Winter Carnival revelers will be out and about in downtown St. Paul to watch parades, see ice sculptures at Rice Park and skate outside Landmark Center. Grabbing a bite to eat is the perfect way to warm up between festivities.
Here are some suggestions to suit every mood, from family-friendly places to restaurants catering to the bar crowd.
- Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar (308 Prince St.; 651-228-9274). The place to go for health-conscious, casual fare. The order-at-the-counter menu includes salads, sandwiches and pizza.
- Day by Day Cafe (477 W. Seventh St.; 651-227-0654). A place to get classic breakfast fare in a busy setting.
- Keys Cafe (504 Robert St.; 651-222-4083). Keys might be the downtown St. Paul equivalent of home away from home when it comes to food. The menu includes cinnamon rolls for breakfast, BLTs for lunch and roast turkey with stuffing for dinner.
- Mickey’s Diner (36 W. Seventh St.; 651-222-5633). The diner is open 24 hours and a popular spot to get eggs, a burger or stew any time of the day.
- Pop! (6 W. Sixth St.; 651-228-1002). This new restaurant made a big splash in downtown St. Paul with its playful setting and eclectic menu (Swedish meatballs, shrimp and couscous, pulled pork sandwiches) served in large portions at humble prices.
- Babani’s Kurdish Restaurant (544 St. Peter St.; 651-602-9964). Try another version of chicken and rice at America’s first Kurdish restaurant.
- Christo’s Union Depot Place (214 E. Fourth St.; 651-224-6000). Greek restaurant features a lunch buffet that’s a great chance to try a lot of different dishes. Includes tomato basil soup, gyros and tabbouleh.
- Ruam Mit Thai (475 St. Peter St.; 651-290-0067). Mom-and-pop restaurant features traditional Thai fare, such as pad Thai and green curry.
- Sawatdee (486 Robert St.; 651-528-7106). Another Thai restaurant downtown, only fancier and with prices to match.
- Tanpopo Noodle Shop (308 Prince St.; 651-209-6527). Japanese restaurant that keeps it simple with lots of noodle bowls on the menu.
- Kincaid’s Fish, Chop & Steak House (380 St. Peter St.; 651-602-9000). Chain restaurant well known for its steak and seafood.
- Meritage (410 St. Peter St.; 651-222-5670). Chef-driven American bistro has become a foodie favorite.
- Pazzaluna (360 St. Peter St.; 651-223-7000). Fancy Italian restaurant in the heart of downtown.
- Sakura (350 St. Peter St.; 651-224-0185). The place to go for traditional sushi in a modern setting.
- St. Paul Grill (St. Paul Hotel, 350 Market St.). Restaurant in downtown St. Paul’s fanciest hotel is a reliable standby for a good steak and top-of-the-line scotch.
- Bulldog (237 E. Sixth St.; 651-221-0750). Downtown St. Paul’s newest bar is always hopping. There’s an extensive list of beers from around the world as well as a menu with hot dogs, burgers, meatloaf and (for those missing the hotdish tent of previous Winter Carnivals) Tator Tots hotdish.
- Senor Wong (111 E. Kellogg Blvd.; 651-224-2019). The Asian and Mexican menu has everything from Korean ribs to tacos. Patrons also like sipping Polynesian cocktails and playing a game of pool.
- Great Waters Brewing Co. (426 St. Peter St.; 651-224-2739). There are lots of places to get a beer and burger in the neighborhood, but Great Waters has become a destination place for those who want house brews.
Wild Tymes Sports Bar & Grill (33 W. Seventh Place; 651-224-8181). Beers and burgers go hand in hand here.
Nancy Ngo can also be reached at 651-228-5172.
Copyright 2009 Pioneer Press.