South Minneapolis

South Minneapolis is a district in Minneapolis.

Understand

South Minneapolis has several interesting neighborhoods. Midtown on Lake Street between Interstate 35W and Hiawatha Avenue is home to many Latino businesses. The Seward and West Bank neighborhoods also has several interesting bars, shops and restaurants. The corner of 48th and Chicago Avenue has several restaurants, an independent movie theater, and other shops.

Get in

Streets run east/west and generally have numbers that increase as you go further south. Nicollet Avenue in Southwest Minneapolis divides the streets. Append the direction at the end of streets such as E 27th Street to indicate east of Nicollet. Avenues are numbered from Nicollet Avenue (18, 19, ... 32) continuing east to the Mississippi River, where you reach Saint Paul. The first part of addresses on the avenues are based on the nearest cross street. For example, 4000 28th Avenue South is at the corner of 28th Avenue and 40th Street.

By car

• Interstate 35W runs along the western and northern edges of the district, separating it from Southwest and Downtown.
• Interstate 94 runs to the north of the district, running alongside Interstate 35W part of the way. Further east, it separates the West Bank and Seward neighborhoods.
• Minnesota State Highway 55 (Hiawatha Avenue) runs through the district in a roughly northwest-southeast fashion. It connects the district with Downtown to the north and the airport and Fort Snelling to the south.

By METRO light rail

The Blue Line runs through South Minneapolis mostly along Hiawatha Avenue as it travels between Downtown Minneapolis, the airport, and the Mall of America. The Green Line runs between the downtowns of Minneapolis and Saint Paul and has a stop on the West Bank.

By bus

• Route 2 begins at Franklin and Hennepin in the Wedge and travels along Franklin Avenue to 26th Avenue through the Phillips and Seward neighborhoods (connecting with the METRO Blue Line at Franklin and Hiawatha), then travels along Riverside Avenue through the West Bank to Cedar Avenue, finally turning on to the Washington Avenue Bridge to head to the U of M East Bank.
• Route 3 has a couple stops on the West Bank, one near 3rd and Cedar and another in the trench leading to the Washington Avenue Bridge. This route starts in Downtown Minneapolis and continues towards the East Bank and Saint Paul.
• Route 5 is a fairly frequent route running along Chicago Avenue through South Minneapolis, passing by the Midtown Exchange (Chicago-Lake Transit Center) along the way. The route begins in Brooklyn Center, runs through North Minneapolis and Downtown, and south of 60th Street shifts over to Portland Avenue and continues through Richfield and Bloomington, terminating at the Mall of America.
• Route 7 starts near Theodore Wirth Park in North Minneapolis and continues through Downtown. On the West Bank it passes through Seven Corners and then runs most the length of Riverside Avenue, continuing along 27th Avenue in Seward. At Lake Street in Longfellow it shifts over to Minnehaha Avenue and continues until 46th Street, connects with the METRO Blue Line at 46th and Hiawatha, and travels down 34th Avenue in the Nokomis area until its terminus near Highway 62.
• Route 9 starts in the west suburbs and runs through North Minneapolis and Downtown. It runs along Franklin Avenue through the Phillips neighborhood, connects with the METRO Blue Line at Franklin and Hiawatha. In Seward it runs down Minnehaha Avenue for three blocks, then along 25th Street to 36th Avenue, running down 36th Avenue through Longfellow until it reaches 34th Street. At 34th Street it runs east to 42nd Avenue, then south along 42nd Avenue to 42nd Street, then shifting back to Minnehaha Avenue which it runs down until 46th Street, finally terminating at the METRO Blue Line station at 46th and Hiawatha.
• Route 11 begins in Columbia Heights and runs through Northeast Minneapolis, Downtown, and the Whittier neighborhood. In south Minneapolis it serves the western edge of the Phillips, Powderhorn, and Nokomis areas, running along 4th Avenue from 28th Street down to 46th Street, then terminating at 46th and Nicollet.
• Route 14 comes from Robbinsdale and Golden Valley and runs through North Minneapolis and Downtown. In South Minneapolis it runs along Bloomington Avenue (through the Phillips, Powderhorn, and Nokomis areas), eventually terminating in Richfield near 66th and Cedar.
• Route 21 is a frequent-running (and frequently overcrowded) bus route running along Lake Street through South Minneapolis, passing through the heart of Midtown and connecting with the METRO Blue Line at Lake and Hiawatha. The route begins in Uptown and continues all the way to downtown Saint Paul via Marshall and Selby Avenues.
• Route 22 comes from Brooklyn Center and runs through North Minneapolis and Downtown. On the West Bank it passes through Seven Corners and then runs down Cedar Avenue through the Phillips and Powderhorn areas until 35th Street. The bus then runs east on 35th Street, south on 23rd Avenue, and east on 38th Street to meet up with the METRO Blue Line at 38th and Hiawatha. The bus then continues south on 28th Avenue through the Nokomis area until 58th Street, then meanders eastward to its terminus at the VA Medical Center, where it meets up with the Blue Line once again.
• Route 23 begins in Uptown and runs along the length of 38th Street through South Minneapolis, connecting with the METRO Blue Line at 38th and Hiawatha. Half the buses terminate at the Veterans Home in Minnehaha Park and the other half terminate in Saint Paul's Highland Park neighborhood.
• Route 46 runs mostly along 46th Street through South Minneapolis, briefly jogging over to 42nd Street between Cedar and 34th Avenues to avoid Lake Hiawatha, and connects with the METRO Blue Line at 46th and Hiawatha. The route begins in Edina, runs through Southwest Minneapolis, and continues all the way to the Highland Park neighborhood in Saint Paul.
• Route 67 begins at the Franklin Avenue METRO Blue Line station and runs east along Franklin Avenue through the Seward neighborhood before continuing on to Prospect Park and Saint Paul.

