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- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 7 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 7 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
41 reviews for Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe
Review Highlights
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"This is a regular stop for me when in Canal Park." In 7 reviews -
"...of local art, and there is frequently live music at night." In 3 reviews -
"Love the basement atmosphere." In 6 reviews
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41 reviews in English
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Review from Liz B.
Minneapolis, MN
12/18/2011
I love this place. I've never had anything but a good experience at the Grace. The employees are great and the sandwiches are amazing. It gets busy at times, but the atmosphere is worth it.
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Review from Kasey C.
Minneapolis, MN
5/7/2012
It was nice to stumble across a non-chain restaurant for breakfast when traipsing through Duluth. Amazing Grace has a warm, home-grown feel to it that doesn't disappoint.
The coffee/tea service was prompt. Refills were a bit haph-hazard (as if the server did not see the top of the cup), but my tea was good. I have a hefty appetite that defies my petite frame, but the portion size of Chip's Egg Mess was too much-even for me to finish. (I count this a plus. I like to waddle after I eat, not jog 8 miles). The flavor of the andouille sausage was spicy enough to add some depth. Where some breakfast dishes can be tasty, though bland, this was not the case here.
Our server was an interesting being. She could have walked right out of a Portlandia sketch (in her parachute pants tucked into boots, hand-crocheted black beret with a flashdance-style shirt). Her attitude cooly conveyed: "I care, but not too much". To her credit, she got all of our orders right from memory and was prompt with (cool) service. I was more entertained than annoyed, and overall found this to be a cozy spot with plenty of options.
If you like home made baked goods, don't pass by the bakery case.
I will definitely return next trip to Duluth. -
Review from Thomas V.
Minneapolis, MN
4/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
Slow service and cold food. I expected quality bread to be used for toast since it is a bakery and I think it was bagged at the grocery store. I wanted to try one of the oatmeal pancakes and found the cake cold and chewy and couldn't melt room temperature butter (didn't matter, the butter was cold from the refrigerator). We were here three years ago and ate outside and had no better experience then. Avoid.
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Review from Fernanda P.
Duluth, MN
3/14/2012
This is a nice little place, definitely not the typical coffee place with the same 3 sandwiches and muffins. It's cozy and unusual and has really good sandwiches. Their coffee is good too.
It could use better service though... -
Review from Shannon H.
San Francisco, CA
2/10/2012
Great place to go for coffee or a hot drink. I have never actually eaten here, but the Chai is amazing. If it was closer, I would come and get a chai here everyday. The look and feel of Amazing Grace is awesome; it's warm, friendly, casual, quaint, with miss matched tables, chairs, and cups.
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Review from Kelly S.
1/16/2012
I enjoy visiting Amazing Grace in Duluth and always make an effort to go there when I'm in the area. The food is nothing short of Amazing and it's hearty and healthy. The atmosphere is light and down to Earth. Located in the basement of the marketplace in Canal park, it's a prime spot for a good meal and a warm beverage - coffee and tea are de-lish, not to mention the fresh baked bread and sweets.
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Review from Matt R.
Saint Paul, MN
5/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Delicious breakfast. I had been coming to Amazing Grace for years when I lived in Duluth for lunch and pastries. I didn't know they served breakfast (with waiter service), and was pleasantly surprised.
Went there on a Saturday morning and had a 5-10 minute wait which was no problem. Ordered a ham and cheese omlette w/ mushrooms and toast. They bake their own bread in-house, so that was sure to be fresh and wonderful. Alakef coffee is bottomless and amazing.
Service was rather slow, but I know that they don't usually operate with servers, and the coffee was so good that I didn't really even notice until I saw the time of day when I left.
They take Amex, wi-fi, and have free parking. What more could you ask for -
Review from Abe S.
Duluth, MN
1/1/2012
Been here plenty of times for lunch and have yet to hit a bad patch. Sandwiches are always great, soups are always tasy and hot, and they're once a week lunch spiels are always delicious. Great place to eat, and just relax and tale in the ambience.
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Review from Mark R.
