quick visit this weekend. what I shouldn't miss...

[simply05]

I'm in town Friday morning - Sunday late afternoon with a graduation on saturday.

I'm staying at the Minneapolis Westin.

Recs for:
Friday Break/Lunch
Must see tourist destination
Saturday Lunch ( for a party of 6 prefer asian)
place to see at night
Saturday after graduation desserts/ Drinks (possibly food)

Sunday Breakfast/Brunch
Where to shop
Sunday quick must-see tourist destination

Thanks,

[simply05]

thanks everyone. I will report back by tuesday!

[meljohns]

To expand a little on Kevin's Mill City area rec, I love going to the Guthrie and spending time on the "endless bridge" with a cocktail. It's a gorgeous view of the river. I haven't been to Sea Change but it's supposed to be good and seems like a perfect place to eat after a drink overlooking the water. Spoonriver is also right there.
As for shopping, downtown has the same kind of stores as the Mall just not on the same scale. For something close but more unique, go across the Hennepin bridge to northeast. There's some cute clothing shops and a store called "I like You." Around those stores are some good restaurants such as Brasa, the Bulldog and Punch Pizza. And Surdyks has a great upscale deli where you can grab food.
Rainbow Chinese is good, next to Quangs on Eat Street.

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Spoonriver
750 S 2nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Rainbow Chinese Restaurant
2739 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Punch Pizza
3226 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55416

Sea Change
806 Second Street S., Minneapolis, MN 55415

Mill City Cafe
2205 California St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418

[bob s]

With all due respect meljohns, I'd never send a visitor out of their way to go to Rainbow Chinese. It's perfectly respectable Chinese food, but in my opinion it's completely unremarkable and overpriced.

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Rainbow Chinese Restaurant
2739 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408

[meljohns]

I disagree. But obviously we all don't have the same tastes.

[kevin47]

I'll politely agree with Bob. Rainbow deserves a lot of credit for making the neighborhood what it is, but it doesn't really stand out, IMO.

[bob s]

And in Rainbow's defense, I totally agree with kevin's comment. The Wong family really helped to anchor those blocks on Nicollet 15 years ago. And it was the best Chinese food that I could find in the area back then.

[KTFoley]

I would third Bob's comment -- Rainbow doesn't really excel to the degree that it would make it onto my "visitors shouldn't miss this" list.

[Brad Ballinger]

Four threads on almost identical topics recently...
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/707297
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/705613
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/697009
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/708957

That should get you started.

[kevin47]

Friday Break/Lunch

Hell's Kitchen or, if it's nice out, Barbette or Lucia's in Uptown

Must see tourist destination

Mill City Farmer's Market on Saturday morning. The market itself is great, and it gives you the chance to hit up the one of our newer attractions, the Mill City museum. Plus, it's on the Mississippi, and by the Guthrie.

Saturday Lunch ( for a party of 6 prefer asian)

Quang. There will be a bit of a wait, but this is the best of a very good Vietnamese scene here.

"place to see at night"

Anywhere with a vantage point of downtown, I suppose.

"Saturday after graduation desserts/ Drinks (possibly food)"

Bradstreet Crafthouse. The drinks stand on their own, and ordering from the small plate menu is optional.

"Sunday Breakfast/Brunch"

Whichever of the above you didn't hit up before.

"Where to shop"

Shall we take this question to imply you have no interest in the Mall of America? The Lexington and Grand area in St. Paul has some nice stores, and should make for a nice walk...

"Sunday quick must-see tourist destination"

...Or you can kill two birds with one stone and go to the mall.

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Hell's Kitchen
80 South 9th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402

Mill City Farmer's Market
750 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55402

Mill City Cafe
2205 California St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418

[palescales]

I'd second drinks at Bradstreet Crafthouse. Everything is top notch here: fresh squeezed juices, hard to find ingredients, housemade bitters, and good small plates. The braised lamb short ribs are deadly good.

[mtullius]

I don't know if Kevin would disagree, but I really don't recommend Hell's Kitchen for anything other than breakfast. I think one can order some if not all of the breakfast items at lunchtime, in which case it's a fine recommendation, but if lunch is what's wanted, I'd go elsewhere....

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Hell's Kitchen
80 South 9th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402

[kevin47]

Yes. The breakfast items are good. The rest, less so.