I was on the phone with my mom the other day and she said I missed the boat career wise and should’ve been a travel agent. While being a PA is my dream AND writing a blog are my career dreams, if I had to choose another it would be travel extraordinaire. I LOVE planning out a big list of to-dos and living like locals when traveling. I had the opportunity to do so when I was in Minneapolis visiting my boyfriend. Here are the recommendations I found and received from those who are from the twin cities!
Eats
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Birchwood Cafe: I headed here right from the airport and it was an excellent move. I got the vegetarian scramble and it was so unbelievably fresh! Menu changes quite seasonably. [/one_half][one_half_last]
The Bachelor Farmer: WOW JUST WOW. One of the best meals I’ve ever had at a restaurant. We got the: 1. housemade cow’s milk cheese toast, heirloom tomatoes, olive oil, thyme, smoked salt 2. Grilled zucchini, cilantro-mint pesto, pistachios, Hidden Springs feta, 3. Pork fat-fried Brussels sprouts, bacon, crème fraîche, chives, Caves of Faribault AmaBlu and 4. Roasted chicken, mushrooms, celery root cream, cherry tomatoes, hickory nuts. Wouldn’t change a thing. It was definitely expensive but well worth it if it’s in your budget possibility. [/one_half_last][one_half]
Lynhall: Loved this spot! Very cute, but small portions. I got the shakshouka: tomato and roasted eggplant, poached egg, feta, avocado crème, fried capers, chickpea fries. [/one_half][one_half_last]
Midtown Global Market: I loved this spot! I got an amazing chicken tagine dish from a Moroccan restaurant and it was DIVINE! [/one_half_last][one_half]
Milkjam: YESSSSSSSSS got so many recommendations for this one and for good reason. I got the cereal killer (orange coriander ice cream with fruity pebbles) and ridin’ duuurty (Oreo milk with Oreo chunks and salted peanut butter). [/one_half][one_half_last]
Hai Hai: Another spot that came highly recommended. Loved the aesthetics and the food was also good! [/one_half_last]
Drinks
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Tattersall: Cool distillery!! With a taco truck out front!! [/one_half][one_half_last]
Surly Brewery: Beers and soft pretzels. A love affair for the storybooks. [/one_half_last][one_half]
Marvel Bar: right below Bachelor Farmer. Highly recommend for drinks before. [/one_half][one_half_last]
DogWood Cafe: Came recommended over the popular Spyglass. Amazing workspace, cool artwork on the walls, and great matcha. Triple win. [/one_half_last]
Sweats
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ALTR: FREE FIRST WEEK! Bootcamp style HIIT type workout. Very challenging. [/one_half][one_half_last]
ZESA: FIRST WEEK FREE! Very cool stability type workout. Engineered the bosu balls themselves, and they’re now selling them to sports teams! [/one_half_last]
Activities
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Minnehaha Falls we walked around a bit one morning. Fun times were had. [/one_half][one_half_last]
Hewing Hotel: We got drinks on the rooftop one night. Great views! [/one_half_last][one_half]
Guthrie Theatre: We got to see a show before the official production began. Tickets were only $15. There’s also an amazing view of the city from the rooftop. Just a spectacle from an architectural standpoint. Well worth it. [/one_half][one_half_last]
Sculpture Garden: Nice walk. Many icons here, i.e. cherry on a spoon. [/one_half_last]
For the whole week long trip schedule
Day 1: Birchwood Cafe, walk along MPLS riverfront, drinks at Marvel bar, dinner at The Bachelor Farmer, show at Guthrie theater
Day 2: free workout at ALTR, smoothies at Truce, coffee at Dogwood Coffee, bike tour of a few local breweries / bars (Fair State, Tattersall, Hewing Hotel)
Day 3: workout at Zesa fitness, Midtown global market for lunch, Hai Hai for dinner
Day 4: Mill City Farmers Market, lunch at Brim, Twins Game
Day 5: workout at ALTR, walking around Minnehaha falls, drinks at Back Bar (bar below Young Joni), Young Joni for dinner
Day 6: workout at Zesa, lunch at Lynhall, walk around Lake Harriet, ice cream from MilkJam
As always, you guys outdid yourselves and gave me AMAZING recommendations!! I’ve compiled them here below, and will definitely have to re-visit MPLS to cross more things off the to-do / to-eat list!
