Referred to as Minneapolis’ first neighborhood, Northeast Minneapolis was originally founded as the City of St. Anthony in 1855, 12 years before Minneapolis.  Since then, Northeast, or “Nordeast” as it has come to be called by locals, has grown into one of the most vibrant and eclectic areas of Minneapolis.

With a rich tradition of northern and eastern European immigrants, homes in many parts of Northeast are typically smaller and more condensed, reflecting the long history of the working class neighborhood. While the homes may be a bit smaller than those in other parts of Minneapolis, each older home seems to have its own unique story to tell, giving the neighborhood a charming, affable quality. Newer areas of development are also available for those who are looking snag a spot near the river in one of the many upscale condos, townhomes or apartments.

Northeasterners have the convenience of choosing from many different outdoor activities without leaving the neighborhood. Northeast Park provides several baseball diamonds, football and soccer fields, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, horseshoe pits and the Jim Lupient Water Park. The park is also home to the Grand Rounds Miniature Golf Course for golfers looking to work on their short game before heading to the 18-hole golf course at the Columbia Golf Club.

With such an abundance of artists in Minneapolis, Northeast has taken to filling entire warehouses with them, providing plenty of space to rent and create in studio settings throughout the neighborhood.  The Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association has more than 700 members alone, fashioning everything from jewelry to paintings to clothing. Events like the annual Art-A-Whirl, greet visitors with an open and free look at the work of over 500 artists in more than 70 locations in studio buildings, art galleries, restaurants, storefronts and homes. The weekend-long event is perfect for those looking for local art to proudly display at home.

One of the most uniquely “Nordeast” spots in town is Kramarczuk’s. A one-stop shop for anything and everything that’s edible and from East Europe, Kramarczuk’s is a delicatessen, bakery and restaurant all in one sausage-scented setting, serving up imported and house-made food you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere outside of Europe, or Target Field where they serve up Kramarczuk’s acclaimed house-made sausages.

A bar that’s been a longtime favorite amongst locals to show off to unsuspecting out-of-towners is Nye’s Polonaise Room. Esquire Magazine named Nye’s the “Best Bar In America” in 2006 and again in 2010 as one of the “15 Bars Every Man Should Drink In Before He Dies.” A completely unique experience, Nye’s is a Northeast institution that is not to be missed, especially if the “World’s Most Dangerous Polka Band” is on stage.

With no shortage of spots to hangout, you’ll find “Nordeasterners” eating at the landmark steakhouse Jax Café to trying out the acclaimed sushi at the buzz worthy Masu Sushi & Robata, or sipping on coffee at the new Spyhouse Coffee Shop location or head downstairs and you’ll find others sipping on a beer at the newly opened taproom of 612 Brew, or walk down the street and you’ll… well… you get the idea.

Neighborhood Resources

Just minutes from downtown St. Paul, the Greater East Side neighborhood provides the convenience of being close to a metropolitan city while still offering the comforts of a suburban community. And it only takes a single drive down White Bear Avenue to quickly discover why. Serving as the “main street” of the neighborhood, White Bear Avenue is the epicenter of Greater East side, offering all of the essential community traits – here you’ll find local shops and restaurants as well as libraries, medical offices, community centers, schools and homes.

One vital business on White Bear Ave. is the El Quetzal Market, the perfect place for those looking to make an authentic Mexican meal. And if cooking isn’t on the agenda, the next-door Tio Santiago Bakery offers customers a wide array of colorful and mouthwatering baked goods waiting to be devoured.

Greater East Side St. Paul offers a great community for families looking for a strong and varied school system. With seven public schools, two charter schools and two private schools, there’s certainly no shortage of options for parents when it comes to finding a nearby school in the community.

The Dari-ette Drive-In on Minnehaha Avenue offers visitors the rare experience of enjoying authentic Italian food without ever having to set foot outside the car you drove up in. The 1950s style diner has been serving the neighborhood for 60 years, offering a nostalgic look into the past while offering a menu section of Italian eats you wouldn’t normally expect to find at a drive-in. While already a hit with the locals, Dari-ette Drive-In has recently gotten some national attention when it was named one of the 12 best drive-in restaurants in the country by digital lifestyle magazine, Thrillist National.

Another acclaimed destination for anyone looking to find a menu item uniquely local is The Juicy Lucy at the 5-8 Club. An absolute rite of passage for any hamburger connoisseur, this cheese-infused creation can be found in all its glory at the 5-8 Club in the southeast corner of Greater East Side St. Paul. Recently, the restaurant’s nearby Minneapolis location was even ranked as #1 on the Travel Channel’s Chowdown Countdown. (But we think the “Jucy Lucy” at Matt’s Bar is also great, in case anyone felt like we were taking sides here).

