Candyland in Downtown St. Paul
Not only is it a great place to stop for treats after lunch, but for some reason they’re open until 10pm most nights — making Candyland one of your best options for downtown St. Paul nightlife as well.
St. Paul Classic Cookie Co.
The best treats the downtown St. Paul Skyway has to offer. Don’t let the name fool you, they also have excellent muffins in the morning!
Pancho Villa on Nicollet
Their margaritas are 2-for-1 all week long, but what really seals the deal for me is the seemingly bottomless supply of free chips and salsa.
Bob's Java Hut
My favorite coffee shop in Minneapolis thus far. It’s some sort of strange hybrid between an “alternative” coffee shop and a biker bar. Bonus points for being in Uptown close to friends.
TK's Coffee
This is a wonderful development in the otherwise dreary Diamond Jim’s mall: a relatively new Mom & Pop establishment where everybody knows your name. Well, not my name … but I’m working on that.
D & G Genuine Jamaican Ginger Beer
A spicy and delicious ginger drink. It’s hard to find, which is the main reason I tend to hit up the Jamerica stand on Library Mall (although the jerk pork is a good reason as well).
Campus Briani
The ambiance sucks. The owner-operator is usually pretty grumpy. It’s small. It’s cheap. It’s delicious. It sure as hell beats anything else on Regent St. for the price.
Food that includes nuts
Whether it’s peanut curry, walnut chicken, or cashew asparagus casserole … I have to admit, I love the nuts.
Door County kettle cooked potato chips
The packaging says it well: “Something special from Wisconsin.”
Dollop Coffee
Chicago definitely seems to have a major shortage of good independent coffee shops, making this one even more invaluable.