Minneapolis - Dining & Drinking

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There are endless places to enjoy lunch or dinner in the Twin Cities. Any way you slice it, you are bound to come up with a place that serves good food. The vast mix of ethnic influences in this northern city surprises many people. If you thought the "Frozen North" was comprised of Scandinavians munching on lutefisk and lefse, think again (though you can get those items, too!). Over the years, as the population grew, different groups have added their specialties to the mix. Though the restaurants and bars are spread out all over the place, some areas have a noticeably larger concentration than others.

Eat Street

Known as "Eat Street", Nicollet Avenue, in Minneapolis offers a variety of delicious fare. Taco Morelos is hot, hot, hot, but you can cool off in the German beer garden at The Black Forest Inn. The area south of downtown across the river in St. Paul is known as the West side (cardinal directions notwithstanding) and is home to a large concentration of Mexican-Americans. Me Gusta on Robert Street is cozy and bright; it's a small place but the food is great! Boca Chica is like walking into a Mexican hacienda, with a buffet on Sundays. Enjoy one of the best margaritas in town in their Cielito Lindo Lounge.

Grand Avenue

For another great selection of dining options, wander over to Grand Avenue in St. Paul, where many ethnic flavors are represented, from North African at the Barbary Fig to regional specialties at The Tavern on Grand (that would be walleye). Southern fare is the treat at Dixie's, Saji-Ya, in the same building, offers sushi. Local pub favorites are on the menu at Sweeney's Saloon & Café, and it's American, cafeteria-style with a view at Café Latte. For Vietnamese, The Lotus is a gem, and Greek eats can be had at the Acropol Inn. The pubs here are fun and often crowded, especially during the school year, but the crowds are generally well-behaved. Try Billy's for games and some loud fun; your best bet for a quiet drink is the Wild Onion or The Tavern on Grand. For more opulence, try The Lexington.

Snelling and Selby

In the area of Snelling and Selby, you will find Taste of Thailand in an old storefront. The ambience is sparse, but the food is right on the money. Alternately, head up Snelling to the St. Clair Broiler, where the fish-fry during Lent always draws crowds.

Cathedral Hill

Cathedral Hill always gathers the young professional crowd on the weekends, whether it's for a good bottle of wine or a good game of pool. Fun spots like Fabulous Fern's, Costello's, and Chang O'Hara's will be standing room only on most nights. For a more sedate dining experience, try WA Frost or a romantic dinner at Tulips. Want something a little different? It's Russian at Moscow on the Hill or Puerto Rican at Puerta Azul.

Asian Restaurants

On the other side of St. Paul you have your pick of many Asian restaurants. Along University Avenue you will find many regions represented, including Vietnam, Cambodia, and Korea. Try Shuang Cheng in Dinkytown for the best Chinese, or Leann Chin's in downtown St. Paul's Union Depot.

Further down Snelling there is another Famous Dave's BBQ plus Greek, Mediterranean, and Korean choices. Many of the basic chain restaurants are clustered around Rosedale Mall. For the health-conscious diner, try The Good Earth, near Rosedale on the frontage road. You wont know what to order it all sounds so good, and best of all, it is good for you!

Downtown St. Paul Business Diners

If you need a good place for a business lunch or dinner in downtown St. Paul try Christo's Greek Restaurant in the Union Depot, Kincaid's Fish, Chop & Steak House, or Carousel atop the Radisson Hotel St. Paul. You can always grab a quick bite in one of the skyway lunch shops or a burger in one of the pubs. Cossetta's on West Seventh is the choice for great pizza or Italian deli treats.

Downtown Minneapolis Business Diners

Downtown Minneapolis business diners can't go wrong at Manny's Steakhouse, Sawatdee Thai Restaurant, or with a little drama at Ichiban Steakhouse. Sample Scandinavian fare in elegance at Aquavit.For those without an expense account, the Old Spaghetti Factory offers an excellent menu amid Victorian surroundings. A little closer to Dayton's, D'Amico, Brothers Deli and the Loon Café are lunch favorites. In a hurry? Try one of the many little lunch diners in the meandering Skyway System. For a great happy hour, join the crowd at Kieran's Irish Pub, The Little Wagon, or Lyon's Pub.

