If it has been awhile since you were out and about in downtown St. Paul, here’s a look at places to warm up and grab a bite to eat.
The most popular place this Winter Carnival is bound to be the expanded Cossettacomplex on West Seventh Street. There’s something for everyone there — a kid-friendly, carb-laden Italian-American menu in the eatery and a higher-end, more authentic restaurant, called Louis, on the third floor.
The eatery expanded its menu when it reopened a few months ago with twice the seating of the old space. Try the spinach-cranberry salad or the Arancini (rice balls) in a zippy tomato sauce.
Louis is new, and the kinks are still being worked out, but it’s worth a try. If you have the time, go for a full sit-down meal. But if you’re in a hurry, the restaurant has a great happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. Drinks range from $3 to $6, and huge portions of food are priced at $4 to $7. Our favorite happy-hour special is the sausage Calabrese, a steal at $5.
Cossetta Italian Market and Pizzeria, 211 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-222-3476; cossettas.com.
For the ultimate St. Paul experience, have a seat at the St. Paul Grill at Fifth and Market streets. It overlooks Rice Park, where the ice sculptures will be sparkling. The grill is the place where politicians, royalty and the occasional Vulcan hang out. Try a barrel-aged cocktail — the bar is the only place in the Cities where you can get one right now. Cocktail ingredients are mixed and aged in a little barrel, rounding out the edges of some otherwise fairly bracing drinks. The menu is expensive, but you can’t go wrong with any of the burgers, steaks or chops.
St. Paul Grill, 350 Market St., St. Paul; 651-224-7455; stpaulgrill.com.
If you’re looking to make a date of it, the most romantic restaurant downtown is Meritage, just down the street from the Grill on St. Peter Street.
Nosh on the best oysters in the Twin Cities and enjoy a craft cocktail or glass of wine from the exhaustive French list at the restaurant’s pretty bar.
Meritage has a good happy hour, too, but it’s available only from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. A burger is $8, and a few select cocktails are available for $5.50.
Meritage, 410 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-222-5670; meritage-stpaul.com.
The young and hip crowd can usually be found at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall, where they’ll be drinking beer and listening to live music or playing name that tune or trivia.
The menu is limited but interesting and inexpensive. Try the little Dutch sandwiches or the fries, which are topped with chopped onions and served with your choice of addicting dipping sauces.
Check the calendar for entertainment. The Amsterdam is not really kid-friendly.
Amsterdam Bar & Hall, 6 W. Sixth St., St. Paul; 612-285-3112; amsterdambarandhall.com.
Another place with a great happy hour and sit-down options is Pazzaluna on the corner of Fifth and St. Peter.
Drinks during happy hour, which runs from 4 to 6 p.m. daily, range from $3 to $6 and appetizers from $6 to $9. Try an appetizer or a bruschetta for a really good price.
If you’re looking for a sit-down meal, the pastas and risottos are your best bet.
Pazzaluna, 360 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-223-7000; pazzaluna.com.
Restaurant and food reporter Jess Fleming can be reached at 651-228-5435. Follow her at twitter.com/jessflem.
Copyright 2013 Pioneer Press.
