North Loop, the fastest-growing neighborhood in Minneapolis, has rapidly evolved into a culinary mecca for well-traveled foodies and casual diners alike. Yes, North Loop Minneapolis is home to a handful of top-reviewed fine dining establishments, but you’ll also discover a wide variety of dives, bars, decades-old staples, and casual joints. Whether you’re visiting this sleek warehouse district for a Minnesota Twins game, a bachelorette party, or just a spectacular meal with friends or family, you’ll be blown away by the sheer quality of these three North Loop Minneapolis restaurants. And the perfect place to start and finish each day of gourmet cuisine, quintessential Minnesota attractions, and dazzling nightlife is inside Minnestay’s lustrous, immaculate Sable condominiums.
THE 3 BEST NORTH LOOP MINNEAPOLIS RESTAURANTS
Narrowing down a list of our favorite North Loop restaurants was undeniably difficult, but we’re happy with the balance that we struck with these three picks. Because North Loop has transformed into one of the top places to visit in Minnesota, we highly recommend making a reservation well in advance if possible.
BEST ATMOSPHERE: RED COW
Red Cow has four locations in the Twin Cities, including in St. Paul’s Cathedral Hill and lively Uptown Minneapolis, but their North Loop restaurant is the destination of choice. Red Cow’s loud shades of red, impressively-stocked bar, and signature cow-spot art help create a playful yet sophisticated ambiance. They’re known for those juicy, award-winning burgers, most notably the mouthwatering “Barcelona,” topped with manchego, prosciutto, piquillo pepper, and smoked aioli. Each burger is served with a mess of well-seasoned French fries and a healthy dose of housemade ketchup. Oh, and they also craft the best poutine platter and Reuben sandwich in the Twin Cities.
BEST FINE DINING: SPOON AND STABLE
Time and time again, Spoon and Stable is stamped as one of the best restaurants in Minneapolis. In fact, Mpls.St.Paul Magazine’s readers recently voted it as the top-ranked restaurant in the city. There are several high-end North Loop Minneapolis restaurants, including Borough, The Bachelor Farmer, and 112 Eatery, but we’re absurdly fond of Spoon and Stable’s polished decor, tall ceilings, and world-class hospitality. Each plate is a visual masterpiece, and the flavors are bewilderingly harmonious. Yes, Smack Shack has out-of-this-world lobster rolls, but Spoon and Stable’s seafood entrees will stick with you for years. We’re partial to the striped bass with a piquant red pepper jus and the seared scallops accompanied by matsutake mushrooms.
BEST ITALIAN: BAR LA GRASSA
It wasn’t easy leaving The Freehouse (best tap list) and Nolo’s Kitchen & Bar (best comfort food) off this list of North Loop Minneapolis restaurants, but Bar La Grassa slings the best pasta dishes in the state. Sable’s extravagant Minneapolis vacation rentals are just down the road from Bar La Grassa as well as several popular North Loop bars. Much like many other Italian restaurants in the region, Bar La Grassa is dimly-lit, elegant, and moderately rustic. But the flavor combinations and ultra-romantic ambiance set this local-favorite apart from most nearby North Loop Minneapolis restaurants. The prices are on the higher end, but we guarantee that you won’t devour a better plate of pasta in your lifetime—we thoroughly approve of the crab ravioli, braised rabbit cavatelli, and shrimp penne rigate.
NORTH LOOP MINNEAPOLIS APARTMENTS
After savoring a plate of gourmet cuisine at one of the best restaurants in North Loop Minneapolis, retreat to Sable’s rooftop deck to watch the sun sink below Downtown’s skyscrapers. Most evenings, residents gather around the deck’s crackling fire pit with ice-cold drinks in-hand. Sable is also just a short walk from Downtown’s liveliest clubs and bars, such as The Pourhouse, Parlour, and Cowboy Jack’s. Sable is also Minneapolis’ first owner-occupied condo building that allows short-term rentals. And it’s only a short drive from the top-rated things to do in Minneapolis, including the Walker Art Center, Northeast’s craft brewery scene, and US Bank Stadium. Give us a call today at 612-216-5511 to learn more about Sable’s luxuriant condos.