10/18/2011
A nice eclectic bistro for lunch - great sandwiches, home made bread, yummy soups, wholesome ingredients, and interesting people watching. It can be a little slow at lunch but, that's because everything is hand made for you with each order. The location is quite nice for just relaxing and a place to rest tired feet from a long day of walking around Duluth and Canal Park.
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Review from Natalie R.
St Paul, MN
1/18/2011
Sitting at the sunlit, I spent hours of my undergrad career studying, or "studying," at Amazing Grace. Such wonderful food, absolutely huge sandwiches with fresh ingredients, superb tomato-basil soup, muffins with around 5 ingredients (nice change compared to Starbucks' 257 or so ingredients), cheapish bread... free refills on coffee....
Yes, the service is slow, but I've solved that by never being in a hurry. -
Review from Matt M.
Hudson, WI
8/21/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Great Breakfast Place located in the Heart of Tourist District Full of Locals ,Whats that Say! I also hear that Lunch is Real Good too! I Can't wait to try
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Review from Tim B.
Duluth, MN
10/19/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The Best ! in everything .. Service & Sweets & Sustenance
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Review from raquel m.
St Paul, MN
9/2/2010
This place didn't get the fifth star because the service wasn't very good and because there were a few flies inside that were really annoying.
Also, I'm not sure why our lunch took about an hour to come out when the place wasn't busy. Most importantly, during that time we waited, we weren't really notified what was going on... We were just kind of guessing that maybe our order didn't get in right away.
Still, the food was great, and the apparently-unusually-long-wait time won't keep me from giving it another shot next time I'm in Duluth. -
Review from Meg J.
Minneapolis, MN
9/1/2010
It pains me to give Amazing Grace only 1 star. Let's focus on the upsides first... This is one of the quaintest places in Duluth and has awesome outside eating space in the summer. The sandwhiches they offer at lunch are ginormous and extremely tasty and the soups always change up and are awesome as well. They make fabulous bread and pastries in house as well.
That being said, I was super excited to be up and going to AG for breakfast. They had a string duet playing on the patio that was refreshing to listen to as my friend and I were waiting for patio seating, enjoying delicious chai lattes. The wait for seating was understandable, but the 45-50 minute wait for our food AFTER being seated was inexcusable. Our waitress never bothered to check in with us, apologize OR let us know how much longer it would be. One worker - a manager maybe - was super cool and really understanding and offered us free stuff from the bakery when he noticed us waiting still - he was the one who checked on the status of our food, not our server. He was the saving grace for Amazing Grce.
So after the long wait I was willing to forgive the transgressions, but our food was not good. The beans in my huevos rancheros were barely cooked, the cheese was unmelted in both our dishes and in general, our food really left us wanting. I would have cancelled our breakfast order and gotten sandwhiches instead if I had known the wait would not prove just.
This was the kicker for me: fed up and dissatisfied we flag down our server for the check as we just wanted to get out of there. She was kind and nodded her understanding when we said as much, and disappears, not to be found. We eventually had to go inside and get the cashier from the bakery to flag her down to bring our check.
I really wish my experience for breakfast here would have been a good one as I really do like Amazing Grace. When in Duluth I will definiately go here for lunch, but I don't think I would frequent here for breakfast. -
Review from kiki m.
Minneapolis, MN
9/7/2011
Awesome soups and sandwiches. Didn't have the breakfast, but the people sitting next to us did. The honey Whole wheat toast is delicious!
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Review from Ruthie Y.
Madison, WI
4/14/2009
If you're anyone in Duluth, you eat at The Amazing Grace. Anyone cool, that is. This underground joint (in the basement of the DeWitt Seitz building) is the gathering place for the hip youth and the free spirits, and anyone who just wants to get their hands on one of the famous $1 giant bags of bread ends.
But taking the ominous steps down under is well worth it, as "The Grace" serves up some fine fare. Their sandwiches are basically however much of whatever ingredients you want (choose from a selection of meats, cheeses, veggies, sauces) stuffed between two enormous slices of their fresh baked bread. They also offer a daily menu of quiches and soups, both of which are regularly tasty. The bakery case is definitely worth gawking at for a minute of two, but the only thing that's really worth it is the bread. The Grace also has a full drink menu. Don't miss the silver tea!
