Restaurant Recommendations (with young kids!) (Minneapolis, St. Paul: restaurants, club, shops)

[chrisroane]

I've spent quite a bit of time looking into where we should eat during our 1 week family vacation in the twin cities, but I'm having a hard time pin pointing where to go. Please provide your opinion for the best restaurant in the following categories/questions. I spent some time searching the forum, and didn't find anything.

These restaurants need to be kid friendly. Which basically means no fine dining please. We are open to going to any suburbs within 15-20 minutes, but would prefer these to be within the first ring of suburbs (minneapolis or st paul).

1. Where to get the best pizza?

2. The best seafood (specific to crab and shrimp)?

3. The best italian food (we love alfredo)?

4. The best burger place?

5. The best mexican place?

6. The best ice cream?

7. The best sandwiches?

8. Any other places that we must eat to get the best twin city eating experience...list here.

Thanks!

[iNviNciBL3]

1. Where to get the best pizza?
Cossetta's

2. The best seafood (specific to crab and shrimp)?
No clue, i hate seafood

3. The best italian food (we love alfredo)?
Cossetta's again

4. The best burger place?
Burger Jones

5. The best mexican place?
Boca Chica

6. The best ice cream?
Nelsons in Stillwater, if you are not going to go to Stillwater try Grand ole Creamery

7. The best sandwiches?
D brians deli

8. Any other places that we must eat to get the best twin city eating experience...list here.
Check out the food trucks and the Midtown Global Market

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by chrisroane

I've spent quite a bit of time looking into where we should eat during our 1 week family vacation in the twin cities, but I'm having a hard time pin pointing where to go. Please provide your opinion for the best restaurant in the following categories/questions. I spent some time searching the forum, and didn't find anything.

These restaurants need to be kid friendly. Which basically means no fine dining please. We are open to going to any suburbs within 15-20 minutes, but would prefer these to be within the first ring of suburbs (minneapolis or st paul).

1. Where to get the best pizza? Punch Pizza

2. The best seafood (specific to crab and shrimp)? Sea Salt at Minnehaha Falls Park

3. The best italian food (we love alfredo)? Broder's Deli

4. The best burger place?Matt's Bar on Cedar Ave

5. The best mexican place?anywhere on E. Lake St.

6. The best ice cream?Sebastian Joe's in Linden Hills

7. The best sandwiches?Brother's Deli

8. Any other places that we must eat to get the best twin city eating experience...list here.Quong Vietnamese on Nicollet Ave

Thanks!

My suggestions...

[rcsteiner]

1. Where to get the best pizza?
Carbone's, or maybe Green Mill. Eduardo's is long gone, sadly.

3. The best italian food (we love alfredo)?
I like Tucci Benucch in the Mall of America. Otherwise, I just know chains.

4. The best burger place?
Best burger: Lion's Tap in Eden Prairie. :-)
Best Juicy Lucy: 5-8 Club or Matt's Bar. Stark's Saloon in Eagan also had a good one a long time ago.

[Rhody2Mn]

I've spent quite a bit of time looking into where we should eat during our 1 week family vacation in the twin cities, but I'm having a hard time pin pointing where to go. Please provide your opinion for the best restaurant in the following categories/questions. I spent some time searching the forum, and didn't find anything.

These restaurants need to be kid friendly. Which basically means no fine dining please. We are open to going to any suburbs within 15-20 minutes, but would prefer these to be within the first ring of suburbs (minneapolis or st paul).

1. Where to get the best pizza? Pizzeria Lola, Punch

2. The best seafood (specific to crab and shrimp)? I can't answer this as I don't like seafood

3. The best italian food (we love alfredo)? Ciao Bella, La Grolla

4. The best burger place? Convention Grill, For a kid-friendly chain, Five Guys

5. The best mexican place? Burrito Mercado, Rojo

6. The best ice cream? Izzy's Ice Cream

7. The best sandwiches? Be'Wiched Deli

8. Any other places that we must eat to get the best twin city eating experience...list here. You HAVE to have a roast beef sandwich at Maverick's in Roseville. And Brasa in either St. Paul or Minneapolis is fantastic!

Thanks! There are tons more suggestions but I have to run for now...I'll try to post more later.

