Skip to content

The Minnesota Bucket List

What is #MNBucketList?
By City
Vacations
- Portland, Oregon
- Seattle, Washington
Behind the #MNBucketList
Contact Me

La Tapenade / French Meadow Bakery & Cafe

Food & Drink / Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014

If you are an avid traveller and looking to stay healthy, MSP Airport is one of the best airports to be at. It’s a #mnbucketlist must-go. Grab a salad and pick up a magazine and you’re good to go!

44.884755-93.222285

Share this:

Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
Click to print (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

April 22, 2014May 13, 2015 JessicaFood & DrinkSt Paul

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Post navigation

Previous Post Angel Food Bakery

Next Post Pinstripes

The #MNBucketList is a tourism platform dedicated to showcasing all that the state has to offer. It is the perfect one-stop-shop for anyone who is deeply curious about the less explored parts of Minnesota.

What’s on your Minnesota Bucket List?

Categories

Categories

Search for:

Search by Popular Cities

Anoka Bloomington Chanhassen Duluth Eden Prairie Edina Excelsior Minneapolis Minnetonka Park Rapids St Cloud Stillwater St Paul Two Harbors Waconia Wayzata White Bear Lake Woodbury

Follow via Email

Enter your email address to receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 16,568 other subscribers

Email Address

Trending This Week

Catch Me on Twitter!

Follow along on Facebook!

Follow along on Facebook!

Instagram

When it comes to go-to dinner spots, Dorset Chick'n Coop Restaurant and Bar always fits the bill. The Coop is located in Dorset, a tiny community with a population of 22 just six miles east-northeast of Park Rapids and six miles west of Nevis. It is also located along the Heartland State Trail making it the perfect place to rest after a long bike ride as it boasts the largest number of restaurants per capita. The Coop offers homemade northern favorites and an in-house bar. When it comes to what my family orders, we never go wrong with the Coop’s famous broasted chicken, house-made prime rib, fried walleye, hand-pattied burgers… as you can see we are a communal eating bunch. I love the Coop for more than just the food- the waitstaff is friendly and isn’t afraid to tell you the best things to order, the walls are covered with chicken figurines and memorabilia, and it doesn’t hurt that they are a stone's throw from some of my favorite Northwoods shops. Make sure you stop by next time you’re in the area!

Somewhere on the lake.

If you happen to find yourself on Main Street in Park Rapids, I highly recommend you stop at the MinneSoda Fountain, a few doors down from Revel Brewing. One part old-fashioned ice cream parlor and one part sub sandwich shop, once inside, the place will transport to the 1950s. Take a seat at one of the backless red diner stools at the Formica counter and order a cherry Phosphate. The menu is full of sandwich, burger, and soup options. Known for their great service, kitschy decor, and delectable desserts, I also recommend getting a sundae - my personal favorite being the Salted Nut Roll.

If you love the North Shore, there is no better way to see it than from above. Lake Superior Helicopters opened in 2009 and allow you to see one of the largest tourist destinations in the midwest. I loved the experience, from the office staff to the pilot. Worth snagging a tour this summer.

As I was looking for places to stop in Fergus Falls, I stumbled on Outstate Brewing Company. The entrance is unassuming as it is tucked away in an industrial area. Once inside the beautiful taproom, it’s hard to miss the giant, glass garage door to the patio that overlooks Otter Tail River Reservoir. After perusing the Adam Turman-esgue designed can labels, I choose my round-up, grabbed a flight, and sunk into an Adirondack chair to take in the view. I am especially fond of Outstate’s Spray Tan Sour, Grandma’s Garden Rhubarb Sour, and Pink Northern Light. If you can’t make it to the taproom, you can purchase some for their beers in the local liquor stores.

The Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener is a unique time to explore areas that otherwise I may have missed. Enter, the Historic Phelps Mill and County Park.

While I was in Ottertail County, I drove through Battle Lake just after a rain shower. As I rounded a corner through town, I caught a glimpse of a vibrant rainbow and had to stop to take a picture (not pictured). After a few shutter clicks, I turned to find myself in the Shoreline Restaurant, Bar & Bowl parking lot. Taking it as a sign, I headed in for lunch. Equal parts bar, restaurant, bowling alley, and event center, Shoreline was a lucky find though it is a local mainstay having been open since 1949. Stop in for their incredible sweet potato waffle fries and stay for the spectacular view.

I was lucky enough to stop at Maplewood State Park during the Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener. Located on the outskirts of Pelican Rapids in the heart of Ottertail County, this state park was created in the early 1960s as the hilly, lake-dotted terrain was better suited to recreation than to farming.

The next stop during the Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener was ABC Brewing Co. (Ashby Brewing Company) in Battle Lake. Starting in Ashby and proclaiming themselves to be the smallest brewery in Minnesota, they offer rotating brews, indoor and outdoor seating, delicious, Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza, and live music.

The Ottertail Bakery just off Hwy 78 is a must-stop if you are in the Ottertail area. Boasting “the best buns in town” as their tagline, locals also rave about the bakery's turnovers, molasses cookies, maple frosted donuts, cinnamon rolls, caramel croissants, ding dongs, sourdough bread, Bismarcks - you name it, it likely has a place in the bakery case. I would be remiss to not tell you about the pièce de résistance, their legendary blueberry fritter. In the words of Bogart, it is the stuff that dreams are made of. Come for the fritters, stay to check out the rows and rows of different cookie jars that line the walls. Quick note, make sure to bring cash as they do not take cards.

Home to one of the last large tracts of undeveloped lakeshore in western Minnesota, Glendalough State Park is just off the Otter Trail Scenic Byway in Battle Lake, Minnesota’s Otter Tail County. The park is filled with observation decks, picnic areas, a swimming beach, fishing piers, a trail center, a beautiful historic lodge, a paved bike trail loop, and numerous hiking opportunities. You can rent boats, canoes, kayaks, skis, and snowshoes and explore the designated “Heritage Fishery” on Annie Battle Lake through all seasons. Glendalough is an incredible place for a day trip or if you can opt to stay awhile - I recommend the latter, even if just to camp or try out one of the two yurts they offer.

One of the best parts about the #mngfo2021 is that the host city or county invites you into areas that would otherwise not be as easily accessible to the general public. Enter, a tour of the Lund Boat Factory in New York Mills.

Archives

Archives

Loading Comments...

Write a Comment...

Email

Name

Website

Send to Email Address Your Name Your Email Address

Cancel

Post was not sent - check your email addresses!

Email check failed, please try again

Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.

%d bloggers like this: