There’s something about Minnesota that gets under the skin and takes root. Transplants come “for a few years” and make it home. The Minnesota-born take flight but find their way back. And many tourists try it out and find something that brings them back repeatedly.
Minnesotans joke about being in fly-over country but know there’s something distinct and beautiful about the state. I’ve seen all these scenarios play out, even from afar. During a long period living outside of Minnesota, I helped host a monthly happy hour for wayward Minnesotans in New York. Many of the regulars for that event became neighbors in Minneapolis years later.
Yet, for tourists, it’s sometimes hard to look past the Boundary Waters or the Mall of America to see what the Twin Cities have to offer. And if you make the mistake of asking a local what a visitor should do in town — that wouldn’t really be a mistake — you’re going to get your ear talked off, even if Minnesotans frequently live up to the “Minnesota nice” reputation of being reserved, to put it kindly. Where the reputation falls short is acknowledging the inspiring diversity and deeply creative culture. The Twin Cities are full of experiences that make a trip worthwhile. Whether you’re looking for concerts, winter activities, outdoor experiences, the best U.S. state fair or a show-stopping dinner, it’s here.
Though, let’s have a quick aside: Minneapolis and St. Paul basically function as a single big city. Despite long-running, largely absurd local debates about which city is better — usually resulting in the assertion that St. Paul is the sleepier of the cities — they’re pressed up against each other and it’s not weird to, say, stay in Minneapolis but grab dinner in St. Paul.
Here are some of the best places to check out if you want to experience the Twin Cities like a local.
What to Drink
Best Craft Brewery: Modist Brewing
If there’s one category in the Twin Cities with a dozen options that deserve a prize ribbon, it’s probably “Best Craft Brewery.” (That’s without getting into its many distilleries like Du Nord, Keeper’s Heart and Brother Justus.) Nonetheless, Modist is a sometimes playful brewery with a spacious taproom in the North Loop. The inventive brewers straddle the fine line between taking beer seriously and not taking beer too seriously.
They’ll collaborate with Hormel to make a Chili Cheese Dip beer, take the plunge on flavorful THC seltzers or release a “dilly dilly” beer that garners a very public cease and desist from You Know Who. More importantly, they simply make killer beers, whether you’re looking for something barrel-aged or want to try flagships like Dreamyard and False Pattern, which are local favorites. It’s a fun space and a place where there’s a beer for everyone in your crew.
About that THC seltzer: Minnesota possibly has the most unique cannabis laws in the country. While a full recreational rollout is still in progress, low-dose THC edibles are available pretty much everywhere, like gas stations and coffee shops. That “everywhere” also means you can get a THC drink at bars, concert venues and, as is the case at Modist, taprooms.
Honorable Mention: La Doña Brewery, Fair State Brewing Co-Op, Indeed Brewing
Best Cocktail/Whiskey Bar: Gori Gori Peku
There are a lot of whiskey bars with beautifully curated menus and bottles that can cause both delight and sticker shock. However, Gori Gori Peku is a distinctive experience. Hidden on the second floor of beloved Japanese restaurant Kado no Mise, it has, unquestionably, the best selection of Japanese whisky in the Twin Cities.
After sidling into the intimate, dimly-lit bar, you can build your own experience, take guidance from knowledgeable bartenders or go for a truly rare sip like The Yamazaki 18, a whisky that retails north of a grand per bottle online. At Gori Gori Peku, you can take a taste for less than $100. That’s not to say everything is in that price range. You can dig into a variety of reasonable sips from familiar distilleries like Suntory and Nikka, or even opt for sake instead. Gori Gori Peku doesn’t take reservations and only contains a handful of barstools and a small lounge.
Honorable Mention: Handsome Hog, Meteor, Spoon and Stable
Best Dive Bar: CC Club
You don’t have to be a fan of The Replacements to order a cheap PBR at the CC Club. Though, if you want to imagine yourself as the protagonist of “Here Comes a Regular” — said to have been inspired by the CC Club — there’s no better place to be.
Every neighborhood has its dive bar, but it’s hard to argue with CC Club as one of the best in the Twin Cities. (Though, the whiskey selection at Merlin’s Rest is outstanding.) The CC claims to have been slinging beers when Prohibition started, and it’s still there in all its dimly lit glory. Cheap beers, a smoky patio, a pool table and a legendary jukebox are all part of the charm. Sitting in a booth with a beer and whiskey back, it’s not hard to imagine it as a watering hole frequented by members Hüsker Dü and Soul Asylum, where Tom Arnold was once ejected and, as its site declares proudly, where a shoeless Woody Harrelson was denied entry (at least until he tracked down some shoes).
