If you're lucky enough to live in or near Minneapolis, Minnesota, you're probably asking yourself, what's so "unfamous" about Minneapolis? It's a great city! But for folks from the east & west coast (not to mention anyone outside the country) even the best cities in the middle of the US can be practically invisible. If you've never considered visiting Minneapolis, keep reading and I'll bet you'll find a few reasons to change your mind. If you have, keep reading and add your thoughts in the comments below.
What You Can/Should Eat
Minneapolis is a huge city, with lots of exceptional food options. It's enough to overwhelm even the best eater/traveler. Throw in St. Paul's eating options, and well...you'd better come prepared. Let out your belt, start exercising, whatever you need to do, just don't miss out.
If you're looking for a good vegan or vegetarian meal, the Birchwood Cafe looks to be a good choice. They do meaty stuff, but their overall focus is on making great food from fresh local, organic ingredients. Plus, their menu is dynamic, as they come up with new dishes (presumably based on what's fresh) regularly. I also have it on good authority that their cupcakes are amazing. Just saying.
I swear, I will never get tired of awesome food places serving out of an airstream. Curbside is one such food stand, found all over St. Paul (follow them on twitter, to find them.) You can typically find them hanging out, serving an organic, ever-changing variety of affordable meals near the NPR building, or near Mears Park. You won't find them, or much other street food in Minneapolis (boooo!) because local laws aren't friendly to mobile food vendors.
But while we're on the topic of mobile food, make sure you check out the Chef Shack. Bison burgers, beef tongue tacos, and indian spice mini donuts? You can catch them at the Mill City Farmers Market on Saturdays. For more about the two ladies behind this masterpiece, check out this interview at Serious Eats.
It seems to me, that the hardest part about finding a place to eat in Minneapolis, is simply making up your mind. To get a sense of the abundance of good eats,and to find more places to visit, check out Urbanspoon's lists of best moderately priced and cheap eats for the Twin Cities.
Go Forth, and Drink Beer!
Beer, next to food, is one of my favorite things to find on the road. Heck, I'll go to a city just for the beer, if it's good enough. If you're a beer drinker, Minneapolis, and it's beer-loving neighbor St. Paul, have a ton to offer you.
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery is just near the University of Minnesota, so if you've been bumming around campus all day and need a good beer, you won't be left wanting. They tend to have 2-3 seasonals on tap, along with 5 "regulars." The Oatmeal Stout sounds good, along with any of their cask ales. If you're an IPA lover you won't be left out, as they reportedly have that on cask as well.
Surly Brewing crafts some great beers, just northwest of Minneapolis proper, in Brookyln Center. They've got a good selection, but you can't get beer at the brewery, you'll have to find it at bars or in liquor stores. But, you can reserve a spot for one of their free, Friday evening tours (with free samples!) If you do go the liquor store route, keep an eye out for their cans, they're pretty awesome looking.
Over in St. Paul, the Flat Earth Brewing Company is hand crafting an excellent lineup, including a Belgian-style pale ale that sounds quite promising. You can get your growler filled on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, or you can hit up a local liquor store or pub.
Great Waters Brewing Company, another awesome St. Paul brew pub, caught my eye because, in addition to 5 regular taps of their own goodness, they can pull you some properly cask-conditioned ales from four different taps. I'm a dark beer freak, so I'll probably be trying a cask Blackwatch Oat Stout, but with this many choices, anything you try will likely make the little beer loving person inside you squeal.
If you're in Uptown, you ought to check out The Herkimer Pub and Brewery, as they've got a good selection of their own German brews. Mmm, dunkel.
Art & Architecture
Fabulous art and architecture is one of the many reasons that Minneapolis is one of the great places in the US. It's home to the Walker Art Center, which is arguably one of the biggest and best collections of modern art in the United States. Donald Judd, Joseph Beuys, Marcel Duchamp, and Dan Flavin are just a few of the more famous names that you can find here, plus innumerable others. If you're in town on a Thursday, consider going from between 5 and 9 pm, when it's free. (I'm a sucker for free art nights.) If you're tired of being cooped up inside, you can venture across the street and explore the 11-acre outdoor Sculpture Garden.
The University of Minnesota is a haven for art lovers, with loads of public art on display, along with some great architecture. If you're in the mood for a walking tour, the university has put together a walking tour(PDF) of the campus for your convenience.
Love Frank Gehry? I do, and I can't get enough. Visit the Weisman Art Museum on the campus of the University of Minnesota to get a taste of Mr. Gehry's characteristic style. Even if you don't go inside, just getting a glimpse of the architecture will brighten up your day. If you didn't get enough modern art at the Walker Art Center, then hit up the permanent collection to get a taste of some 20th century American art (along with Korean furniture, go figure.)
Augsburg College has two art galleries you can visit, the Gage Family Art Gallery and the The Christensen Center Art Gallery (both are free.)
For me, one of the most interesting architectural features of Minneapolis is its Skyway, which is an 8-mile maze (map PDF) of walkways connecting buildings throughout downtown. Given how cold and snowy it gets in the winter, I can't imagine the city NOT having them.
Local Specialties & Oddities
If you're visiting and want to get some local flavor musically, why not check out some local bands? The local city paper, CityPages, has the scoop on the scene, not to mention other offbeat stuff to do when you're in town. Minneapolis has a good musical track record, as it's spawned the likes of Prince, Soul Asylum, and The Replacements, so why not try to find the next big band? If live music isn't your thing, but you still want to get a taste of culture, consider a theatre outing. The region is second only to New York City in live theater per capita, so you're bound to find something great to watch, whether it's mainstream or totally indie. Or if your there in the warm weather months, get out to the city's Chain Lakes which is sure to be relaxing way to see the city and get some exercise.
What's this Unfamous series all about? Check out the idea behind the series here.
Great article! I have lived in Minneapolis for 8 years, and Birchwood Cafe is one of our best restaurants. Their motto is "Good Real Food" and that sums it up - healthy, wholesome fare, and decadent dessert. Another wonderful healthy spot is French Meadow Bakery.
If you want to spend more you can't go wrong with a Tim McKee restaurant. The La Belle Vie lounge is a more affordable way to try his food. He also opened a couple of tacquerias recently called Barrio.
If you are a music fan, try to catch a show at First Ave. We also have a thriving classical music scene. The Minnesota Orchestra is in good hands with Osmo Vanska.
I'd also recommend going to the Guthrie's new building - even if not for a play, then to check out the architecture and amazing views of the Mississippi River. There are good dining options nearby, and a wonderful farmers market on the weekend.
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