When not dining out, residents can often be found fishing off the pier on the regularly stocked Beaver Lake or walking on the nearby paths. The area also features a nearby park, grills and areas to play volleyball and baseball with a serene backdrop of the lake.

The majority of homes in Greater East Side St. Paul were built after 1940 and are moderately priced, mid-sized and single-family units, making the homes ideal for the many younger families in the area. While many parts of the Greater East Side are newer than much of St. Paul, there are a few historic homes that have been kept well maintained and give the neighborhood of Greater East Side St. Paul a distinct blend of history and modernism.

Neighborhood Resources

Uptown is young, potent and stimulating. Nestled between downtown Minneapolis and the Lake Calhoun/Harriet/Isles loop, Uptown offers lively nightlife, scenic leisure, and a diverse community all in the shadow of the Minneapolis skyline. From the bustling Lagoon Avenue area to the quiet Kenwood neighborhood, Uptown manages to capture the full range of what makes Minneapolis great without diluting any of the individual aspects.

An abundance of restaurants can be found in the Uptown neighborhood, from a blend of Asian, Latin American and Caribbean cuisine at Chino Latino, to familiar American style dining at Uptown Tavern, to hole-in-the wall coffee shops such as Uncommon Grounds and Dogwood Coffee Bar. On the weekends, troops of young Minneapolitans flock to Lagoon Avenue to eat, drink, and mingle on Stella’s Fish Cafe rooftop and the basement of Williams Pub & Peanut Bar, all within a three-block radius.

It is not uncommon to see new construction efforts in Uptown, where properties are constantly being updated to be larger and more innovative. These new developments aim to attract new residents to buildings where they can live directly above up and coming shops and restaurants. As the neighborhood grows, so does the value of real estate. Condos and apartments continue to appreciate in value as the Uptown neighborhood continues to remake itself into a destination that’s constantly fresh and new.

On the western side of Uptown lies Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet, and Lake of the Isles, all of which are a popular destination for exercisers, beach-goers and sailors. Lake Calhoun, the closest lake to the heart of Uptown features a sailing school for young sailors, boat rentals for a leisurely afternoon paddle, and extensive biking and jogging trails that circles the three lakes. Whether you are looking for shopping in a bustling commercial district or a quiet place to relax or exercise, Uptown can provide it all.

It is no surprise that such a unique neighborhood spawned one of the most exciting and creative music scenes in the Midwest. Located on the 2400 block of Hennepin Avenue, Fifth Element acts as the retail center for Rhymesayers Entertainment. Since 1995, Rhymesayers has consistently been the leading voice of Minnesota Hip-Hop culture with artists ranging from Atmosphere to Brother Ali to Aesop Rock signed to the label. Fifth Element serves as their retail outlet, which also features in-store performances by label artists. From around the Midwest, Fifth Element is known as one of the best destinations in Minnesota for quality vinyl, fashion and concert tickets.

Being in the heart of Minneapolis has its advantages for commuters of Uptown. Eight major bus lines run through the Uptown Transit Center, where riders have the option to store their bicycles safely and warm up when the weather is cold. Additionally, residents of Uptown can be seen biking or riding Segways on bike trails that run throughout the Twin Cities. For those who don’t own a bike or can’t store them, Nice Ride Minnesota offers an annual bike rental program for only $65 ($55 for students). Bikes can be rented from or returned to any of the 170 stations located across Minneapolis and St. Paul.
As the season changes, Uptown offers a wide range of events to match. In the summer, the Uptown Art Fair attracts visitors from across the Midwest, where attendees can admire artwork in almost any medium imaginable (painting, ceramics, glass blowing, jewelry, sculptures, etc), eat great local cuisine from AZ Canteen and Falafel King, have drinks from Schells’ Beer Garden or Barefoot Wine, and listen to live music all afternoon.
During the fall, Wheels of Italy attracts Italian automobile enthusiasts and owners where they can show off their Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Ducati’s for an afternoon right next to Lake Calhoun. Since its inception, Wheels of Italy has been a centerpiece for Italian automobile and cycle culture and has allowed the community to become one of the largest of its kind in the Midwest.
During the winter, Minneapolis residents line up at the Lake Harriet Band Shell for the annual Valentines Day 5K Run. Participants can adorn their race outfit with “single”, “taken” or “its complicated” labels, allowing them to easily announce their relationship status to other runners who can later offer to buy them a drink at Cooper’s Irish Pub.
In the spring the Calhoun Area Residents Action Group hosts their annual Super Sale where the Uptown neighborhood comes together for one massive garage sale at Bryant Square Park. There shoppers search for the perfect unique used item and sellers work to clean out their cluttered closets while making some good money.

