Whether you are planning to catch up with long-lost friends or spend a date night, there is nothing better than a warm and cozy place. Luckily, St Paul, MN, is filled with vintage places, having traditional, old-school, and modern fusion cuisine options. But, if you are new here and need help narrowing down your choices, here is a list of warm and cozy restaurants near St. Paul, MN, so dive right in.
1. The Melting Pot – Minneapolis
- Opening Hours: 11:30 am to 9 pm
- Delivery: Available
- Takeout: Available
- Dine-in: Available
In Downtown Minneapolis, you can experience the quintessential fine-dining experience with The Melting Pot. It has the most casual and approachable vibe with a wooden interior, big private dining tables, and accent walls across the space. When it comes to the food department, it gives you a lot of options, starting from salads with handcrafted dressings, steak strips, complex desserts, and the infamous chocolate fondue.
2. 801 Chophouse – Minneapolis
- Opening Hours: 4 pm to 10 pm
- Delivery: Not Available
- Takeout: Available
- Dine-in: Available
Are you striving for a flavorful and authentic New York-style steak and want to catch up with your friends on dinners after a hectic day? Visit 801 Chophouse, the finest USDA New York-style steakhouse with award-winning wine collections selected specifically from vineyards worldwide. Some of my favorites at 801 Chophouse are their main lobster with small-batch bourbon and the infamous Prime Rib 801 Cut.
3. Downtowner Woodfire Grill
- Opening Hours: 7 am to 10 pm
- Delivery: Available
- Takeout: Available
- Dine-in: Available
The Downtowner Woodfire Grill is what it is named, a restaurant that specializes in Persian fire-roasted meat – something innovative for the American palette. The atmosphere of the place is pretty relaxing and welcoming, with indoor dining, plenty of warm lights, and brick walls. What makes it stand out even more are the two fireplaces, a full bar with three fountains, and a live jazz performance, adding to the lively experience.
4. The Lexington
- Opening Hours: 4 pm to 11 pm
- Delivery: Available
- Takeout: Not Available
- Dine-in: Available
Located on Grand Ave, Saint Paul, MN, The Lexington is a restaurant and an old-school eatery with a great history, backed by 19th-century American culture. The place was opened in 1935 with the perfect cozy ambiance for cocktail hours, celebrations, and friends-night-outs, all thanks to its expansive wood structure and subdued light. Just a tip: when you visit the place next time, try their chef’s special six-layer chocolate cake.
5. Axel’s River Grille – Mendota
- Opening Hours: 11:30 am to 10 pm
- Delivery: Available
- Takeout: Available
- Dine-in: Available
The Axel’s River Grille is a casual dining restaurant with modern American cuisine, offering staples like grilled steaks, seafood, chops, pasta, and salads. The place has a warm and cozy ambiance with long vertical dining tables decorated with warm lamps and contemporary art pieces on the walls. Another center of attention at Axel’s River Grille is its bar corner, featuring a large selection of fine wines, whiskeys, and scotch.
6. Rivalhouse Restaurant
- Opening Hours: 4 pm to 10 pm
- Delivery: Available
- Takeout: Available
- Dine-in: Available
Located in the heart of Downtown St Paul, Rivalhouse restaurant is an upscale contemporary casual dining restaurant with an extensive contemporary American menu. The dining area at Rivalhouse is mainly set in a covered outdoor space with plenty of sunlight, glass windows, and standard marble flooring. Now, the good stuff: the place uses wood-fired brick ovens to produce pizzas – rich in flavor and perfect crunch.
7. Rincon 38
- Opening Hours: 3 pm to 9 pm
- Delivery: Available
- Takeout: Available
- Dine-in: Available
If you want to spend a fun day with long-lost friends in a relaxed and laid-back atmosphere, the Rincon 38 might be the perfect choice. This restaurant is famous for its warm and welcoming dining arrangement, including glass walls, open kitchen-dining layout, and funky-colored interior. Coming to the menu, some of the neighbor favorites at Rincon 38 are conchas, calamari, mero, plato iberico, and vieras.
8. Fogao Gaucho
- Opening Hours: 11:30 am to 9 pm
- Delivery: Not Available
- Takeout: Available
- Dine-in: Available
Fogo Gaucho is a family-owned restaurant specializing in the traditional Brazilian culinary experience. With years of experience, the place’s owners have focused on regenerating centuries-old recipes and providing a superior dining experience to customers, as if they are eating at their homes. So, if you plan to visit Fogao Gaucho anytime soon, try their Fraldinha and Alcatra com queijo.
9. Pinstripes
- Opening Hours: 11:30 am to 9 pm
- Delivery: Not Available
- Takeout: Not Available
- Dine-in: Available
Pinstripes is an Italian-American Bistro with bowling and bocce venues, perfect for enjoying weekends with friends and family under the sun’s warmth. The place offers dine-in and catering services for big groups craving American-Italian fusion food and some quality wine. The restaurant sources ingredients from local farms and selects wines from local breweries, ensuring quality and freshness.
10. Moscow on the Hill
- Opening Hours: 11 am to 12 am
- Delivery: Available
- Takeout: Available
- Dine-in: Available
Moscow on the Hill is a family-owned Russian eatery, operating since 1994 in the calm and enchanting neighborhood of St Paul, MN. The restaurant specializes in European, Russian, and Ukrainian cuisine with some hit menu items like pelmeni, vareniki, stroganoff, deruny, borscht, and other delicious vegan and gluten-free options. It also features a bar displaying hand-picked wines under warm light, adding to the aesthetic appeal of the venue.
Final Thoughts
In essence, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that you don’t have to put in extra effort to find a warm and cozy restaurant near St Paul, MN. The place is rich with culturally rich and contemporary fusion cuisine, catering to the taste of all across the neighborhood. I hope the places mentioned above have been helpful for you in narrowing down your options.