Honorable mention: Bull’s Horn, Merlins Rest, The Dubliner Pub
Best Hotel Bar: Mara at the Four Seasons
Mara, with a full restaurant menu by chef Gavin Kaysen, deserves its many accolades for its delightful food. Yet the bar, which you pass through on your way to the dining room, is just as impressive.
The mark of a great cocktail bar is that it doesn’t just make something you’ve had before well — it makes something you haven’t had before. Mara is a bar with a point of view. It makes many of its own spirits and uses them to build a cocktail menu that could only exist there.
Beyond the well-crafted cocktail menu, Mara also has a Champagne cart that may pass your table and tempt you into something celebratory. The bartenders are knowledgeable and can take you through the story of the Champagnes to elevate that experience. After the champagne cart, you might want to dabble in the amaro cart for a nightcap. It helps make Mara an experience you can only have at Mara.
Honorable mention: The Lobby Bar at St. Paul Hotel, Miaou Miaou at Rand Tower Hotel
Where to Eat
Cheap Lunch/Local Specialty: The Nook
St. Louis has gooey butter cake. Milwaukee has Bloody Marys. Detroit has Detroit-style pizza. The Twin Cities have the iconic Juicy Lucy (sometimes written Jucy Lucy), a burger with the cheese cooked into the center of the patty, melting into a molten pocket of boiling-hot goodness. Yes, you can find the cheese-stuffed burger in almost any city, but if you want the best, there’s only one place to go. And in Minnesota, there’s fierce debate as to where you should go.
The Nook’s Lucy is miraculously cheesy. It’s an art. It’s the right cheese blend and hits the perfect temperature, so the cheese has a smooth consistency permeating every bite. Get it too cold and it’s gross. But it’s too hot, the burger’s molten center becomes oily and liquidy, running out of the burger in a steamy mess after the first bite.
In your quest for the perfect Juicy Lucy, you can’t go wrong hitting up Matt’s Bar or the 5-8 Club, the two locations that claim to have made the first Juicy Lucy. However, The Nook’s burger is special. Newbies would do well to take that first bite with caution.
Honorable Mention: Matt’s Bar, 5-8 Club, Crooked Pint Ale House
Best Burger Spot: Saint Dinette
We’re sub-categorizing this as the best burger in the Twin Cities, non-Juicy Lucy edition. Great burgers come and go, but Chef Adam Eaton’s Saint Dinette offers a banger that has been a Twin Cities staple for a long time. The double patty burger, served with a pile of pickle slices, looks like it could be short-order fare, but the secret is that every detail is meticulously crafted. The beef blend is made in-house, as is the American cheese, which is a combination of Gruyére and sharp cheddar (and other ingredients like Cava).
Moreover, Saint Dinette is perfectly placed for those situations where you want to have a world-class burger and follow it up with a baseball game. The restaurant is just steps from CHS Field, where the minor league Saint Paul Saints play. The games are fun, and the team was formerly co-owned by Bill Murray and recently inducted Darryl Strawberry into its Hall of Fame, even though he only played 29 games with the Saints.
Honorable Mention: Revival Fried Chicken, The Lowbrow, Dream Creamery, Bull’s Horn
Nice Dinner: Owamni
Owamni is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. Chef Sean Sherman, aka The Sioux Chef, has been making waves in the culinary world for years with a distinctive approach that honors indigenous traditions. Owamni is his first fine dining establishment. The full-service restaurant offers the “true flavors of North America” with the “foods of Mni Sota Makoce, Land Where the Waters Reflect the Clouds.”
The decolonized food experience includes a menu that prioritizes purchasing both locally and nationally from indigenous producers while removing many ingredients brought to the Americas by colonizers such as wheat flour, cane sugar and dairy. The menu, of course, changes, but the Bison Asada Tacos, Cured Salmon and Venison Tartare have been recent highlights. It’s a unique dining experience, and in truth, the line between “nice dinner” and “nicer dinner” here is thinner than angel hair pasta. Owamni is simply one of the best restaurants in the Twin Cities. Crucially, the work Sherman and his team are doing is important — there’s a reason he was named on Time’s list of the 100 most influential people of 2023.
Honorable Mention: Union Hmong Kitchen, Boludo
Nicer Dinner: Petite León
Chef Jorgé Guzmán has built something special at Petite León, which opened just a year into the pandemic and has managed to survive a precarious time for restaurants. The menu draws upon the flavors of the Yucatán, where Guzmán was raised. There are many highlights on its menu — goat cheese-stuffed piquillo peppers and the elote salad among them — but the pollo al carbon is a must-try. It’s a moist, luxurious dish served with nothing else on a sparse plate. Though, a drink from the citrus-loving cocktail menu is a nice accompaniment.