By bicycle

The Midtown Greenway is a paved, off road bike path that runs east/west through South Minneapolis (paralleling 28th Street) connecting the Mississippi River trails to Highway 169 in Hopkins, passing Lake Calhoun along the way. The Greenway intersects with the river trails at its easternmost point, the Hiawatha LRT trail (to downtown) at Hiawatha Avenue, and bicycle lanes at Park Avenue and Portland Avenue. The trail continues into Southwest Minneapolis, intersecting the Chain of Lakes paths via connector at Lake Calhoun, and the Cedar Lake Bikeway as well as the SW LRT Trail in Hopkins.

Bike racks are provided on the front of all city buses and inside light rail cars. The greenway and river bike paths are plowed in winter allowing year round use.

See

American Swedish Institute

Museums

• 1 American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave (at 26th St; 5), ☏ +1 612 871-4907, info@asimn.org. Th 10AM-8PM, F-Su 10AM-4PM, M-W closed. A mansion built for Swan and Christina Turnblad; Swan owned one of the largest Swedish language newspapers in the United States. In 1929 the house became a museum dedicated to Swedish-American history and culture. $12 adults, $8 ages 62+, $6 ages 6-18 and full-time students with ID. Children 5 and under are free. (updated Apr 2022)

Parks

Minnehaha Park

Nestled in the far southeastern corner of the city, Minnehaha Park is popular with city residents for picnics, weddings, and other festivities. It is the point where the Minnehaha Creek empties into the Mississippi River. The upper portion (above the Minnehaha Falls) is trimmed and well-maintained, while the portion below the falls is largely left in a natural state.