For those looking to find a stimulating environment that combines wild nightlife with serene natural beauty, Uptown, Minneapolis is the perfect place to settle into. In a city where people are constantly in motion, Uptown serves as a center for the younger generation of Minneapolitans, where they have the best of both urban living and natural escape. As Uptown continues to grow and thrive, it is clear that it will retain its balance of calming neighborhoods and exhilarating commercial districts.

Neighborhood Resources

St. Paul’s roots trace back to America’s fur-trading days. Originally known as Pig’s Eye, or Pig’s Eye Landing, the city received the name after French Canadian fur trader turned bootlegger, Pierre “Pig’s Eye” Parrant established a popular tavern there. Parrant had to move his operation from Fort Snelling after military officers banned distillers from the land which the fort controlled, so he moved about five miles downstream to a cave where he found a spring that would allow him to brew alcohol. There he established Pig’s Eye Tavern, which gained popularity.

As Pig’s Eye grew in settlers, travelers, and traders, French priest Father Lucien Galtier established the Log Chapel of Saint Paul (which later became the first location of the Cathedral of Saint Paul). In celebration of the new chapel, and condemnation of Pig’s Eye’s dubious founding, Galtier gave the city a new name: St. Paul.

Today, St. Paul is still known to downtown locals as Pig’s Eye, although it has changed very much since its early beginnings. Many downtown condos and apartments were converted from historical factories, offices or warehouses. The most recent changes have happened in the Lowertown neighborhood of downtown St. Paul (located on the eastern edge), where artists are moving into studios. During the summer in Lowertown, the St. Paul farmers’ market is a popular locale.

Downtown is also home to the state capitol, the Minnesota Wild hockey team and many museums, businesses and restaurants. Last month, St. Paul was voted as the Best Romantic North American Getaway in a poll by USA Today. “St. Paul is so romantic, with the history in the city and the architecture,” said marketing manager for Visit St. Paul Lisa Huber.

The Cathedral of Saint Paul has been a consistent part of that history, and was the location of the Red Bull Crashed Ice even last month. The annual event draws in over 100,000 people, not only from the state of hockey, but from all over the US and Canada to watch heats of four skaters rocket down the 400-meter track full of obstacles.

With so much to do downtown and its continued growth, it’s no wonder why people choose to live within the city. Housing in St. Paul is much less expensive than the equivalent in St. Paul’s sister city, Minneapolis, and it has become a very attractive place to live for urbanites.

Neighborhood Resources

Whether it’s shopping at the Burnsville Center, hitting the slopes of Buck Hill, visiting local parks or eating out at great restaurants, Burnsville residents have access to dozens of activities for their choosing.

Both the 35W and 35E interstate run though Burnsville and connect at its southern edge, providing an easy route to the twin cities. On the north side of town is the Burnsville Transit Station, which many residents utilize to commute to the cities.

You’ll find you won’t have to go far from the transit station to enjoy the city. Burnsville’s main street area, Performing Arts Center, Skateville and Grand Slam USA are just a block away. A couple more blocks away is Burnsville’s civic center area, where the ice center, skate park and THE GARAGE are located.

Skateville is one of the last places in Minnesota for rollerskating, and is a popular scene for the local youth. Concessions, arcade games, prizes and spectacular light shows entertain on a regular basis, while events including adult nights, skate & praise night and cash competitions bring in more fun for all ages.

Another popular attraction in Burnsville, Grand Slam USA, is sure to keep you entertained. With laser tag, bumper cars, mini-golf, arcade games, batting cages and a massive indoor trampoline, its hard to run out of activities, but easy to run out of breath.

Four-legged friends love Burnsville’s Alimagnet Dog Park and its abundance of furry friends to play with. Equipped with double-entry gates, free pick-up bags, dog washing station, night lights, pond, weather shelter and special needs dog run, it’s no wonder this park is ranked as a top ten dog park in the nation.

Burnsville is a lively and active town in all seasons. Its young and active residents are surrounded with things to do and see with great nightlife, well-kept parks, and centrally located main street area. With easy access to the twin cities and its own expanse of things to do, you’ll never get bored in Burnsville.

Neighborhood Resources