Morning in Minneapolis?
September 1, 2022 4:35 AM Subscribe
I am traveling to Minneapolis for work in early October. My flight just changed and now arrives at 7:50am on a Friday morning; I don't have anywhere to be until 1pm. What do I do?
Right now my plan is to take transit to my hotel (in a neighborhood Google Maps calls the "Gateway District"), find a pleasant cafe for breakfast*, maybe read or walk around a bit, get an early lunch before my meetings start back in the vicinity of the hotel.
Things I've considered:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art (opens at 10, not immediately nearby but looks bus-able)
- walk across the Stone Arch Bridge
- Mill City Museum
- go to a Target (idk, seems appropriate)
Would love to go to Birchbark Books, but it looks too far out of the way for my time constraints. Maybe next time. If there's a good used bookstore in the downtown-ish area, though, let me know.
*I will have woken up at 3am Central Time to make this pre-dawn flight (WHY, DELTA, WHY) so good coffee on arrival is an essential.
Also taking suggestions for lunch places, especially something unique to the area. A friend who grew up in the Twin Cities recommended Owamni, but definitely open to others as well.
Right now my plan is to take transit to my hotel (in a neighborhood Google Maps calls the "Gateway District"), find a pleasant cafe for breakfast*, maybe read or walk around a bit, get an early lunch before my meetings start back in the vicinity of the hotel.
Things I've considered:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art (opens at 10, not immediately nearby but looks bus-able)
- walk across the Stone Arch Bridge
- Mill City Museum
- go to a Target (idk, seems appropriate)
Would love to go to Birchbark Books, but it looks too far out of the way for my time constraints. Maybe next time. If there's a good used bookstore in the downtown-ish area, though, let me know.
*I will have woken up at 3am Central Time to make this pre-dawn flight (WHY, DELTA, WHY) so good coffee on arrival is an essential.
Also taking suggestions for lunch places, especially something unique to the area. A friend who grew up in the Twin Cities recommended Owamni, but definitely open to others as well.
I always go to Hell’s Kitchen for breakfast when in MPLS.
posted by hijinx at 5:30 AM on September 1, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by hijinx at 5:30 AM on September 1, 2022 [4 favorites]
Oh, and depending on the weather, I was extremely impressed by the reliability and ease of use of the city/Lyft run bikeshare, NiceRide. The system contains both electric and regular bikes, with the perk that you can end your ride with an electric bike at any bike rack, not just at a system dock. It would definitely expand your range along the river if you think your morning brain could handle it. When there isn't snow, Minneapolis is a dreamily bikeable city.
posted by theweasel at 5:34 AM on September 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by theweasel at 5:34 AM on September 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Kramarczuk East European Deli just a few minutes’ walk over the bridge from the Gateway district on Hennepin is delicious food and old style European vibe. Their lunches are amazing.
The Hen House on S 8th St is great spot for brunch. It’s open from 7am and has comfy booths.
The Keys at Foshay on S 9th St is an Art Deco brunch place inside an iconic Minneapolis building.
Seconding Hell’s Kitchen but it’s kinda dark down there if you need a view outside.
I love the Mill City Museum. If the Guthrie Theatre next door is open, make sure you walk out onto the Jean Nouvel designed cantilevered thrust stage, and look over the Mississippi and Stone Arch Bridge. It’s a beautiful building. From the Gateway district, you can walk to Mill City in 15-20 mins, but it’s super quick to get on the train at 5th St and get out a few stops later right near it.
posted by honey-barbara at 6:02 AM on September 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
The Hen House on S 8th St is great spot for brunch. It’s open from 7am and has comfy booths.
The Keys at Foshay on S 9th St is an Art Deco brunch place inside an iconic Minneapolis building.
Seconding Hell’s Kitchen but it’s kinda dark down there if you need a view outside.
