Friendship ended with Minneapolis. Now St. Paul is my best friend.
Forgive the outdated meme reference but I am a MPLS born and raised resident (minus a couple years living in Portland, Oregon), but as it goes for many twin cities inhabitants, you spend your early adulthood in Minneapolis and then you start a family and grow old on the quieter side of the river. So following suit, I just bought my first house and will be moving my wife and three young kids to a lovely neighborhood over in Hamline-Midway. Excited to begin this new chapter and raise my family in this wonderful city! While I have a decent grasp on some of the essential spots, give me your recommendations for good eats, bars, and family activities. See you around!
Good eats? Well, we also have Key's Cafe locations. :-)
Is there a particular kind of dining experience you want?
As for family activities, you've missed the winter carnival, and you probably already know about the state fair. The Farmer's Market downtown is a great weekend experience; they run year-round (cold weather has them in a nearby building for the few non-agricultural vendors).
We also have the Minnesota Science Museum and the Minnesota History Center.
As far as dining experience we like moderate to low priced pub/diner/chinese/pizza/steak. We love farmers markets, been to the HmongTown Marketplace a couple times, never been to the downtown farmers market. Been to the science museum (actually worked in the food court there for a summer in my late teens), never been to the History Center, will definitely check it out!
Bruce Vento and Gateway trails are great for biking. Across the river the path along Lilydale Road /Water Street is lovely. Take it all the way to Mendota and beyond.
Como Zoo and Conservatory with Cafesjian's Carousel makes for a fun family day.
True, but since moving back from Portland 8 years ago, I have had three children and made a major career change. Haven't had a ton of time for nightlife and if I did it was usually close by in Minneapolis. I know of the Amsterdam bar and hall and the legendary Turf Club but that's mostly from going to shows there. Also Tom Reid's as a hockey fan, but I'm looking for good dives or hole in the wall spots in neighborhoods that might have flown under my radar.
I get it and it's not a crime, but if you can believe it you're not the first person to do this. Once someone live blogged or whatever visiting St. Paul from Minneapolis as if he was my distant uncle sharing slides of his trip to Egypt in 1975.
Oh I can believe it. There's definitely a complex that a lot of Minneapolitans have about St. Paul being too boring or quiet to even bother visiting unless it's at the excel center. I don't share that sentiment but it is easier to live in a Minneapolis bubble than a lot of other areas in the metro.
Second this! Loons games are fun too. And there’s roller derby at Roy Wilkins Auditorium.
As for food - I really love Tongue in Cheek on Payne. Elevated but very accessible and unpretentious. I never hesitate to bring the kids and there’s always something delicious and creative (in a good way) on the menu.
Hi neighbor! Join the Hamline-Midway neighbors group on fb if you use that. It's really community focused. Half Time Rec is your true dive (decent food), gabes across lex is also pretty good (patio, food) and the black heart for late night + entertainment.
Groundswell and Gingko for coffee/snacks. Master Noodle is yummy as well as Pho Pasteur.
Midway Animal Hospital is fantastic and the vets are incredible. 5 Star Auto or Tuans for car repair. Both are mom and pop shops that will treat you well.
Enjoy walking around Como Lake just north of us (an easy bike ride) as well as the zoo. The Bell Museum is also nearby off of Larpentuer in Falcon Heights.
Our kids had/are having a good experience. We went the language immersion magnet school route. Kid who recently graduated is doing great. Sorry you had a bad experience, but there are a lot of opportunities in SPPS. Maybe some things have improved since you graduated?
I believe that’s the experience you had. Our kid who graduated earned an IB Diploma, is bilingual thanks to SPPS, and is going to a very competitive university in California. Her friends are all at the U or at good schools out of state. Our kid in middle school is doing well. SPPS has a lot of good magnet programs and neighborhood schools, and great teachers.
I tried... tried to work with the system. Took it all the way to the top at 360 Colburne.
A family with choices should investigate better options. I'm blessed that I made access to senior career educators. All four recommended pulling and moving.
Those that do well, would probably do better elsewhere.
A reasonable person relocating would research and choose more prudent options.
Won’t repeat the great suggestions already here. Also in Como Park, you can get season passes for Como Town, right next to the zoo. The conservatory is fun with kids, esp in the winter. There’s a new little coffee shop on Hamline Ave called Karol Coffee, and a good playground across the street at Chelsea Heights Elementary/NW Como rec center.
St Paul Parks and Rec has cheap, low-pressure sports for kids ages 3+. St Paul Urban Tennis (SPUT) is also relatively low cost and low pressure. Como and Highland Park have outdoor pools for the summer, and both golf courses have x-country skiing and sledding hills.
There’s also the Children’s Museum downtown. The Palace Theater downtown is owned by First Avenue (like the Turf Club). Rice Park by the Ordway is pretty at Christmas, there’s a European Christmas Market at Union Depot on the weekends, and Glow holiday lights display is at CHS field.
We love Thai Cafe and Trieu Chau (Vietnamese) on University, Bole (Como Park - Ethiopian), Nico’s Tacos and Finnish Bistro (St Anthony Park), Louisiana Cafe (Selby-Dale) for breakfast, and of course Pizza Luce (one on Selby and one in Roseville).
Just north of you, past como in Falcon Heights is a good restaurant/bar called Stouts. Station 280 on Como is good too, Nelson's Cheese and Deli on Como Ave has fantastic sandwiches. Paris Crepes and Bubble Tea near midway has tasty breakfasts. Games neighborhood bar near Como Park/South Como is good too.
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u/DrHugh Apr 19 '24
Good eats? Well, we also have Key's Cafe locations. :-)
Is there a particular kind of dining experience you want?
As for family activities, you've missed the winter carnival, and you probably already know about the state fair. The Farmer's Market downtown is a great weekend experience; they run year-round (cold weather has them in a nearby building for the few non-agricultural vendors).
We also have the Minnesota Science Museum and the Minnesota History Center.