Eats:
- Café / Fast Casual:
- Café Latte
- Sprout Salad
- Birchwood Café
- Agra-culture
- Brim
- Truce (smoothies)
- Green and the grain
- Tao organic café
- Red cow- amazing brunch and burger!
- Spoonriver
- the tiny diner
- namaste café
- quangs
- milk jam
- penny’s coffee
- Alma
- sift bakery
- alchemy
- spyhouse coffee
- Free house for lunch!
- can can wonderland!
- French meadow
- Namaste Café
- Wise Acre Eatery
- Aster café
- Fairgrounds is a fun coffee/tea quick breakfast place. They have good
matcha as well https://www.fairgrounds.cafe/drinks-menu - Mill Valey kitchen brunch
- Reservations:
- Bachelor Farmer
- Hola Arepa
- Alma
- Barrio
- Hai Hai
- Young Joni
- Fig and Farrow
- Chico lantio for a fun date night
- 112 eatery for their cauliflower and tres leches
- spoon and stable
- butcher and the boar
- bar la grasa
- sakana in wayzata for sushi
- union bar –> Union Rooftop drag brunch is a blast
- World street kitchen
- Chino Latino (food)
- Yum Eatery (food
- Food Halls:
- Keg and Case
- Mill City Farmers Market (Saturday) Walk across the stone arch bridge on
your way/after the mill city farmers market - The Lynn Hall
- Midtown global market
- Dessert:
- Sebastian Joes
- Heights Bakery (donuts)
- Izzie’s ice cream
- sebastian joes
- milk jam is right next to world street kitchen and they have donut ice
cream sandwiches
Drinks:
- Libertine (rooftop views)
- the rooftop of the Hewing hotel – can buy a day pass and use the hot tub and
sauna. - distillery called Tattersall that I highly recommend (kinda artsy and if you like gin
it’s a fun place). - Surley is also a really fun brewery and they have dope pizza and they grow
(grow? Raise? Keep?) their own bees and make their own honey!!! - Breweries: Fair State, inbound, modist, and bad weather are some of my favs
Sweats:
- ZeSa fitness = first week free
- ALTR – first week free – HIIT training
- Alchemy 365 = first week free – crossfit type workout
- Minnesota power yoga – YOD has HIIT into it
- Yess yoga – $10 first week
- Patagonia in St. Paul has free yoga!
- Yoga near Loring Park (great open park to walk around in) First week is free.
- If you like HIIT – F45!
Activities:
- Guthrie Theatre
- sculpture park, it’s next to the Guthrie and free
- Biking along the rivers
- Minnehaha Falls
- Acme open mike night (Monday – free)
- Upstairs circus – DIY stuff
- walking around lake Harriet
- rose gardens
- in the summer time they usually show a movie or have live music at the
bandshell at lake Harriet
- explore Hunt and Gather – thrift / antique
- Paisley park
- Twins game
- Saints game
- MIA or walker and are in a mood for a museum
- Walk across the stone arch bridge on your way/after the mill city farmers market
- Betty Dangers is an amazing bar/restaurant with mini golf a Ferris wheel-
so fun - Lake of the isles is a Great Lake to walk around in Uptown. It’s around 2.5 miles
and less busy than the large lake next to it, Bde Maka Ska. Lake of the Isles also
has a great bakery near by that has the best cinnamon rolls called Isles bun &
bakery. - Bryant Lake bowl, good for bowling but also has a good date night deal in food
and wine (can’t remember which night)! - Sunny Side Gardens and a great assortments of indoor and outdoor plants.
- Mother Co., Plants = succulent & cactus goals.
- NE Wellness is my favorite wellness place. Everyone is down to earth, I’ve taken
classes there, had appointments for cupping, acupuncture, infrared saunas and
more. - Lebanon Hill Regional Park (free) has good hiking trails
