As nice as it can be to sleepwalk out of bed and over to the Northsider on a lazy Sunday morning, there are times when you get the unscratchable itch to get off-campus and fill up on something new. Thankfully, the Twin Cities have a virtually limitless supply of extraordinary restaurants and eateries to explore, no matter which side of the river you’re on.
Whether it be trying out new cuisines, finding new late-night favorites or looking for a quick, sweet pick-me-up while out on the town, these accessible restaurants in the St. Thomas area are a great jumping-off point when meal swipes just aren’t cutting it.
Los Ocampo
The quick walk up to local Mexican eatery Los Ocampo on Marshall Avenue feels downright unfair when you consider the sheer quantity of affordable, delicious cuisine it provides to nearby Tommies. Its freshly-finished interior allows you to enjoy the feeling of a quality meal out — and some daily drink specials for those over 21 — while still being firmly entrenched in the UST neighborhood. Presenting your St. Thomas ID will carve a handy 10% off of your bill, too.
You can learn more about how co-owner and UST alum Julian Ocampo channeled his experience from school to expand his family’s business into Tommie territory here; a quick read while munching on some pre-meal chips and salsa, perhaps.
The Nook
The Nook, a small burger joint and pub located eight minutes from campus by car and 30 minutes by public transit, is one of the foremost restaurants in the Twin Cities to sample a cheese-stuffed Juicy Lucy, much less any of its other award-winning burgers or pub fare.
The offer is made even more mouth-watering by the savings offered through its daily specials, including $2 burgers on Mondays and fish fry Fridays, cementing it as one of the St. Paul neighborhood’s must-stop eateries for those searching for a local spot to load up on a healthy amount of sweet, sweet grease.
Afro Deli
Afro Deli’s multiple locations in the Twin Cities area make it a prime spot to hit while out visiting elsewhere in the cities or when you’re just looking for a quick nearby bite of food that you won’t find in the dining halls. The restaurant describes itself as a fusion of African, Mediterranean and American cuisine and boasts a variety of dishes — all of which are prepared Halal — from simple sandwiches and gyros to full dinners and bowls, according to its website.
It’s a roughly 40-minute public transit ride and 10-minute drive to the Afro Deli locations nearest to St. Thomas in St. Paul and Minneapolis, so there’s no excuse not to try out their diverse options, no matter where you are in the cities.
Sencha Tea Bar
Students looking to find their nearest boba hookup need look no further than Sencha Tea Bar, located four minutes away from campus by car and 12 minutes by public transport, which is to say that you might as well walk to this one. In addition to their signature tea leaves for sale, you’ll find a wide selection of milk teas, coffees, lemonades and seasonal drinks to pair with some tasty tapioca, or jelly, if that’s more your speed.
Its free Wifi also makes it a perfect study space, not to mention that it’s a great way to meet up with students from nearby Macalester College.
bb.q Chicken
For those with a taste for fried chicken, Korean cuisine or both, bb.q Chicken’s combination of wings and Korean dishes provides an unlikely yet delicious fix fit for a variety of occasions.
With locations in both Minneapolis and St. Paul — with the latter being only a short six-minute drive or 15-minute public transit ride away from campus — bb.q’s selections of traditional or boneless wings is an easy pick when in need of some spice. Its array of sides, which ranges from fried dumplings to sweet potato fries, means that it’s not hard to find something an entire group can share and enjoy, even if they’re not all seeking the hot stuff.
Paris Crepes and Boba Tea
Though it might be hard to imagine the day on which you feel a strong, inexplicable craving for crepes while at St. Thomas, Paris Crepes and Boba Tea will be there, ready and waiting, for when you do. Paris Crepes claims to bring the authentic taste of France to its wide lineup of both sweet and savory crepes, and its assortment of milk and blended teas make it that much easier to wash it all down, especially thanks to its 15%-off deal on crepes on Sundays, according to its official Facebook page.
Reachable via a six-minute drive, 20-minute public transportation ride — or, if you’re feeling the preemptive need to burn off those crepe calories, a 35-minute walk — Paris Crepes is easily accessible and well worth the visit, crepe craving or not.
Kevin Lynch can be reached at lync1832@stthomas.edu.