It’s nestled in a south Minneapolis neighborhood where the streets are not lined with restaurants. It’s, as Petite León says, a neighborhood restaurant, but it’s clearly more than that. Most neighborhood restaurants won’t earn the chef a James Beard nomination for Best Chef Midwest.
Honorable Mention: Demi, 112 Eatery, Kado No Mise
Best Coffee Shop: Spyhouse Coffee Roasters
What started more than a decade ago in the Whittier neighborhood has expanded to six locations throughout the Twin Cities. Spyhouse is part of an impressive coffee culture in Minnesota, where there are coffee shops — not Starbucks — within walking distance from almost anywhere in the city. If you love spending an inordinate amount of time in coffee shops, the Twin Cities is a slept-on hub for great coffee. Spyhouse’s menu is also full of creative espresso drinks, and it’s a lauded roaster touting bold, flavorful beans.
Honorable Mention: Nina’s Coffee Cafe, Five Watt Coffee, The Get Down Coffee Co., Dogwood Coffee Co.
Where to Shop
Best Menswear Shop: MartinPatrick3
This North Loop shop isn’t just for dressing nice, it’s for feeling nice, too. The 22,000-square-foot shop has casual menswear, custom suits, sneakers and bespoke gifts. Part of its appeal is that it’s simply a cool space. The store wants to make you feel like you’re at the top of your game, whether you want a personal shopper or to sip a coffee and browse brands like Rodd and Gunn, Paul Smith or Aesop skincare products. Once you’re dressed to the nines and have your clothes tailored, you can get a trim at Marty’s Barber Shop or talk to the MartinPatrick 3 Studio team about interior design. (Or jog across the street to check out the recently updated Jaxen Grey showroom.)
Honorable Mention: Jaxen Grey, King Brothers Clothiers
Best Vintage Shop: Southside Vintage
“Best” can be subjective, and it often depends on what you’re looking for. If you need a surprisingly large selection of clothes, you’ll love Olio Vintage. Southside Vintage, however, boasts an impressive inventory of furniture and home décor. The shop is only open on select days, shared in advance online. Nonetheless, it’s always a well-curated assortment of inspiring finds. When it is open, you will find lines down the block waiting for a chance to sift through its latest treasures, many of which are teased on Instagram before it opens.
Honorable Mentions: Olio Vintage, Tandem Vintage, Center for Lost Objects
Best Record Store: Electric Fetus
Minnesota has had its share of wonderful record shops that have gone to that big record shop in the sky. It’s been hard times for record stores, which intensified during the height of the pandemic. Nonetheless, Electric Fetus has weathered the world’s many storms. It carries an expansive selection of records and genres. But more than just having an impressive inventory that’ll keep you flipping through records for hours, it has character. It is the kind of place that reminds you why record stores are important and why buying online is so devastatingly boring. Electric Fetus is a place that exudes community and a love of musical discovery. There’s passion in Electric Fetus — no wonder it’s been a favorite shop of many music lovers, including Prince.
Honorable Mention: Extreme Noise Records, Hymie’s Vintage Records
Best Book Store: Magers & Quinn
This uptown bookstore is just one piece of an incredible literary tapestry around the Twin Cities that includes festivals from The Loft Literary Center and outstanding comic book shops like Source Comics. However, there’s something magic about Magers & Quinn. It’s stocked with passionate staff recommendations, exciting new releases and affordable used books. Also, sifting through its rare books is deeply satisfying.
Magers & Quinn is that unique breed of bookstore that makes you want to walk out of the store with arms overburdened with books in the hope that you can read 15 simultaneously. When you need literary inspiration, it regularly presents readings with authors of local and national renown, such as Chuck Palahniuk, Maggie Smith, Marlon James and Greil Marcus.
Honorable Mention: Milkweed Books, Moon Palace Books, Birchbark Books & Native Arts, Black Garnet Books
What to Do
Best Gallery: Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)
The Minneapolis Institute of Art is a world-class museum, but part of what makes it so incredible is that it’s always free. (Seriously, it’s a gift to the community.) It houses more than 90,000 works of art, including stop-you-in-your-tracks work by artists like Jeffrey Gibson, Kehinde Wiley, Rembrandt, Suellen Rocca and the stunning “Veiled Lady” by Raffaelo Monti.