The service is almost always slow, but who heard of a fast-paced hippie? Plenty of tables to choose from, and if you're lucky you score a spot in a couch near the fish tank. The walls are always full of local art, and there is frequently live music at night.
Nothing says peace, love, and good bread like The Grace. -
Review from Amanda H.
5/29/2009 5 photos
What would Canal Park be without Amazing Grace? Hole in the wall low key coffee shop offering baked goods, sandwiches, friendly smiles, live music, juices, soups, coffee, mismatched chairs at big wooden tables, sunlight pouring in dusty windows, the sound of local tweens playing hacky sack outside, musicians writing lyrics on napkins, chilled out happy people wherever you look - is your heart warm yet?
Stopped in last weekend with extended family who had never been to Duluth before. I think they were a little surprised by the mega slow rock your tunes take your sweet sweet time service.. but LOVED their hand crafted made to order sandwiches. Variety of fresh hummus spreads, pesto, veggies for days, fresh warm bread - it really doesn't get much better than this. The girl behind us in line ordered lasagna and was raving about it.
If you are planning a visit add this to your "not to be missed" list. Everything and anything you could order is guaranteed to be made and served with oodles of graceful joy. -
Review from Kedar D.
7/20/2009
This quaint cafe is located in the basement of an old building in the Canal Park/Lakewalk area, which means you'll probably stumble upon it while roaming the lakefront of Duluth. It's a good place to get a cup of coffee or a hummus-sandwich type of thing, though the vegan options are extremely basic.
However, they do offer a vegan rice crispie bar ($3) which was excellent. It was covered in a thick layer of chocolate and, unlike other choco-rice bars I've had, this one also contained berries, which put it way above the rest and gave it a fresh flavor. Come here for this rice crispie bar if nothing else. -
Review from Zenide R.
Washington, DC
9/22/2008
What a great find! A friend of a friend recommended that we try Amazing Grace when we were in Duluth for the day last week.
I was almost sold when I walked in the door. The place has a really relaxed, friendly, local vibe and doesn't make a big fuss about much of anything - except for the food! I ate a fantastic tuna salad sandwich on a lovely wheat bread (cut from the loaf before my very eyes!!) with all sorts of fresh veggies. Since I was fueling up for a day trip to Gooseberry Falls, I got a slice of carrot, cake, too. The frosting on the cake was a little sweeter than I like, but the cake itself was super moist and carrot-y. Man, the rest of the bakery counter was calling to me, and I bet I would pop in there for sweets all the time if I lived in Duluth.
The ladies working there were fantastic - very friendly and the service was pretty fast considering the care with which the sammies are made.
My friend and I parked it in next to the window to eat. The sun was shining in on us just the right amount and we got to watch the passersby. The location was good for us as tourists - right in the middle of what were there to check out. Good stuff! -
Review from Amper P.
Salt Lake City, UT
10/8/2011
Ate at Amazing Grace twice while in Duluth for a conference. Enjoyed the two different breads I tried - three cheese and olive oregano. Tomato basil soup was quite good. Southwest corn chowder was good too - not the best corn chowder I've ever head, but good. Such a fresh change from conference food. Would comeback here again and again if I was a Duluthian.
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Review from Phil L.
Belleville, IL
9/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great soup, homemade bread, fresh everything - agree that it takes a while to get your food, but that is the trade off for getting to see it put together in front of you.
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Review from Kate K.
Saint Paul, MN
3/6/2008
So not to diss you Duluth yelpers, but Caribou Coffee is not where it's at!
Amazing Grace is a really cool place, with a great vibe. Located in the basement of a historic building (dedicated to mindless yuppy tourist) the cafe is a breath of fresh air.
Ordering is a bit intense in the mornings but taking a seat in the old furniture and situating yourself into the uneven floors makes it all worth it. There are regular musicians that play against the bad acoustics. And the food is really good - home style! The coffee is dark and rich. It always seems as if the staff is understaffed, but there is no nonsense feel which is good.
This is one of those places that it's a shame if you don't check it out in your lifetime. And if you live in Duluth why not support the local business owners and let go of the corporate Caribou and their overpriced under brewed coffee! -
Review from Tom M.