Uptown

Perhaps the best area for satisfying the palate is Uptown. One of the newest and hippest places in this area is Chino Latino, hot zone food in a cosmopolitan atmosphere worthy of New York or L.A. Try Campaniello, for Sunday brunch, Lucia for its excellent wine bar, Moghals for Indian fare, and Chiang Mai Thai for its great food and service. Figlio is a stalwart of coolness, and the staff are always willing to customize your order. Try Leaning Tower of Pizza for a great happy hour and pizza, and of course, Famous Dave's with the El going over and blues bands nightly. Bar Abilene is the place to try if you think Tex-Mex is just tacos and ground beef. The tamales are rapturous!

Night Spots

For an elegant night out, enjoy dinner at a posh restaurant in one of the Victorian mansions around town. Forepaugh's never fails to serve excellent French cuisine in a quaint setting, and the Vintage offers a great wine selection and American/Italian fare. For a more contemporary flair, Sophia is a slow-dance haven serving an American menu with a regional flair, and Goodfellow's is a beautiful setting for a special occasion. Club Ashe in the Warehouse District is a first-rate wine and cigar club with a lounge atmosphere.

Nordeast is an underrated area for great food. Don't miss Jax Café, which is really more the quintessential supper club, with surf and turf and excellent service in a refined atmosphere. This area is known for its eastern European food offerings, as many of those immigrants set up shop on this side of town. Mayslack's Polka Lounge serves a legendary one-pound hot roast beef sandwich.

Drinking

Minnesota is also known as The Land of Sky Blue Waters, and this was not lost on the beer-brewing industry. The area has been home to many large-scale breweries over the years, including Stroh's, Hamm's, Grain Belt Beer, Landmark and Schmidt. Many joints around town brew their own. Try Rock Bottom Brewery in Minneapolis or get the brew sampler at O'Gara's Bar and Grille in St. Paul. If there's no house brew, you are sure to be able to find regional specialties offered on tap.

The prevalence of pubs in recent years has not missed the area either. The Dubliner is located in a neighborhood that used to cater to truckers and blue-collar workers. Now it offers live Irish music most nights. Drain a Guinness while you watch the Irish dancers practice in the afternoon. Happy hour is shoulder to shoulder. Brit's Pub brings England to Minneapolis, complete with a bowling green on the roof.

Of course, anywhere around the colleges or universities is a party waiting to happen. The area called Seven Corners near the West Bank is often jumping, and the Warehouse District in Minneapolis is another favorite. Most of the bars serve good food, beyond the typical average pub fare.

The suburbs all hold their own little secrets, and there are many fantastic places waiting to be discovered. With the early influence of the Germans and Scandinavians and later of the Mexicans, Indians, and Asians, along with a little Middle Eastern flair, the Twin Cities are a dining bonanza. Whether you dine in a little mom-and-pop joint or amidst swank elegance, the fare here is sure to please.







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Loon Bar & Café


Popular Spot Day or Night
 500 1st Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 332 8342
http://www.thelooncafe.com/
Loon Bar & Café
Vintage Restaurant & Wine Bar


A Romantic Rendezvous
 579 Selby Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 222 7000
Vintage Restaurant & Wine Bar
Little Wagon


Historic printing biz hangout
 420 4th St
Minneapolis, MN 55415
+1 612 332 4418
Little Wagon
O'Gara's Bar & Grille


One stop entertainment center
 164 N Snelling Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55104
+1 651 644 3333
http://www.ogaras.com/
O'Gara's Bar & Grille
Bar Abilene


An updated Miss Kitty's
 1300 Lagoon St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
+1 612 825 2525
http://www.barabilene.com/
Bar Abilene
Kieran's Irish Pub


Crowds Love the Irish Atmosphere
 330-2nd Ave S
(Towle Building)
Minneapolis, MN 55401
+1 612 339 4499
http://www.kierans.com/
Kieran's Irish Pub
Sweeney's Saloon


Victorian Crowd-Pleaser
 96 North Dale St
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 221 9157
http://www.sweeneyssaloon.com/sweeneys/sweenhome.html
Sweeney's Saloon
Saji-Ya


Japan in St. Paul
 695 Grand Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55105
+1 651 292 0444
http://www.sajiya.com/
Saji-Ya
Manny's Steakhouse


Upscale, But Not Uptight
 1300 Nicollet Mall
(Hyatt Regency)
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 339 9900
http://www.mannyssteakhouse.com
Manny's Steakhouse
Ichiban Japanese Steak House