Its Asian and ancient art galleries are beautiful, as are its contemporary and modern rooms. Its special exhibitions, not all of which are free, have included can’t-miss events like a thoughtfully laid-out presentation of Guillermo del Toro’s private collection, the eerie “Supernatural America” or the recent “ReVisión: Art in the Americas” exhibit, showcasing both ancient and contemporary art of the Americas.
Honorable Mention: Rogue Buddha, Walker Art Center, Weisman Art Museum
Best Running/Hiking Trail: St. Anthony Falls Heritage Trail
Minnesota isn’t messing around when it says it has 10,000 lakes — there are 22 lakes in Minneapolis alone. Not to mention, the Mississippi runs right between Minneapolis and St. Paul. That makes for a bevy of running and biking trails with enviable views, all of which can be accessed without leaving the city.
Jogging the West River Parkway with its bluffs along the Mississippi is nearly unbeatable. But for visitors, hitting the St. Anthony Heritage Trail is a treat. The trail takes you through land that held spiritual significance to the Dakota people and also puts the state’s milling history on display. If you’re looking for a trail with a view, this one takes visitors across the Stone Arch Bridge with an engrossing view of the Mississippi River and downtown Minneapolis. It also provides quick access to Father Hennepin Bluff Park and Mill Ruins Park.
Honorable Mention: Lake of the Isles, West River Parkway, Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, Minnehaha Creek Trail
Best Place for Live Music: First Avenue
First Avenue is an institution. For more than 50 years, it has hosted the best bands in the world, playing a pivotal role in rock and dance nightlife in Minnesota. Importantly, as Ticketmaster and Live Nation homogenize the concert-going experience across the country, First Avenue remains a locally-owned company. (It also books shows at other venues around the city like the Turf Club, the Palace Theater and the Fine Line.)
Hitting First Avenue is a rite of passage, as is staring up at the stark white stars on its exterior; legendary acts who’ve played First Avenue and the attached 7th Street Entry have had their names enshrined in those stars. Let’s not ruin all the fun, but luminaries in that pseudo-hall of fame include Gil Scott Heron, Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine, Ray Charles, James Brown, INXS and Public Enemy.
Honorable Mention: Turf Club, Orchestra Hall, Dakota Jazz Club, Cedar Cultural Center
Tourist Spot That’s Actually Worth It: Paisley Park
You might have heard that Minnesota loves Prince. (You may have also heard that Prince is a goddamn legend.) It’s not a trip to the Twin Cities without getting a little Prince in your trip, even if that just means passing one of the many murals honoring him around town.
Though, for the full experience, drive about 20 minutes outside Minneapolis to Paisley Park, Prince’s former home and studio. It’s now a museum offering tours through the visionary musician’s life. If you’ve been to attractions touting the legacy of local musicians, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this might be a tourist trap or simply not worth the money ($65-189), but that is far from the case. It’s a moving, inspiring tour that takes you through Prince’s life and creative process. Even the biggest Prince fan will discover him anew.
Honorable Mention: Como Park Conservatory, Minnehaha Falls
Where to Stay
Best Luxury Hotel: The Four Seasons
It’s no surprise that the Four Seasons provides an immaculate luxury experience. It only opened in the summer of 2022, sitting across from the gorgeous downtown Hennepin County Library, but it has already made its mark.
The hotel sits near Target Field, First Avenue, Target Center and a litany of North Loop breweries and restaurants. In fact, the hotel is connected to many of those experiences via skyway and sits just two blocks from the Mississippi River. Overall, its reputation and the quality that should be expected from the Four Seasons requires little explanation. It boasts sweeping presidential suites as well as suites with enviable views of the skyline. You get lavish rooms, all the amenities you need and the delightful food and drinks of Mara on the main floor.
Honorable mention: Hotel Ivy, The Chambers Hotel, W Minneapolis – The Foshay
Best Boutique Hotel: The Hewing
The Hewing is just, well, fun. From the moment you enter, you feel a warm, cozy, elegant vibe that provides exactly the kind of greeting you want from a boutique hotel. It’s a stylish blend of contemporary decor and rustic charm.
The Hewing offers the upscale service you want from luxury hotels while maintaining a more playful, hip feel. One of the alluring features is its rooftop pool, accompanied by a rooftop restaurant and bar. And, of course, you can get those drinks poolside.
While rooftop experiences in Minnesota aren’t quite as alluring as in a warmer climate, that doesn’t mean the Hewing packs up activities for half the year when it’s bitterly cold outside. It’s partnered with Stokeyard Outfitters to offer thermaculture experiences, which means rooftop sauna time in the middle of the winter. It’s delightful.
Honorable mention: Elliott Park Hotel, Rand Tower Hotel
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