Chicago, IL
10/20/2008
No place does northern hippy as good as Duluth, and when in Duluth, no place does the northern hippy cafe thing as well as the Amazing Grace Cafe!
Superb place to meet and eat for breakfast - but get there early on the weekends, as the line tends to back up.
The oatmeal is to die for, as are all of the skillet-like dishes and other house offerings. The smoked salmon omelette is something you can't get just anywhere, nor can you find it quite as tasty as it does here on a cold Saturday morning! Great coffee and pastries to get you charged up - all homemade on location. -
Review from Jenny D.
Madison, WI
8/7/2009
Oh, how I miss Amazing Grace. I love the northern hippie vibe. The people are friendly and not afraid to speak their mind. Loved that they had a Wellstone sticker on the cash register.
The bread is amazing. Wild Rice bread is my favorite and is SO good. The sandwiches rock because you can add anything you want. Veggie chili is very good, too. Even soups that I normally wouldn't like--cream of tomato--are awesome.
The staff are knowledgable. If you don't eat honey because you are vegan, they will be able to tell you if it's in the bread.
Do yourself a favor and go! -
Review from Janelle M.
Los Angeles, CA
7/16/2008
Every time my flight crew would overnight in Duluth I would spend time downtown. My favorite place to grab a bite was Amazing Grace. I love the little table by the window so I can watch the people walking by. I remember it was the best on a cold rainy day. I had the turkey sandwich with sprouts and honey wheat bread. AMAZING! (no pun intended)
My favorite part is the vintage 70's plates they use. That makes me happy. :) -
Review from CL S.
Portland, ME
9/9/2009
A basement bakery, with a college atmosphere (hippies and laptop geeks all milling about).
Me: Excellent caramel roll, worth twice what I paid for it (perhaps because I was starving, perhaps it was JUST THAT GOOD?)
Wife: Cranberry scone that was "pretty good, but not as good as the one at the Hotel Marlowe" (the high water mark for scones, I learned this morning).
A lot of small tables, and it appears there is music in the evenings. It reminds me of a LOT of college town bakeries, with less patchouli scent from the patrons than one might expect, depending upon one's college experiences. -
Review from Joe P.
Minneapolis, MN
3/13/2011
My favorite coffee shop in Duluth. They serve very good food, including breakfast and lunch items, and their hot drinks are outstanding. The chai tea in particular rivals any I've had in the Twin Cities, including Common Grounds in Minneapolis in the Uptown area.
The staff is extra friendly and often earth-forward in their appearance and manners.
The blueberry mango muffin is a tasty accompaniment to the chai, which contains real, savory ginger bits, and the spices pop in the mouth.
The ambience, warm and inviting, is enhanced by the underground location of the cafe, which takes several steps to reach.
Amazing Grace seems to attract the kind of people who look for a unique experience, the kind of novelty found in neighborhood food co ops, farmer's markets, and indie music. -
Review from Rhea S.
Princeton, MN
1/9/2011
Go before 10 for the breakfast! AMAZING. Great tea and many breakfast entrees/ Vegetarian and healthy stuff too. Great big cheap day old muffins. Actual bakery too, so get some bread. Pretty busy, don't get there too late for breakfast! Salmon and pesto omelet is delicious.
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Review from Ginger K.
Cotton, MN
7/13/2010
Great place to stop for a quick bite while walking around Canal Park. Great bread! Yummy sandwiches. Love the basement atmosphere.
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Review from Steve B.
Minneapolis, MN
9/9/2009
Quality fresh ingredients, friendly help, generous portions. Will absolutely dine here again!!!
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Review from Ashley K.
7/28/2010
Amazing Grace is a hidden hole in the wall cafe that can easily be missed. If you look closely while walking in Canal Park you can find it next to Little Angie's (well it is on the same street/wall). It is another great place to go in Duluth to hear some live music and get a to die for sandwich. I personally love going for breakfast in the morning and sitting outside! Worth checking out!
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Review from Rebekah K.
Saint Paul, MN
9/13/2010
Amazing sandwiches with fresh baked bread. Great vegetarian options! They also have board games behind the counter you can ask for to pass the time.