Great-Tasting Show
 1333 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 339 0540
http://www.ichiban.ca
Ichiban Japanese Steak House
Marshall Field's


Vibrant Part of Retail Scene
 700 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55402
+1 612 375 2200
http://www.fields.com/common/index.htm
Marshall Field's
Skyway System


Second story span was revolutionary
 Throughout both downtowns
Minneapolis, MN
Skyway System
Taste of Thailand


Great tasting Thai food
 1669 Selby Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55104
+1 651 644 3997
Taste of Thailand
Sophia


Swank 1930s nightclub
 65 Main St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
+1 612 379 1111
http://www.sophiaattheriver.com/
Sophia
Campiello


Uptown's Snazziest Restaurant
 1320 W Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
+1 612 825 2222
http://www.campiello.damico.com/locations/mn_mpls.asp
Campiello
Lucia's Restaurant & Wine Bar


Vivacious Uptown Bistro
 1432 W 31st St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
+1 612 825 1572
http://www.lucias.com/
Lucia's Restaurant & Wine Bar
Shuang Cheng Restaurant


Means 'Twin Cities' in Chinese
 1320 4th St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
+1 612 378 0208
Shuang Cheng Restaurant
Barbary Fig


Cozy atmosphere
 720 Grand Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55105
+1 651 290 2085
Barbary Fig
Cafe Latte


Most popular cafeteria
 850 Grand Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55105
+1 651 224 5687
http://www.cafelatte.com/
Cafe Latte
Rock Bottom Brewery


Theatre District Favorite
 800 LaSalle Plaza
Minneapolis, MN 55402
+1 612 332 2739
http://www.rockbottom.com
Rock Bottom Brewery
Forepaugh's


Dine in an exquisite Victorian mansion
 276 Exchange St South
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 224 5606
http://www.forepaughs.com/
Forepaugh's
W A Frost & Company


Genuine Victorian charm
 374 Selby Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 224 5715
http://www.wafrost.com/
W A Frost & Company
Kincaid's Fish, Chop & Steak House


None Better than Kincaid's
 380 St Peter St
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 602 9000
http://www.kincaids.com/
Kincaid's Fish, Chop & Steak House
Boca Chica Restaurante Mexicano & Cantina


Fine Mexican dining
 11 Concord St
Minneapolis, MN 55107
+1 651 222 8499
http://www.bocachicarestaurant.com/
Boca Chica Restaurante Mexicano & Cantina
Me Gusta Mexican Cuisine


Tasty Mexican cuisine
 833 South Robert St
Minneapolis, MN 55107
+1 651 227 3533
http://www.megustaplace.com
Me Gusta Mexican Cuisine
Cossetta's


Many Italian Favorites
 211 W 7th St
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 222 3476
Cossetta's
Rosedale Shopping Center


St. Paul Shopping Hub
 10 Rosedale Center
Highway 36 & Fairview Ave North
Minneapolis, MN 55113
+1 651 633 0872
http://www.myrosedale.com/
Rosedale Shopping Center
Fabulous Fern's


Best-kept secret of Cathedral Hill
 400 Selby Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55102
+1 651 225 9414
http://www.fabulousferns.com
Fabulous Fern's
Downtown Minneapolis
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Minneapolis
Uptown
Cathedral Hill/Highland Park
Minneapolis
Cathedral Hill/Highland Park
Warehouse District
Minneapolis
Warehouse District
Northeast
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Northeast
Wild Onion


Great Food & Live Entertainment
 788 Grand Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55105
+1 651 291 2525
http://www.wild-onion.net
Wild Onion
Lyon's Pub


Dance the Night Away
 16 S 6th St
(at Hennepin Ave)
Minneapolis, MN 55402
+1 612 333 6612
http://www.lyonspub.com
Lyon's Pub
Brit's Pub


London in downtown Minneapolis
 1110 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
+1 612 332 3908
http://www.britspub.com/
Brit's Pub
Dubliner Pub


Once a Well-Kept Secret
 2162 University Ave W
Minneapolis, MN 55114
+1 651 646 5551
Dubliner Pub
Famous Dave's BBQ & Blues


Blues and jazz are hot
 3001 Hennepin Ave
Calhoun Square at Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408
+1 612 822 9900
http://www.famousdaves.com
Famous Dave's BBQ & Blues
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