• 2 Minnehaha Falls. A 53-foot waterfall. The viewing area is just to the south of the larger park pavilion (the one housing Sea Salt Eatery). There is also a pedestrian bridge above the falls.  
• 3 Minnehaha Depot (Princess Depot), between Hiawatha Ave and Minnehaha Dr, north of 50th St. Memorial Day-Labor Day: Su 1PM-5PM. A former Milwaukee Road railway depot built in 1875. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries this was how many Minneapolis residents reached Minnehaha Park. Free. (updated May 2016)
• 4 Longfellow House, 4800 S Minnehaha Dr (at Minnehaha Pkwy), ☏ +1 612-230-6540. Memorial Day-Labor Day: Sa-Su 10AM-8PM. A 2/3 scale replica of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's house in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Built in 1907 by Robert "Fish" Jones, a businessman who earned his nickname from an early investment in a fish market downtown. At various points in its history, the house has acted as a zoo, library, and during a state of disrepair, a haunted house. Today the house is open on summer weekends and acts as an information center for visitors of the Minneapolis park system. Free.  
• 5 John H. Stevens House, 4901 S Minnehaha Dr. Memorial Day weekend-mid September: Su and holidays noon-4PM. Constructed in 1850, the Stevens House was the first authorized house built on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. Originally located near St. Anthony Falls where the city's main post office now sits, the house was moved several times but has occupied its current location in Minnehaha Park since 1896. Built by John H. Stevens, an early settler and later state legislator who was granted permission to build the house in exchange for providing ferry service across the river to the town of St. Anthony (later annexed into Minneapolis). Free.  

Do

Riverview Theater

Film

• 1 Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave (at 48th St; 5), ☏ +1 612 822-3030. Old cinema adjacent and connected to Pepito's. $5 regular admission. 
• 2 Riverview Theater, 3800 42nd Ave S (at 38th St; 9, 23), ☏ +1 612 729-7369, info@riverviewtheater.com. Art deco neighborhood cinema showing second-run movies for cheap. Cash only. $2 matinees (before 6PM), $3 evening. $2 at all times for seniors (62+), children under 12, and all shows on Tuesday. (updated May 2016)
• 3 Trylon Microcinema (Take-Up Productions), 3258 Minnehaha Ave (at 33rd St; 7), ☏ +1 612 424-5468. Trylon is a very small cinema (50 seats) screening classic and independent films six nights a week on a 20 foot screen. The cinema's owners, Take-Up Productions, also host occasional larger screenings at the nearby Riverview Theater, along with the Heights Theater in Columbia Heights. $8 single screening, or $25 for five screenings.  

Theater

Mixed Blood Theater

• 4 Mixed Blood Theatre, 1501 S 4th St (at 15th Ave; Light rail: West Bank or Cedar-Riverside; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 338-0937. Diverse theater company in operation since the 1970s. The theater is in a former fire station, and in a somewhat hard-to-find location with Interstate 35W and the Washington Avenue trench cutting off direct access from the north and west.  
• 5 Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Ave S (at Seven Corners; Light Rail: West Bank; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 340-1725.  
• 6 Theatre in the Round, 245 Cedar Ave (at Seven Corners; Light Rail: West Bank or Cedar-Riverside; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 333-3010. The theater company has been around since the 1950s and at its current location since 1969. The stage is set up in the middle of the theater with seating surrounding it. (updated Nov 2015)
• 7 Open Eye Figure Theatre, 506 E 24th St (at 5th Ave, next to Interstate 35W; 2, 5, 11), ☏ +1 612 874-6338. 

Music

• 8 Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave (between 4th and 5th Sts; Light rail: West Bank or Cedar-Riverside; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 338-2674. An intimate non-profit music venue hosting jazz, blues, folk, indie, and world music.  
• 9 Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 S 4th St (between 21st Ave and W River Pkwy; Light rail: West Bank; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 626-1892. 1,100 plus seat concert auditorium on the University of Minnesota's West Bank campus. Performances by the U of M's School of Music ensembles are hosted here. 

