Curated City Guides by Your Favorite Designers and Tastemakers.
Minneapolis:
Zara Gonzalez Hoang
Bars & Restaurants
Midtown Global Market
Taking up most of the first floor of the old Sears building on Chicago and Lake, Midtown Global Market is a fantastic indoor Bazaar. There's food (like the always delicious La Loma, La Sirena Gorda and Holy Land) and baked goods (like the Salty Tart) as well as all sorts of gifts and groceries. It's a great place to hang out and listen to music or if there's a particularly hot soccer game on, most likely it will be playing somewhere in the Market. 920 East Lake Street
Namaste
When we have friends in from out of town, this is our go-to place for dinner. It's a cute little house turned into a restaurant with bright orange walls and the most delicious food. They source locally when they can, so the food is always fresh and tasty. Try the Paapri Chaat - it's a weird sounding appetizer that is amazing. Their Chai is the best in the city and their Mango Lassis are super good on a hot day. 2512 Hennepin Ave
Brasa
It took me years to finally make it to Brasa but once I did I was hooked. If you love meat, this is your place. I can't even begin to describe the melt-in-your-mouth goodness that is Brasa. The best one is the one in NE but it's teeny tiny so go in the summer when their patio is open or be prepared to wait. Oh and get the plantains and/or the yuca. Yum. 600 East Hennepin Avenue
Victor's
Cuban cuisine with a crazy interior. There's nothing like a tiny little restaurant where you're encouraged to write on the walls. It's a bit of a hole in the wall but the food is pretty yummy, especially for breakfast. 3756 Grand Ave S
Quang
When I'm sick or in need of something hot and steamy I head to Quang for their "Magic Soup". Your opinion may vary as to which soup holds the most magic (the debate in my house is pho vs. chao - chao wins hands down in my opinion) but whatever you order it will be delicious. Make sure you add some basil/rooster sauce/hoisin sauce to your soup to make the broth taste extra special. And don't go on Tuesdays because they're closed (although you could pop over to Pho Tau Bay instead and have magic soup that's almost as good - or better according to my Viet husband). 2719 Nicollet Avenue
Jasmine 26
If all you know about Vietnamese food is pho, you have to eat here. This is one of the only places in town that serves Vietnamese dishes other than pho, com and bun. Their sea salt & pepper tofu is delicious - even if you're not a tofu lover and their spiked bubble teas are tasty. Don't miss the bar with the beautiful carved Buddha hanging over it that came from Vietnam. If you're not feeling like a sit down meal, you can also walk around the corner and grab something quick (and equally delicious) from Jasmine Deli which is owned by the same family. 8 E 26th St
A Baker's Wife
The most delicious pastries in Minneapolis. This little bakery has great croissants, cinnamon rolls, bread, and well, pretty much everything they make is good. I hear they make a mean cup of coffee too (I don't drink coffee). It's cash only though, so come prepared. 4200 28th Ave S
Mandarin Kitchen
The only place in Minneapolis (well technically this is in Bloomington, but close enough) to get good Dim Sum. I know there are other places people claim are as good or better, but they don't know the secret. If you want consistently good dim sum, go to Mandarin Kitchen right when they open on the weekend (10AM) and you'll be rewarded with delicious dumplings and warm footballs. (delicious pork-filled balls of dough). I don't recommend the non-dim sum here though, so go here at your own risk when it's not dim sum time. 8766 Lyndale Avenue South
Little Szechuan
The only place to order Chinese food in Minneapolis (well St. Paul) spicy, flavorful, and so so yummy. Their quick-fried green beans are amazing as is pretty much everything else on their menu. 422 University Avenue West, St. Paul
Trung Nam
The BEST croissants in the entire world. Ok, maybe France has better ones, but these ones are right up there. Don't be turned off by the exterior (it's an ex-fast food restaurant with peeling paint) the baked goods are delicious. My favorite is the cinnamon croissant, but everything is worth trying once. They also have delicious french bread for sandwich making. It's cash only, so bring some green and go early, they often sell out of the best stuff. 739 University Avenue West, St. Paul
Supplies
Northwest Graphic Supply
If you screen print, this is your place. They'll make you a screen or a squeegee in any size you want. They'll also burn your screens, reclaim them, and provide you with pretty much anything you might possibly need to get printing. They are not open on the weekend though, so plan accordingly. 4200 East Lake Street
United Noodles
If you like to cook and your tastes run to asian dishes, this is your place. United Noodles is a giant supermarket filled to the brim with anything you might possibly need to cook pretty much any asian dish you can imagine. They also have a pretty sweet dishware section and their selection of japanese pickles has this girl swooning. As a bonus they're right across the way from the best seafood shop in town, Coastal Seafoods. United Noodles is a bit hard to find (although they've recently added a gigantic sign to help you on your way) but basically you turn down an alley that you think couldn't possibly contain a grocery store but sure enough there it is. 2015 East 24th Street
Seward Co-op
My favorite Co-op in town. It's big, it's bright, it's got beautiful produce. It's pretty much perfect. Super friendly staff are always willing to answer the stupidest questions and they have delicious gluten-free baked goods. 2823 East Franklin Ave
Galleries & Art Spaces
Big Table Studio
Part Poster Shop, part working Screenprinting Studio, part Co-Working space, Part Art Gallery, Big Table Studio is an awesome place to hang out, grab a sweet poster made by a Twin Cities printer or take a class and learn how to do it yourself. If you stop by during the day say "hi" this is also where I hang out a lot of the time. After you grab a poster you can buy a record next door at Eclipse Records or grab a belgian pint down the street at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall. It's a great little spot. 375 Wabasha St N, St. Paul
Minnesota Center For Book Arts
If you ever wanted to learn how to letterpress, this is your best bet. Great classes (on things other than letterpressing too like book making, papermaking and the like), interesting speakers and gallery shows. It has a little coffee shop attached as well so it's a great spot to grab something to drink and sit and work for awhile. 1011 Washington Ave S
ETC.
Tank Goodness
There's no store, so you can't get an immediate cookie fix but if you call them, they'll deliver the most delicious ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies you've ever had right to your door. Did I mention they'll still be warm? and, they'll even bring the milk. Totally worth it. 612-824-TANK
Midtown Farmer's Market
Sure it's smaller than the big Minneapolis Farmer's Market but it's all localish (Everything sold has to be from MN or WI) so you won't find any pineapples here, but you will find all sorts of beautiful fruits and veggies AND a guy who sells the most amazing boiled peanuts. Yum. Lake Street E & 22nd Ave S
Airport Dog Park
If you have a pooch, this is where you want to go. It's a big field owned by the Airport and not the city so you don't need to have a dog park tag to go here. Unfortunately that also means there are no garbage cans so you have to bring your little blue bags out with you but the space is great for running your dogs so it's worth the extra hassle. 6096 28th Ave