Good neighborhood restaurants in your neck of the woods... (Minneapolis: fit in, YMCA)

[Camden Northsider]

Hey, not sure if there are others out there like me, but I have a thing for eating at good, locally-owned, neighborhood restaurants/ eateries - not only do you get to support local small business, you might find a place that becomes a favorite, or a place to go on a date with a loved one, and/or just get the local 'vibe' of a neighborhood.

So, what are some good restaurants/ eateries that meet the above qualifications in your neighborhood/ neck of the woods??

I'll start with mine (sort of in order of recommendation)-

www.papaspizzaandpasta.com/
- awesome pizza, great atmosphere, reasonable prices, not sure if they take reservations or not but the last time we tried to go here there was a line for a table.

www.steamworkscoffee.com
-good coffee shop, also great muffins/ brownies/ cookies and non-coffee drinks.

Pizza Napoli 4705 36th Ave. N. Crystal, MN
-another nice little italian joint with great service, interstingly owned by a young Lebanese couple (and they are the nicest restaurant owners/ waitstaff you'll ever meet).

Emily's F&M Cafe, 2124 44th Ave N, Mpls- "family" cafe
- good place for getting an old-school diner-ish breakfast (or meal), has different hours that only a little local diner, where everyone in the neighborhood already knows them, would have - always very busy.

Tootie's On Lowry 2706 Lowry Avenue North, Mpls
- greasy burger joint, eclectic crowd, cheap menu!

Rix Bar & Grill - Minneapolis, Minnesota
-although a number of people rave about this place (including a couple of people on this forum), and I personally think the food is good...I've been a little nonplussed with my visits here. good service though and worth a visit if you're in the area.

[Not Iowa]

Restaurants I miss the most:

The Spaghetti Factory
Mama's Pizza (Rice St. - wear a bib, get free ice cream - this is a great locally owned place)
Andy's Garage
Hearthside Pizza (Rice St. St. Paul)
Dixies on Grand
Day by Day Cafe (7th St. St. Paul)
Mickeys - seriously, get the patty melt, at least once

...& I can't remember the name of this cafe but it has the best breakfast in town. It's just S. of St. Paul on S. Robert St. - I think accross or near a YMCA location. It's family owned (geez, I even know the guys name - Rubin), and is open for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week....

And many more! Happy eating!

[Not Iowa]

The Flameburger. There are a couple of these around town. Like Mickey's, worth a visit.

[K-Luv]

Cecil's Deli in Highland-best ruben in town.
CC Club has the best hamburgers, even if it is a dive bar.
Ol' Mexico Sunday brunch buffet.
the Independent Sunday brunch buffet.
Pepito's Sunday brunch buffet (good food, but they charge you every time they bring you a new coke or coffee).
the Lexington-this place is $$$ but seriously the best steak anywhere.
It's been awhile, I'll have to think of some more.

[Lillietta]

True Thai around 22nd and Riverside or thereabouts. I think is the best Thai restaurant around - especially the appetizers.

Cosettas and DiGidios in St. Paul for good Italian food compared to say, in my opinion, a chain like the Olive Garden. Carmela's on Snelling for true Italian. Punch Pizza in Highland - yummmmm! It's a sit-down Punch -- they import their tomatoes from Naples - makes all the difference! (You're welcome Punch.)

Jax (North Mpls) is the best, in my opinion, for Sunday brunch, though Fern's in St. Paul is also good.

[moving123456]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

Tootie's On Lowry 2706 Lowry Avenue North, Mpls
- greasy burger joint, eclectic crowd, cheap menu!

This is/was an ugly place, but has great burgers from what I can remember of it. I used to work with a guy that lived somewhere around there and we stopped in for lunch a couple times back in '99 or '00. I definitely need to find my way there again sometime.

[Ben Around]

Here's a few of our favorites:

The 5-8 Club in S Mpls--great burgers, congenial atmosphere
Highland Grill--unusal interpretations on standard diner menu items. Love the Fish & Chips
Longfellow Grill, Mpls--same owners as above, similar great food, wonderful outdoor dining area (not now!)
Luci Ancora--somewhat upscale Italian
Riverview Wine Bar--excellent wine choices, great food, too!
Groveland Tap--good beer choices, food's not bad, fun mix of families, students, singles
Capp's, Hiawatha Ave--great ribs!
Fat Lorenzo's, Cedar Av in Mpls--pizza is excellent

Coffee shops: original Dunn Bros on Grand, Tillie's Cup @ 38th St in Mpls, Minnehaha Coffee on 46th St in Mpls (fund place to bring your dog in summer), Cafe Bene, Cleveland & Grand, St Paul, R&S on Randolph, probably the best bean selection, Kopplin's at Hamline & Randolph--hands down the best cup of coffee you've ever tasted!

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by Not Iowa

Restaurants I miss the most:

The Spaghetti Factory
Mama's Pizza (Rice St. - wear a bib, get free ice cream - this is a great locally owned place)
Andy's Garage
Hearthside Pizza (Rice St. St. Paul)
Dixies on Grand
Day by Day Cafe (7th St. St. Paul)
Mickeys - seriously, get the patty melt, at least once

...& I can't remember the name of this cafe but it has the best breakfast in town. It's just S. of St. Paul on S. Robert St. - I think accross or near a YMCA location. It's family owned (geez, I even know the guys name - Rubin), and is open for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week....

And many more! Happy eating!

Unfortunately, Andy's closed almost a year ago. Is the place south of downtown you are talking about called Backstreet Grille or Joseph's? Both are just across the river, can't remember if on Robt or Wabasha...

[Not Iowa]

Originally Posted by Ben Around

Unfortunately, Andy's closed almost a year ago. Is the place south of downtown you are talking about called Backstreet Grille or Joseph's? Both are just across the river, can't remember if on Robt or Wabasha...

What?!?? That is too bad about Andy's - awesome shakes twice the size of their burger baskets.

Backstreet Grille! Everything here is made in a real kitchen - and talk about family owned - back when this was one of my haunts the owners son bussed tables, wife waited tables, brother did the books, friend of son did the dishes, and two guys I couldn't fit into the equation did all the cooking. They had the same 4 women working the tables - and just the four of them could handle the biggest slam of a Sunday rush as any Perkins on mothers day with a staff of 12 on the floor. (I'm getting worked up just thinking about this place)

[Cruz Azul Guy]

-Chris and Rob's Chicago style hot dogs off of 42nd and 31st ave in South Minneapolis

The only place even worth mentioning by where I live is Piccolo's Pizzeria basically across the street from me right off of Pilot Knob Road. This is a solid family owned old school pizzeria. The other day I went in to pick up a pizza and the husband and wife who own it were the ones working there. You just don't see that kind of stuff anymore around here, especially in the suburbs.