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A dark marble bar with a lamp and greenery on it. Above is a wooden rack for wine glasses and wine glasses dangling from it; attached to the wall is a mirror.
Myriel’s bar stays open for walk-ins.
Jes Lahay / Eater Twin Cities

Where to Dine Alone in the Twin Cities

Cozy, unfussy spots for solo dining

by Justine Jones
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Myriel’s bar stays open for walk-ins.
| Jes Lahay / Eater Twin Cities
by Justine Jones

The best restaurants for solo dining have a certain alchemy: comfy bar seating; great food and drinks without the scene-y feel of buzzy new restaurants; staff who value both banter and solitude. Social stigma be damned — dining alone, in the right setting, can be a great pleasure. Here are nine restaurants ideal for enjoying a peaceful meal alone in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Note that these restaurants are listed geographically.

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Dutch Bar

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Northeast’s new Dutch Bar feels like a hybrid wine bar and cafe — it’s almost tailor-made for spending an evening alone with a glass of merlot and a book. A simple menu of cold cuts, cheese, small plates (think mushroom lentil duxelles with grilled toast) and entrees (jambon and beurre sandwiches; Spanish tortillas with eggs and potatoes) complements the cocktails and wines.

2512 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 400-7883
(612) 400-7883

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The Anchor Fish & Chips

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Belly up to Anchor’s kitchen-side bar for a basket of the eponymous fish and chips — flaky Alaskan cod and thick-cut potato wedges, fried golden — and a pint of Guiness or Smithwick’s. Anchor is all you could ask of a neighborhood restaurant: It’s warm, inviting, and perfectly low-key. Snack on the poutine as you leaf through a book.

302 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 676-1300
(612) 676-1300

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Broders' Pasta Bar

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If there’s a plate of pasta on the table, are you really alone? Broders’ hits the classics, like spaghetti carbonara, bolognese, and gnocchi pomodoro, all made fresh. (A simple eggless pasta with tomatoes and olive oil is available for vegans.) Terzo, a wine bar by the Broder family, sits kitty corner across 50th and Penn.

5000 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 925-9202
(612) 925-9202
A close-up photo of a wooden bar with wooden chairs, that’s set with white plates with white rolled napkins on them, plus small class containers of olive oil.
The bar at Broder’s.
Broders’ Pasta Bar

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Ramen Kazama

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Settle in to Ramen Kazama for a bowl of tonkotsu ramen crowned with tender bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and a cut of fatty pork belly. Chef Matthew Kazama’s space has a small bar and a number of booths designed for uninterrupted slurping.

3400 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 353-6160
(612) 353-6160
A plate of gyoza next to a bowl of ramen with chopsticks on a wooden table.
Dishes from chef Matthew Kazama.
Ramen Kazama

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Merlins Rest Pub

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Merlins Rest, an Irish pub in Minneapolis’s Longfellow neighborhood is beloved for its bangers and mash, its extensive whiskey and single malt scotch menu, and its total lack of pretense. Pull up the bar to enjoy the live Irish music (Fridays only), and save room for English toffee pudding.

3601 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 216-2419
(612) 216-2419

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Myriel

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Myriel’s tasting menu may not be best suited for solo dining — but the a la carte experience certainly is. This rustic St. Paul gem holds its bar open for walk-ins, and it’s hard to imagine a better happy hour feast than the charcuterie board, which is laden with cheeses, pates, fruit, and quenelles of creamy chicken liver mousse. Or come for a dessert of Scandinavian egg coffee and a slice of chef Karyn Tomlinson’s famous apple pie.

470 Cleveland Ave S, St Paul, MN 55105
(651) 340-3568
(651) 340-3568

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Chip's Clubhouse

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Grab a barstool at Chip’s, which serves stellar British pub fare. There are a number of cozy booths, too, for a little extra comfort and privacy as you tuck into a pork tenderloin sandwich. Beyond the pub classics — fish and chips, wedge salad, a great burger — Chip’s always has a few surprises on the menu, like chicken flautas or fried giardinera.

272 Snelling Ave S #200, St Paul, MN 55105
(651) 330-1617
(651) 330-1617

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Hyacinth

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Intimacy, comfort, and Italian romance are the themes of Hyacinth on Grand Avenue. This is a good date night spot, but there’s also a kitchen-side bar that’s ideal for solo dining. The menu changes often, but expect dishes like chicken liver mousse crostini (served with sunflower seed butter and quince jam), fusilli with beef cheek ragu, and sweet potato risotto.

790 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
(651) 478-1822
(651) 478-1822
A long blue booth against a white wall with small tables and wooden chairs, and a curved bar visible in the right of the photograph.
Grab a plate of pasta at Hyacinth’s kitchen-side bar.
Kevin Kramer/Eater Twin Cities

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Moscow on the Hill

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Moscow on the Hill’s dining room, draped in rich red and gold fabrics, has plenty of nooks and crannies for tucking into a plate of chicken kiev. This restaurant is a St. Paul staple for Eastern European fare, like pillowy deruny (Ukranian-style potato pancakes), borscht, and neatly wrapped pelmeni. The house infused vodkas — particularly the horseradish — are one of this restaurant’s specialties.