Buy

The Midtown Exchange, home of the Midtown Global Market

Books

• 1 Dreamhaven Books and Comics, 2301 E 38th St (at 23rd Ave; 22, 23), ☏ +1 612 823-6161, fax: +1 612 823-6062. M-Sa noon-6PM. New and used science fiction, fantasy, horror, film and art books, comics, an adults-only room. Mail order and in-store readings. (updated Apr 2022)
• 2 Mayday Books, 301 Cedar Ave (at 3rd St, basement level entrance to the left of the Hub Bike Co-op next door; Light rail: West Bank or Cedar-Riverside; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 333-4719. M-Sa 1PM-5PM. Volunteer collectively-run radical bookstore selling left-wing literature. (updated Apr 2022)
• 3 Nostalgia Zone, 3535 E Lake St (at 36th Ave; 9, 21), ☏ +1 612 822-2806. W-Sa 2PM-6PM. Best for hard to find old comics and independents. You can also sell comics here, and the dealers are great. The establishment is over 30 years old. (updated Apr 2022)

Record stores

• 4 Hymie's Vintage Records, 3820 E Lake St (between 38th and 39th Aves; 9, 21), ☏ +1 612 729-8890, info@hymiesrecords.com. M-Th noon-6PM, F-Sa 11AM-7PM, Su 11AM-5PM. (updated Apr 2022)

Eat

Midtown

• 1 Mercado Central, 1515 E Lake St (at Bloomington; 14, 21). 9AM-8PM daily. Latin American indoor market with many food options. 
• 2 Midtown Global Market, 920 E Lake St (between Elliot and 10th Ave, on the ground floor of the Midtown Exchange; 5, 21), ☏ +1 612 872-4041, fax: +1 612 872-0095, info@midtownglobalmarket.org. M-Sa 10AM-8PM, Su 11AM-6PM; a handful of businesses may open earlier or close later. The Midtown Global Market is located in what used to be a large Sears store, and is now home to a variety of cafes and restaurants from all around the world. The selection includes an American diner, Mexican tamales, a Middle Eastern deli and buffet, Nepali dumplings, Somalian options Safari Express, and everything in between.  
• 3 Modern Times Cafe, 3200 Chicago Ave (at 32nd St; 5), ☏ +1 612 886-3882. 9AM-5PM daily. Diner open for breakfast and lunch. Vegan and gluten-free options available. (updated Feb 2022)
• 4 Pineda Tacos, 2150 E Lake St (at 22nd Ave; Light rail: Lake St-Midtown; 21), ☏ +1 612 722-3580. 9:30AM-11PM daily. 
• 5 Taquería La Hacienda, 334 E Lake St (at 4th Ave; 11, 21), ☏ +1 612 822-2715. M-Th 8:30AM-midnight, F-Su 24 hours. In addition to the location listed here, La Hacienda also has a stall at Mercado Central. 
• 6 Taquería Los Ocampo, 801 E Lake St (at Chicago; 5, 21), ☏ +1 612 825-4978, fax: +1 612 825-6205. Su-Th 9AM-midnight, F-Sa 9AM-4AM. In addition to the standalone location listed here, Los Ocampo also has a stall at the Midtown Global Market. (updated Nov 2020)

