New café open at Landmark Center;
patio on the way

By Jake Spitzack | Staff Writer | July 2026

St. Paul native Joe Ruhland recently opened Jenni’s Café in the newly remodeled café space at Landmark Center, and he brought his family with him. Wife Jen, the namesake for the business, is the chocolate chip cookie connoisseur, and his son Kai, 25, and daughter Nell, 19, are among the servers. Joe has 20 years of experience in the food industry, including seven as head chef at Herbie’s on the Park, across Rice Park from his new business. After a few more renovations this summer, Ruhland will hold an official grand opening celebration.

Jenni’s offers a variety of espresso, coffee and other drinks, and breakfast and lunch options crafted with locally sourced ingredients. The popular Spanish latte has two shots of espresso and is seasoned with a raw sugar and sea salt blend. The Jenni’s Melt is a favorite bite, pairing glazed pork belly, lingonberry jam and sharp cheddar on cranberry wild rice sourdough bread.

Ruhland is dedicated to quality. Every morning he cuts and cures pork belly for his bacon, and every evening he stops at a local coop for fresh eggs. He also uses local suppliers as much as possible.

“Chocolate for our mochas and hot cocoa, and chocolate chip cookies all comes from Carobeans,” he said. “It’s direct trade chocolate from South America. [The owner] orders it straight from the farms and makes it here at a kitchen in St. Paul.”

Grab-and-go items are available and Ruhland plans to add take-and-bake meals for families of four in the future.

“We’re really lucky to be here and for the things that the Landmark Center has done to make the space what it is,” said Ruhland. “They made the café a seamless part of the rest of the building. It fits in with all the rest of the period décor…. It’s got an open concept and the people that are making your food are also taking your order and running your food. If somebody were to ask me 20 years ago what kind of setup I wanted, this is it.”

The first phase of the remodel brought seating capacity up to 55, removed the serving line to better fit a typical café operation and included cosmetic improvements. Banquettes and high-top seating for an additional 15 people, as well as a fireplace, are expected to be added to the dining area this summer, and a new patio will seat about 20 when it opens. The space had been vacant since Anita’s Café closed there during the pandemic.

Ruhland also operates Smokin’ Jenni’s food truck at local events such as the Twin Cities Jazz Fest and Summer Nights in Rice concert series, specializing in hot dogs made from pasture-raised beef.

He said business at Jenni’s Café has been pleasantly busy since opening this spring and that he’s optimistic about where downtown is trending.

“I remember Rice Park before they remodeled it and it’s just so much nicer now, and people are walking around and having lunch there,” he said. “I can tell the city is really putting efforts into different walkable areas and putting fresh flowers and plants everywhere.”

Ruhland heard through the grapevine about the opportunity to get the café space, and his optimism about downtown’s revitalization prompted him to dive in headfirst, despite the ongoing remodel.

The Landmark Center – located at 75 W. Fifth St. and long known as the old federal courts building – was constructed in 1902 for use as the United States Federal Court House, Custom House and U.S. Post Office for the Upper Midwest. Today, it is a National Historic Monument housing a variety of arts, museums and cultural organizations that offer free or low-cost events.

Jenni’s Café is open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday, with additional weekend hours during special events. For more information, visit jennis-stp.com.

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