Make the most of short stay in Minneapolis. Here’s the step-by-step guide to enjoying 24 hours in this hip northern metropolis on the Mississippi River.
Brunch
We started our day at Modern Times, an organic mecca perfect for all your vegan, gluten-free, gluten-lover or carnivorous friends in the Central / Powderhorn neighborhoods of MSP – reminiscent of the up-and-coming scenes in Bed Stuy and Bushwick. Tattooed waitresses and baristas brew up delicious iced coffee and serve a menu ranging from Croque Benedict to Chakra Khan, menu here.
Boutiques
After breakfast, we hit up the Forage Modern Workshop near to the Saint Paul border. This gorgeous design store features an array of mid-century modern inspired sofas to knick-knacks, handsome toiletries and locally sourced waxed canvas goods including Minnesota-based Frost River. I use one as my sturdy makeup bag. Read more about Minnesota’s great homegrown brands here. The shop also houses a café with plenty of seating and excellent air conditioning for a summer day.
Antiques
One could easily get lost in the many rooms and floors of the giant indoor and outdoor antique emporium that is Hunt and Gather. In southwest Minneapolis, this shop is a destination for everything.
Vintage trunks, maps, books, crates, lamps, dressers, tables neon light up letters, Merck bottles, crystal chandeliers, flags… this is a haven for the forager of items from Christmas pasts, and pasts, and pasts. And some parts of the store are totally plain nuts, but also super fun.
The Fineries of 1st Street North
Shop
The North Loop is full of factories converted into desirable brick condominiums with refined eateries and barrooms and modish design shops on the street level.
The Foundry bodes an array of beautiful home goods from Turkish hammam hand towels to simple dishes and lightly scented candles.
Next, Askov Finlayson proved to be an exceptional menswear store for the outdoor dandy with tweed blazers, cabin building books, thick canvas satchels and my favorite Swedish soap, Kalastyle Swedish Dream Soap
Drink
The friendly guy behind the counter at Askov Finlayson directed us to Marvel, a speakeasy bar around the corner to quench our thirst of an evening cocktail.
Try the all-refreshing SuperDry vermouth cocktail.
Eat
To follow, we stayed in the North Corp family and got a table for dinner upstairs at The Bachelor Farmer.
Walking in, the heart-shaped design on the wallpaper is immediately warm and friendly. We sat at the end of a long wooden pew at a corner table by candlelight while the evening sunlight still peered in through the window. Exposed wooden beams and ducts, and wainscoting on the walls create a farmhouse feel in the midst of the converted factory building. We had a delicious meal of sweet corn to start, followed by local caught red herring from Lake Superior, and to conclude homemade gingerbread cookies. It was sophisticated, all the while being rustic and homey. To further meld farm to urban table, The Bachelor Farmer grows its own produce on a small farm located on the roof.
Thirsts well quenched and tummies well fed, Andrew and I strolled back to our hotel while the Yankees played the Twins just over the walls at Target Field.
On a more recent visit to Minneapolis, I got to sip coffee at The Bachelor Farmer’s new and beautiful TBF Cafe.
If you enjoy this guide to Minneapolis, you can take it with you. Using the GPSmyCity app guides can be downloaded to your phone for offline use.
Download here.
By the way, if you do download it, I’d love to hear from you. Did you enjoy using GPSmyCity? I want to make sure scouts and findings on Maidstone Buttermilk are as helpful to you as possible.
1 Comment on A Perfect Day in Minneapolis, Minnesota