West Bank and Seward

Hard Times Cafe

• 7 Acadia Cafe, 329 Cedar Ave (at Riverside; Light rail: West Bank or Cedar-Riverside; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 874-8702. M-Sa 11AM-1AM, Su 5PM-midnight. Acadia's menu features 28 beers on tap and 40+ bottle brews plus a well-rounded selection of wine and mixed drinks. A full kitchen serves burgers, fries, appetizers, grilled and cold sandwiches, as well as desserts and a full espresso bar. The cabaret spirit of the old adjacent mini-theater space now fills the new cafe, as before with an eclectic mix of all original music, performed Wednesday through Sunday nights, but with no cover charge. (updated Dec 2018)
• 8 Hard Times Cafe, 1821 Riverside Ave (between Cedar and 19th Ave; Light rail: West Bank or Cedar-Riverside; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 341-9261. 8AM-8PM daily. This all-vegetarian cooperatively-owned diner is a haven for punks, anarchists, hippies, students, and anyone wanting mile-high nachos and wake-the-dead coffee. The entrees range from dirt-cheap to moderate, all in copious amounts, and the bathroom graffiti is art in and of itself. No credit cards. (updated Feb 2022)
• 9 Jewel of India, 1427 Washington Ave S (at Seven Corners; Light rail: West Bank; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 339-0002, fax: +1 612 338-5386. M-F 11:30AM-2:30PM and 4:30PM-10PM, Sa noon-3PM and 4:30PM-10PM, Su noon-3PM and 4:30PM-9:30PM. The local Indian population, largely consisting of students at the University of Minnesota, gather here to watch cricket matches through the middle of the night but go elsewhere to eat. (updated Mar 2020)
• 10 Pizza Lucé, 2200 E Franklin Ave (at 22nd Ave; Light rail: Franklin Ave; 2, 9, 22, 67), ☏ +1 612 332-2535. 11AM-2:30AM daily.  
• 11 The Wienery, 414 Cedar Ave (between Riverside/4th St and 5th St; Light rail: West Bank or Cedar-Riverside; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 746-4509, info@wienery.com. Su-Th 10AM-7PM, F-Sa 10AM-8PM. Small, family owned diner that serves basic fare. It's where the punks, aging hippies and various harmless riff-raff go for breakfast or a lunch of fries, burgers, brats or hot dogs slathered with your choice of toppings. They also carry veggie dogs for the vegetarian in you. The fries are shredded right in front of you and come out oh so crisp! No credit cards. 
• 12 Seward Cafe, 2129 E Franklin Ave, sewardcafe@gmail.com. Th–Su 8AM–4PM. Local cafe serving vegetarian diner food. Eclectic decor, anti-war signs, cosy houseplants, and creative bathroom graffiti contribute to its distinctive personality. And the food is good too! Great vegan options and free wifi. (updated Aug 2024)

Other areas

Fat Lorenzo's at 5600 Cedar Ave.

• 13 5-8 Club, 5800 Cedar Ave (at 58th St, along the frontage road west of Hwy 77), ☏ +1 612 823-5858. M-W 11AM-11PM, Th-Su 11AM-midnight. One of the more popular places in town to get a Juicy Lucy. Has a rivalry with Matt's Bar.  
• 14 Fat Lorenzo's, 5600 Cedar Ave (at Edgewater Blvd), ☏ +1 612 822-2040. Su-Th 10:30AM-10PM, F-Sa 10:30AM-11PM. Good service, good pizza. "Fat" is in the name of the place, so plan accordingly. A good first stop or last stop on your way to or from the airport. Beer and wine. (updated May 2016)
• 15 Gandhi Mahal, 3009 27th Ave S (at Lake; Light rail: Lake St-Midtown; 7, 21), ☏ +1 612 729-5222, gandhimahal@gmail.com. M-Th 11:30AM-11PM, F-Sa 11:30AM-midnight, Su 11:30AM-10PM. Northern Indian food, vegetarian friendly. Buffet available during lunch hours. $4-$17. 
• 16 The Howe, 3675 Minnehaha Ave (at 37th St; Light rail: 38th St; 7, 23), ☏ +1 612 729-3663. M-F 11AM-2AM, Sa-Su 8AM-2AM. A sports bar and restaurant in the Longfellow neighborhood, located a few blocks east of the 38th Street LRT station. They have great wings, and American food. Features a dog-friendly back patio with a dog menu. (updated Sep 2016)
• 17 Himalayan Restaurant, 2910 E Lake St (at 29th Ave; 7, 21), ☏ +1 612 332-0880. Tu-Su 11AM-9:30PM (lunch buffet Tu-F 11AM-2PM, Sa-Su 11AM-3PM). Nepalese, Tibetan, and Indian cuisine. Vegan options available. Lunch buffet $9.95, entrees $10-16. 
• 18 Jakeeno's, 3555 Chicago Ave (at 36th St; 5), ☏ +1 612 825-6827, fax: +1 612 825-0311. M-F 11AM-11PM, Sa-Su 4PM-11PM. Jakeeno's offers good pizza and other pasta dishes. Try the potato and rosemary pizza. Jakeeno's is clean, friendly and family-run. Wine and beer served. 
• 19 Matt's Bar, 3500 Cedar Ave (at 35th St; 22), ☏ +1 612 722-7072. M-W 11AM-midnight, Th-Sa 11AM-1AM, Su noon-midnight. Claims to have invented the Jucy Lucy (note the spelling difference). $5 Jucy Lucys, $3-$5 other burgers/sandwiches. Cash only.  
• 20 Midori's Floating World Cafe, 3425 E Lake St (at 35th Ave; 9, 21), ☏ +1 763-464-7829, midori@floatingworldcafe.com. Th-Su 4PM-8PM. A Japanese restaurant in the Longfellow neighborhood. They have great sushi, and other Japanese food as well. Vegetarian and vegan friendly. (updated Apr 2022)