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Review from Kristi C.
6/28/2010
This is a regular stop for me when in Canal Park. Their bakery items are a nice treat, however this last time their latte was nothing to cheer about. The interior is kitchy and they have a patio area available for those times you need to kick back, relax and enjoy some people watching.
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Review from Caitlyn t.
New York, NY
9/21/2010
I was in Duluth for only a week- but managed to eat more than three of my meals here. I never sat down in the cafe to eat, but the sandwiches and the soups are to die for. They also make a mean cappuccino. Delicious. The entire company of people I was with ate almost every meal there. Not to be missed in if you're in the area!!
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Review from Bony K.
Encinitas, CA
7/23/2008 1 Check-in Here
I wouldn't have found this hole in wall basement downstairs location (good thing a local showed me around). This gives me an appreciation of the food variety in this town since I can have a half sandwich (the bread is hand cut in front of you) & African peanut soup. I felt like I was almost at home in SD, when I sat down here with others for lunch. There are other pastries, coffee drinks as well along with WI-FI capabilities since I saw people surfing the internet.
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Review from Eliza M.
Chicago, IL
8/4/2008
It's been a LONG time since I frequented Amazing Grace, but provided nothing has changed substantially (and it sounds like it hasn't), this is the place to go for coffee in Canal Park. Take home a loaf of bread while you're at it.
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Review from Phil G.
International Falls, MN
6/28/2009
Service? What service? We walked out of here one time as we got tired of waiting (20 minutes) for a waitress. That being said, the atmosphere is quite pleasing after too many disgusting and overpriced Starbucks, the quality of the breakfasts is quite high but a tad over-priced. The pastries are great as is the coffee. Worth a stop to us.
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Review from The B.
Duluth, MN
7/13/2010
What sets Amazing Grace apart is the VERY good coffee (yes, coffee, not talking about latte/etc), and the quality of the food. The bread is fantastic, and I love how they work hard to have interesting breakfast specials. The jelly/jam selections sometimes feature wonderful surprises. This is a basement of a building, so it's not black tie and marble, but it is cozy and there is seating outside that has tree cover for shade. I fine myself and many of my friends/family can all agree on Amazing Grace when looking for a breakfast stop or coffee. I recently had a Moca there and found it was tasty and a bit different from the Starbucks/etc type I'm use to.
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Review from Charlene M.
Duluth, MN
8/13/2010
Great food! Always a long wait.
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Review from Kareem S.
MN
9/13/2009
I actually had to wait a week before posting this Yelp because I was so irate by the time we left.
Went in and the place was pretty busy. There was one open table available. The couple in front of us waited about five minutes while the guy working the list tried to figure out if anyone was waiting outside. This should have been the sign to beat a path out of this place.
We get seated and we're told its going to be a while since the kitchen is busy. We had nothing else to do for hours, so it wasn't that big of a deal. We heard the food was really good and worth the wait.
By the time the waitress came and told us our ticket was still quite far down the row in the kitchen, the 2 hour meter had run out and needd to be refed. Again, should have been a sign to leave while we were at it. Decided to stay instead. The waitress was a sweet as possible and gave us muffins to tide us over.
About 45 minutes later our food came out. My pancakes were rubbery from the heating lamp, and his hash browns were not. Completely disappointed, we decided to soldier on and just eat the food and leave. Oh, I forgot to mention that others in the restaurant who were seated after us had eaten and left. Our table of two and another table of about 6 were waiting hours for food.
The point that I pretty much lost it was when someone, apparently a manager of some sort, came over and said "well that was worth it wasn't it?" It took everything in me to calmly try to tell her that it wasn't. I explained that my sausages were undercooked and his hash wasn't even brown, it wasn't even cooked. She said the equivalent of oh well.
I was very encouraged by the hippy vibe and the decor and even the long wait. Then the arrogance of the staff to suggest that their food was worth a multi-hour wait. Also, upon further inspection, my sausage was not cooked all the way through.
No, we shouldn't have waited. But still. Make your own decision. One can hope this is an anomaly, but wow, it was my experience.