I love the Mill City Museum. If the Guthrie Theatre next door is open, make sure you walk out onto the Jean Nouvel designed cantilevered thrust stage, and look over the Mississippi and Stone Arch Bridge. It’s a beautiful building. From the Gateway district, you can walk to Mill City in 15-20 mins, but it’s super quick to get on the train at 5th St and get out a few stops later right near it.
posted by honey-barbara at 6:02 AM on September 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Get breakfast at Seward Cafe, and then yes, go up to the Mill City Museum area, walk across the Stone Arch Bridge.
posted by entropone at 6:14 AM on September 1, 2022
posted by entropone at 6:14 AM on September 1, 2022
Hell's Kitchen has a cafeteria that serves lunch upstairs if you'd rather do breakfast elsewhere. For coffee, there must be a Caribou at the airport, but if not then you will find many downtown and inside any Lunds & Byerlys (grocery store). If you're across the river from downtown then you'll be in a neighborhood called "Nordeast" and right by Lunds and Kramarczuk. It has the smaller shops and bars you might enjoy. The Bookstore selection is not great downtown, alas. The library is nice though, even if you just see the outside.
posted by soelo at 7:53 AM on September 1, 2022
posted by soelo at 7:53 AM on September 1, 2022
If you do breakfast downtown at Hell’s Kitchen/Hen House/wherever, then you can meander northward toward the Mill District and the Guthrie, the Stone Arch Bridge, the river and St Anthony Main.
You could stop by the cheese shop at Surdyks for an amazing sandwich and fancy snacks to go, and then eat it down by the river. If you’re in the mood for a pizza lunch, Punch is across the street from Surdyks and Kramarczuk and is fast and inexpensive.
The only nearby bookstore I can think of is Open Book/Loft Literary Center on Washington Ave, which might be open when you’re there. I haven’t been inside in years, but it could be cool to visit.
I hope the weather is good for your visit so you can do some beautiful fall color walking!
posted by Maarika at 8:02 AM on September 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
You could stop by the cheese shop at Surdyks for an amazing sandwich and fancy snacks to go, and then eat it down by the river. If you’re in the mood for a pizza lunch, Punch is across the street from Surdyks and Kramarczuk and is fast and inexpensive.
The only nearby bookstore I can think of is Open Book/Loft Literary Center on Washington Ave, which might be open when you’re there. I haven’t been inside in years, but it could be cool to visit.
I hope the weather is good for your visit so you can do some beautiful fall color walking!
posted by Maarika at 8:02 AM on September 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Keep in mind the light rail system as well; that might expand your possibilities. Most of the cool places in Minneapolis are not downtown, in my opinion. Don’t go to Target for fun.
You could rent a regular bicycle at a bike shop and take a trail. Fall colors will be at their peak.
posted by Comet Bug at 10:54 AM on September 1, 2022
You could rent a regular bicycle at a bike shop and take a trail. Fall colors will be at their peak.
posted by Comet Bug at 10:54 AM on September 1, 2022
You could go to the Walker art museum. The outdoor park is pretty amazing.
posted by crapples at 6:28 PM on September 1, 2022
posted by crapples at 6:28 PM on September 1, 2022
Farmers Kitchen opens at 7:30am. It is owned by the Minnesota Farmers Union—really farmer-to-table. Good coffee & food. It has great photos/decor from the Farmers Union archives, to add to the interest. Better than Hell’s Kitchen IMO. It is right next to the Guthrie & a block away from Mill City Museum. I recommend all three as worth a visit.
posted by Nosey Mrs. Rat at 8:57 PM on September 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Nosey Mrs. Rat at 8:57 PM on September 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks all for the suggestions! It was raining when I arrived, so I just went to the coffee shop next door and read for a couple hours until the rain tapered off, then went to the Guthrie bridge for views. Bonus: their box office was open, so got great seats for Vietgone -- highly recommend if you are in the Twin Cities!
posted by basalganglia at 9:06 AM on October 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by basalganglia at 9:06 AM on October 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
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If you hadn't mentioned you wanted to keep downtown/Gateway, I would have suggested coffee and a cinnamon roll at Isles Bun and Coffee. We were there over Memorial Day and I still dream of those buns...
posted by theweasel at 5:28 AM on September 1, 2022 [1 favorite]