Drink

Alcohol

"Sorry, we're open": Palmer's

• 1 Palmer's, 500 Cedar Ave (at 5th St; Light rail: West Bank or Cedar-Riverside; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 333-7625. M-F 8AM-2AM, Sa-Su 10AM-2AM. Tiny dive bar (actual dive, not a fashionable faux-dive) with cheap, stiff drinks, a mixed crowd, and a legendary 86'd board. Not for the faint of heart. (updated Aug 2023)

Coffee

• 2 May Day Cafe, 3440 Bloomington Ave (at 35th St; 14), ☏ +1 612 729-5627. F-M 9AM-1PM, Tu-Th closed. A coffee shop near Powderhorn Park with a selection of baked goods, including a couple vegan options. The place is popular and quite small, so it gets crowded very often; don't be surprised if a complete stranger grabs a seat at your table. (updated Apr 2022)
• 3 Northern Coffeeworks, 4208 28th Ave S (at 42nd St; 22, 46), ☏ +1 612 722-1538. 8AM-2PM daily. Coffee beans are sourced from Intelligentsia in Chicago. Run by the owners of the Angry Catfish Bicycle Shop a block away. (updated Apr 2022)
• 4 Wildflyer Coffee, 3262 Minnehaha Ave (at 33rd St; 7). 7AM-5PM daily. Nonprofit coffee shop providing job stability to youth experiencing homelessness. (updated Feb 2022)

Sleep

• 1 Courtyard Minneapolis, 1500 Washington Ave S (between Cedar and 19th Ave; Light rail: West Bank; 2, 3, 7, 22), ☏ +1 612 333-4646, toll-free: +1-800-448-3663, fax: +1 612 333-7910. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: noon. Mid-rise hotel on the West Bank right next to the Seven Corners intersection, and within easy reach of Downtown and the U of M. $115+. 

Connect

• 1 East Lake Library, 2727 E Lake St (between 27th and 28th Aves; Light rail: Lake St-Midtown; 7, 21), ☏ +1 612 543-8425. M-W noon-8PM, Th-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. (updated Apr 2022)
• 2 Franklin Library, 1314 E Franklin Ave (between 13th and 14th Aves; Light rail: Franklin Ave; 2, 9, 14), ☏ +1 612 543-6925. M F Sa 9AM-5PM, Tu-Th noon-8PM, Su noon-5PM. (updated Apr 2022)
• 3 Hosmer Library, 347 E 36th St (at 4th Ave; 11), ☏ +1 612 543-6900. M-W noon-8PM, Th-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. (updated Apr 2022)
• 4 Nokomis Library, 5100 34th Ave S (at 51st St; 7), ☏ +1 612 543-6800. M Th noon-8PM, Tu W F Sa 9AM-5PM, Su closed. (updated Apr 2022)
• 5 Roosevelt Library, 4026 28th Ave S (between 40th and 41st Sts; 22, 46), ☏ +1 612 543-6700. Tu Sa 9AM-5PM, Th noon-8PM, M W F Su closed. (updated Apr 2022)

Go next

• While Midtown now has the largest concentration of Mexican businesses in the Twin Cities, the oldest Mexican neighborhood in the area is on the West Side of Saint Paul, where the community dates back to the 1930s.

Routes through South

END ← Downtown Minneapolis ←	N  S	→ MSP Airport → Bloomington
END ← Downtown Minneapolis ←	W  E	→ Southeast Minneapolis → Saint Paul