371 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 291-1236
(651) 291-1236

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Dutch Bar

2512 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418

Northeast’s new Dutch Bar feels like a hybrid wine bar and cafe — it’s almost tailor-made for spending an evening alone with a glass of merlot and a book. A simple menu of cold cuts, cheese, small plates (think mushroom lentil duxelles with grilled toast) and entrees (jambon and beurre sandwiches; Spanish tortillas with eggs and potatoes) complements the cocktails and wines.

2512 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 400-7883
(612) 400-7883

The Anchor Fish & Chips

302 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

Belly up to Anchor’s kitchen-side bar for a basket of the eponymous fish and chips — flaky Alaskan cod and thick-cut potato wedges, fried golden — and a pint of Guiness or Smithwick’s. Anchor is all you could ask of a neighborhood restaurant: It’s warm, inviting, and perfectly low-key. Snack on the poutine as you leaf through a book.

302 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 676-1300
(612) 676-1300

Broders' Pasta Bar

5000 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419

If there’s a plate of pasta on the table, are you really alone? Broders’ hits the classics, like spaghetti carbonara, bolognese, and gnocchi pomodoro, all made fresh. (A simple eggless pasta with tomatoes and olive oil is available for vegans.) Terzo, a wine bar by the Broder family, sits kitty corner across 50th and Penn.

5000 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 925-9202
(612) 925-9202
A close-up photo of a wooden bar with wooden chairs, that’s set with white plates with white rolled napkins on them, plus small class containers of olive oil.
The bar at Broder’s.
Broders’ Pasta Bar

Ramen Kazama

3400 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Settle in to Ramen Kazama for a bowl of tonkotsu ramen crowned with tender bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and a cut of fatty pork belly. Chef Matthew Kazama’s space has a small bar and a number of booths designed for uninterrupted slurping.

3400 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 353-6160
(612) 353-6160
A plate of gyoza next to a bowl of ramen with chopsticks on a wooden table.
Dishes from chef Matthew Kazama.
Ramen Kazama

Merlins Rest Pub

3601 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Merlins Rest, an Irish pub in Minneapolis’s Longfellow neighborhood is beloved for its bangers and mash, its extensive whiskey and single malt scotch menu, and its total lack of pretense. Pull up the bar to enjoy the live Irish music (Fridays only), and save room for English toffee pudding.

3601 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
(612) 216-2419
(612) 216-2419

Myriel

470 Cleveland Ave S, St Paul, MN 55105

Myriel’s tasting menu may not be best suited for solo dining — but the a la carte experience certainly is. This rustic St. Paul gem holds its bar open for walk-ins, and it’s hard to imagine a better happy hour feast than the charcuterie board, which is laden with cheeses, pates, fruit, and quenelles of creamy chicken liver mousse. Or come for a dessert of Scandinavian egg coffee and a slice of chef Karyn Tomlinson’s famous apple pie.

470 Cleveland Ave S, St Paul, MN 55105
(651) 340-3568
(651) 340-3568

Chip's Clubhouse

272 Snelling Ave S #200, St Paul, MN 55105

Grab a barstool at Chip’s, which serves stellar British pub fare. There are a number of cozy booths, too, for a little extra comfort and privacy as you tuck into a pork tenderloin sandwich. Beyond the pub classics — fish and chips, wedge salad, a great burger — Chip’s always has a few surprises on the menu, like chicken flautas or fried giardinera.

272 Snelling Ave S #200, St Paul, MN 55105
(651) 330-1617
(651) 330-1617

Hyacinth

790 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105

Intimacy, comfort, and Italian romance are the themes of Hyacinth on Grand Avenue. This is a good date night spot, but there’s also a kitchen-side bar that’s ideal for solo dining. The menu changes often, but expect dishes like chicken liver mousse crostini (served with sunflower seed butter and quince jam), fusilli with beef cheek ragu, and sweet potato risotto.

790 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
(651) 478-1822
(651) 478-1822
A long blue booth against a white wall with small tables and wooden chairs, and a curved bar visible in the right of the photograph.
Grab a plate of pasta at Hyacinth’s kitchen-side bar.
Kevin Kramer/Eater Twin Cities

Moscow on the Hill

371 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102

Moscow on the Hill’s dining room, draped in rich red and gold fabrics, has plenty of nooks and crannies for tucking into a plate of chicken kiev. This restaurant is a St. Paul staple for Eastern European fare, like pillowy deruny (Ukranian-style potato pancakes), borscht, and neatly wrapped pelmeni. The house infused vodkas — particularly the horseradish — are one of this restaurant’s specialties.

371 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 291-1236
(651) 291-1236

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