The North Pole Restaurant has been a fixture in Newport, Minnesota for decades.
The restaurant began in 1947 as a soda fountain in Village Drug on 21st Street in Newport.
Customers could get fountain service while they waited for their prescriptions to be filled.
Robert E. North (Bob) purchased the place and renamed it Newport Drug.
In 1952, Newport Drug relocated to the Newport Center and the space expanded, accessing the next door space. Staying true to its moniker, a menacing stuffed polar bear stands between the cafe and the pharmacy.
The business has expanded over the years and still serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Think classic dinner food, simple and straightforward.
I opted for breakfast and as you can see, the pancakes are massive, spilling over even the largest of serving plates. People come from surrounding communities just to stop in.
While North Pole does have a small town feel, it’s just out of Saint Paul, hidden away in a small strip mall. It is most certainly worth getting off the highway for.