Va Bene has fablious coffee plus better deserts than Lake View ever had.  And it's clean. Same view. Cold day?  Sit by the fire place.

I miss Lakeview too, it was such a great place! I wonder if Sir Ben's serves coffee, now that Antonino bought it from the Arnolds?

In as much as it sounds pretty romantic to spend all afternoon with your books spread around reading, I think it's now obvious why LVCH isn't around anymore -- lack of customer turnover.

I used to make a point of going to the Lakeview for coffee on those few occasions when I ventured out from underneath my rock, and was thus bereft when I learned it was closing.  The particularly poignant element was that I saw they put the super-awesome couch that I liked so well on Craigslist, but I couldn't afford it despite a very attractive pricepoint.

Sir Ben's has coffee, great coffee. Lake views and a place to spread those books, read, write and relax as long as you want.

I don't know if you could do this everytime of day or not, but perhaps a late lunch, early supper time linger in the bar area at the JJ Astor restaurant in Duluth.  My guess is they have wifi if not place to set all your books around.  The view is great and they do have good coffee.  Bonus in your case, Ironic1, get you one of those austere black shirts with the white collar and I bet they'd let you camp out anywhere and maybe even comp your coffee!

Oh and warm thoughts to Mel for dragging up my old post on SMDC-now-Essentia's Grill.  That 10 month pregnancy has grown into an 18 month old boy today, so it's been awhile, glad you remembered.  

Mrs Goose and I love Amazing Grace and Beaners Central (and Red Mug when we get that far) but we too have lamented the possible need for a "new" scene on the coffee house circuit here in town, especially mid-week evenings when we can venture out for an hour or two.  Nothing against anywhere just a desire to try something else.  So I will be watching this post intently for ideas.