Best Things to Do in Northeast Minneapolis
Northeast Minneapolis is My Favorite Neighborhood
Northeast Minneapolis is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Minnesota and my absolute favorite neighborhood in Minneapolis. It’s lively and vibrant and it’s one of the best places to go on a  Friday night for drinks and food or a relaxing Sunday morning for coffee and shopping. Read on for some of the most unique things to do in Northeast Minneapolis, as well as the surrounding neighborhoods.
1. Take a Walk
Two of my favorite places to walk around and explore are Boom Island, which has a cool lighthouse, and Nicollet Island, which has adorable and brightly colored homes. That area has a ton of cool bridges, including the Hennepin Ave Bridge with the iconic Grain Belt Beer sign. A little further south, and technically a few blocks outside of Northeast Minneapolis is the Stone Arch Bridge. I love that beautiful bridge so much that my husband and I took our engagement photos there. It offers a breathtaking view of the downtown Minneapolis skyline and the Mississippi River. Check out the beautiful Minneapolis skyline in the photo above with my dog Ole.
Pro tip:Â The parking in this area is really easy. It is rarely difficult to find a spot unless there is something unique happening like a Vikings game. To save yourself a little time when parking, download the MPLS Parking app ahead of time. You can get your credit card and vehicle information on file before you even leave home. Then you can pay for parking and add more time directly through the app without having to rush back to the meter to add more time.
2. Enjoy the Shops
I Like You is a cute gift shop in Northeast Minneapolis and I Like You Too is their sister store in St. Paul. These two small shops give space to more than 200 artists. They offer jewelry, clothing, stationery, kitchen items, and more. It’s a super cute place with a strong Minnesota vibe. Plus, the exterior of the building has awesome graffiti, which has become a hotspot for grabbing an Instagrammable photo.
A few other great Northeast Minneapolis shops are Curiosity, for home decor; The Golden Pearl, for beautiful vintage finds; and Hazel & Rose, for women’s fashion.
Shop some of my favorite travel items
Merrell Boots
Yeti Rambler
Hammock
Toiletries Bag
3. Sip Coffee and Lattes
Who doesn’t love a good coffee shop? Honour Cafe is located in the heart of Northeast Minneapolis at 451 NE Stinson Boulevard. Honour Cafe has an awesome selection of coffee, lattes, juice, and much more. We ordered a variety of their cookies, which did not disappoint! I love the chocolate cookie with salted caramel drizzled on top. You can bring a book or your computer to work inside the cafe or grab your treats to go.
Another great coffee shop in Northeast Minneapolis is Spyhouse. This rustic cafe is located inside a restored brick and timber warehouse. It has the original wood flooring, exposed brick and large windows. The space is bright, cozy, and inviting. They also offer a great selection of coffee beverages and baked goods including donuts!
4. Get Quality Food at Surdyk’s and Kramarczuk’s
Surdyk’s and Kramarczuk’s are technically just outside Northeast Minneapolis, but only by one or two blocks, so they’re easy to include in your Northeast Minneapolis visit. My father-in-law grew up in Northeast Minneapolis so he knows all the best-kept secrets of the area. I learned about these two places from him.Â
Surdyk’s first opened in 1934. They have an incredible cheese shop with high-quality cheese, meat, olive oil, chocolates, sandwiches, coffee, and more. They also have a massive selection of wine, beer, and liquor. My husband and I love to stop by and grab a variety of cheese along with their freshly baked breads so we can make our own charcuterie board at home.
Pro tip: Go early. If you wait too long in the day they will run out of bread, which we learned the hard way.
Another place with excellent food is Kramarczuk’s. My in-laws always stop there for incredible meat for the holidays. Their sausages are unreal! They also have baked goods, a delicatessen, and a restaurant. It’s a tiny little place that you might not notice if you’re just walking by, but it’s absolutely worth going inside.
5. Find Unique Dinner Options
Sonder Shaker is a relatively new spot in Northeast that opened in 2018. Sonder Shaker is a charming, contemporary space offering a variety of American fare menu options and craft cocktails. We sat at a hightop next to the kitchen and the chef brought us a free appetizer to try! I don’t know if that always happens, but if given the choice, sit by the kitchen!
Another restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis I highly recommend is Stepchld. Here, you’ll find Ethiopian flavors, Middle Eastern spices, oysters, and a great selection of wine. The space is long and narrow with bright murals and a lot of plants hanging from the ceiling. The service was great and the food was prepared really well.
There are so many great spots to eat in Northeast! Here are a few more worth checking out:
- 1029 Bar, a seafood-centric pub with karaoke and cocktails
- Elsie’s, an American food spot with a bowling center
- Emily’s Lebanese Deli
- Gastof’s, known for their German food and beer
- Jax Cafe, an upscale spot best known for steak and seafood
- Northeast Yacht Club, a casual atmosphere with comfort food
- Sikora’s Polish Market and Deli, for polish food
6. Drink a Cocktail at Nye’s
Nye’s Bar, which originally opened in 1950 for polka dancing, is a pillar in Northeast Minneapolis. Still today it’s a popular spot to enjoy a refreshing cocktail in a historic building. Try the lemon drop or a gimlet, two of my favorites.
7. Ride a Ferris Wheel and Play Mini Golf
One of the best places to visit in Northeast Minneapolis is Betty Dangers Country Club, which is an eccentric restaurant. Betty Danger’s has a giant Ferris wheel, which overlooks downtown Minneapolis as well as a miniature golf course. It’s also a pretty spectacular place to visit around the holidays when just about every inch of the interior space is covered in Christmas lights and ornaments. Head down the street to their sister business, Psycho Suzi for a lively, Polynesian-themed lounge with tiki decor, bar food, and tiki-inspired drinks and decor. They also have a large and beautiful deck overlooking the Mississippi River.
8. Visit Three Gorgeous Churches
For the architecture alone, these three spots and worth looking at:
- The St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral has a stunning interior painted ceiling. My in-laws were married in this church in 1976, pictured above. Notice the crowns being placed on their heads in the left photo.
- The St. Constantine Ukrainian Catholic Church has a gorgeous blue-tiled dome.
- And the St. Maron’s Catholic Church has an impressive gold dome.
I Love Northeast Minneapolis
Northeast Minneapolis is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Minnesota. There is so much to do and if you can spend more than one day there, I highly recommend it! Looking for more Minnesota inspiration? Check out my blog posts on downtown Minneapolis, the up-and-coming region of Cuyuna and Red Wing!Â
Shop some of my favorite travel items
Hiking Socks
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Backpack
Women’s Sandals
6 Comments
Josy A
Northeast Minneapolis looks like the perfect place to explore on those chilly, blue-sky days when your doggy needs some good walkies. Your Newfie is sooooo good at inner city poses!
I love really good cheese, so you are totally tempting me with Surdyk’s and Kramarczuk’s as well as the food at Spoon and Stable! Add in some tasty wine and I’d be super happy.
Kristen Glazer
Don’t be fooled! It took a lot of effort to get one good photo of him on the bridge 🙂
Tara
I admit that I’ve never been to Minneapolis, but I love reading about all the places that I will travel to when the fear of COVID-19 is behind us. My favorite thing is to leash up the dog and just walk the streets looking for fun places to explore. Looks like you and your pup do the same thing!
Kristen Glazer
Yes! He’s definitely my little adventure buddy. Dogs are the best!
Karen
I really didn’t spend much time in Minneapolis when I lived in Minnesota. I was so much into being in the wilderness. But after reading this, there are definitely places I’d like to see in Minneapolis. And, btw, your dog is adorable.
Kristen Glazer
You’ll have to come back and check it out some day!