Have any of you been to (or hail from) the Twin Cities area? If you have never visited the land of “Minnesota Nice”, I hope you get a chance someday. There are so many wonderful places for food lovers, art lovers, music lovers, pet lovers…all kinds of lovers (wink). Having grown up a mere 20-25 minute drive from St. Paul and Minneapolis, I feel a very strong connection to my beloved Twin Cities. Although I grew up here and have experienced them both in thousands of ways, there are always new discoveries to be made and old favorites to revisit. When I walk in the door of one of those favorites, the feeling of home and familiarity wraps around me like a warm blanket and I know that it can’t get much better than this exact moment in this exact place. The bars and restaurants I’m bringing to you for Cocktail Friday this summer will hopefully send these same feelings your way or they might even help you view a favorite spot in your home city with new eyes. That said, here is today’s post:
For St. Paul natives, Sweeney’s Saloon needs no introduction. Located on a block near the Cathedral Hill area of St. Paul, Sweeney’s is a favorite watering hole for many Minnesotans. The Happy Hour deals are fabulous (50 cent tacos anyone?) and the patio is perfect on a warm, sunny afternoon to help thaw everyone out after a chilling 4 or 5 months of snow, ice, and harsh wind. I visited Sweeney’s with my family shortly after I arrived in Minnesota about 2 weeks ago. We enjoyed a few tacos and some refreshing glasses of Sweeney’s own sangria. It was the perfect way to catch up and enjoy some much anticipated summer weather.
The vintage-style posters hanging up around the patio only add to the unique charm and comfort:
Sipping on sweet, fruity, rich sangria made the afternoon blissful and somewhat dreamy. Or maybe that was my jet lag… Either way, I loved my experience at Sweeney’s and look forward to returning again before the summer ends. You can find my recipes for sangria at the links here:
Sparkling Sangria with Cranberries & Oranges
If you would like to visit Sweeney’s, here is the info:
Sweeney’s Saloon
96 Dale St.
St. Paul, MN 55102
612-396-0701