[StilltheSame]

1. Where to get the best pizza? Pizzeria Lolas

2. The best seafood (specific to crab and shrimp)? People recommend Oceannaire, but I have not been impressed. Lurcat has an incredible Sea Bass. Worth getting a sitter for.

3. The best italian food (we love alfredo)?

4. The best burger place? Convention Grill /Ikes

5. The best mexican place?

6. The best ice cream? Sebastian Joes or one of the Frozen Yogurt Bars - There's one on Excelsior near Calhoun.

7. The best sandwiches? BeWiched

8. Any other places that we must eat to get the best twin city eating experience...list here.

Thanks!

[chrisroane]

Thanks everyone! I have added these to our list to checkout.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

1. Where to get the best pizza?
Pizza Luce
2. The best seafood (specific to crab and shrimp)?
Stella's Fish Cafe
4. The best burger place?
Matt's Bar
5. The best mexican place?
Salsa a la Salsa
7. The best sandwiches?
Mort's Delicatessen
8. Any other places that we must eat to get the best twin city eating experience...list here.
Vietnamese - Quang
Chinese - Little Szechuan
Caribbean/Curry - Marla's
Ethiopian - Fasika or Lucy's
Cuban - Victor's 1959 Cafe
Thai - Amazing Thailand
German - Gasthof Zur Gemutlichkeit (although I have heard Black Forest Inn is good too)
Turkish - Black Sea
Middle Eastern - Wally's Falafel and Hummus (honorable mention goes to Jerusalem's)
Salvadorian - El Centro Restaurant (their pupusas are phenomenal)
French - Vincent
Irish - Merlin's Rest or The Local
BBQ/Soul Food - Ted Cook's 19th Hole BBQ
Recent Favorite - JJ's Coffee + Wine Bistro in Uptown. Has anyone else here been there? We love this place!

In my experience the best places for food in the Twin Cities are all in Minneapolis, specifically Eat Street, the Midtown Global Market, downtown, uptown and Dinkytown.

[Globe199]

Pizza -- Italian Pie Shoppe, Pizza Luce. Guilty pleasure: Davanni's deep dish.

Italian -- either your own kitchen or Carmelo's. I found Cosetta's to be cafeteria food. For some reason the owner is in a never-ending battle with the City of St Paul.

Burgers -- Smashburger. I know it's a chain, but it's hands-down the tastiest burgers. Their rosemary fries are awesome. Sadly, I've found the Jucy Lucy places serve mostly the same cheesy greaseburgers; they're virtually indistinguishable to me. Lion's Tap has OK burgers, but I wouldn't make a special trip there. Kind of a neat place though.

Ice cream -- Sebastian Joe's, Izzy's, St Paul Student Center (awesome ice cream made by U of M Food Science that you cannot find anywhere else -- my favourite is Gopher Gold). We tried the Edina Creamery a couple weeks ago. I wasn't impressed with the relatively limited selection, but what I had was very good.

Asian -- Shanghai Bistro in Stillwater.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Globe199

Pizza -- Italian Pie Shoppe, Pizza Luce. Guilty pleasure: Davanni's deep dish.

Italian -- either your own kitchen or Carmelo's. I found Cosetta's to be cafeteria food. For some reason the owner is in a never-ending battle with the City of St Paul.

Burgers -- Smashburger. I know it's a chain, but it's hands-down the tastiest burgers. Their rosemary fries are awesome. Sadly, I've found the Jucy Lucy places serve mostly the same cheesy greaseburgers; they're virtually indistinguishable to me. Lion's Tap has OK burgers, but I wouldn't make a special trip there. Kind of a neat place though.

Ice cream -- Sebastian Joe's, Izzy's, St Paul Student Center (awesome ice cream made by U of M Food Science that you cannot find anywhere else -- my favourite is Gopher Gold). We tried the Edina Creamery a couple weeks ago. I wasn't impressed with the relatively limited selection, but what I had was very good.

Asian -- Shanghai Bistro in Stillwater.

I just ate at the Shanghai Bistro yesterday--VERY reasonable lunch menu. The dinner menu isn't bad either. It is a nice setting and you can hit up Nelson's for Ice Cream when you are done. The kids might like some of the candy shops in Stillwater too!