) and by night with the stouter stuff (stellar local brews and great wines by the glass, especially on the white side). The kitchen gets rolling early with a handful of breakfast dishes, while lunch and dinner are flatbread- and taco-happy, augmented by some nice dips and salads. Leave room for the stellar baked goods. There's a midafternoon happy hour, and on Wednesday through Saturday nights, local musicians enliven the scene. 318 Water St., Excelsior; 952-401-7902; three-eighteen.com