Macalester-Groveland - Saint Paul, MN Area Guide

In the 1850s, Fort Snelling sold the land that now makes up the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood. Farms and orchards filled the area during its first few decades as private land. Macalester College, established in 1884, attracted more families to the area, and a railroad connected the neighborhood to downtown Saint Paul and Minneapolis, making it an ideal area for commuters to call home.

Most of the homes in the area reflect architectural styles of the 1900s and 1910s, and the fiercely community-oriented neighborhood fights to block unnecessary home demolitions to protect its architectural integrity and beauty. In 1887, the city purchased the land around the river, reserving it as a natural open space for residents.

The arts scene in the area is based around its trio of universities. Macalester, Saint Catherine and the University of Saint Thomas host exhibitions and theatrical performances year-round.

The Macalester-Groveland area contains three distinct little shopping and dining areas. Explore eateries, coffee shops, and cafes on Saint Clair Avenue. Move north to Grand Avenue for great Indian or Middle Eastern fare at Everest on Grand or Shish Cafe, or check out Cleveland and Randolph, home of the gem Ristorante Luci.

An intimate Italian restaurant behind an unassuming brick storefront, Ristorante Luci serves simple and authentic Italian dishes. Small servings make it delightful to enjoy a full meal including antipasto, zuppa, primo, and secondo courses. The wine list includes fine Italian wines from independent producers committed to sustainability, and the wait staff have great advice on wine pairings.

On Saint Clair Avenue, local mainstays are the Groveland Tap and the Saint Clair Broiler. "The Broiler" serves up eggs, burgers, and milkshakes. There, local residents enjoy their meals on old-school metal lunch trays while sitting in 1970s diner booths.

The family-friendly Groveland Tap serves burgers and beer, priced so low that even students can afford to eat here. Definitely try their squeaky, golden cheese curds when you stop in. Across the street, you'll find a quick and easy ordering experience at the Acme Deli sandwich shop. Grab one of the deli's yellow order pads, mark off your favorite toppings, specify if you want a pickle or not and your order is complete. Busy students or commuters in a hurry can pick up lunch boxes with a sandwich, a pickle and a cookie to go.

As a relatively quiet area, Macalester-Groveland doesn't sport a wild and crazy nightlife scene, but the nearby Midway and Grand Avenue areas do. On University Avenue in Midway, residents enjoy live bands at dive bars such as the Turf Club or Big V's. Students haunt Billy's on Grand or the Wild Onion, which both feature DJs, cocktails and a late-night pub-club environment.

With so many restaurants and shops within a relatively small area, residents can easily walk around Macalester-Groveland, and bicycling opportunities are also abundant in this beautiful and safe neighborhood. Bike paths line the Mississippi River along the east side of this neighborhood, and Saint Paul maintains bike lanes in many of their roads as well.

Metro City buses serve the neighborhood; the neighborhood also participates in the HOURCAR program, allowing residents to borrow one of the program's two Priuses. Those elements make it easy to live in Macalester-Groveland without owning a car.

You won't be able to easily hail a cab on the street, but cabs and Uber serve the area if called. For drivers, Interstate 35 links to the neighborhood, making commuting to either downtown or the suburbs easy, and Interstate 94 is accessible to the north.

Many residents with small children walk to Mattocks Park, a small park featuring a shaded playground and a grassy open area. Just across the river from Macalester-Groveland on the edge of Minneapolis, Minnehaha Park has stunning views of waterfalls, serene paths for hiking and a free off-leash area for dogs.

Residents can access Saint Paul's largest park, Como Park, by car or bicycle. This 384-acre park sports cross-country skiing, bike paths, a free zoo and grassy areas for relaxing and picnicking. The park also hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including a New Year's Eve party and the Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival in August.

Living in Macalester-Groveland costs more the average cost of living in Saint Paul, and the average one-bedroom costs $765 in rent per month. Gas is about 4 percent lower than the national average, and riding the bus costs between $1.75 and $3, with students and seniors being eligible for discounted 75-cent tickets.

The high number of neighborhood burger and beer joints in this neighborhood means it's pretty easy to find a reasonably priced brew. You can pop into a Macalester-Groveland restaurant during happy hour and order a beer for $3 to $4, and you can even find Summit Hill, a local microbrew, for $2.50.

Several boutiques, independent bookstores, art supply shops and other types of stores exist in the Macalester-Groveland Area. Fine clothing, independent labels and artisan jewelry can be found at the small Poppy boutique, while nearby Sixpence Boutique stocks bridal gowns and veils as well as high-end consignment items. Owned by Saint Paul's resident star of the public-radio scene Garrison Keillor, Common Good Books provides residents with the local independent bookstore experience, but it also brings in authors from around the country. Kowalski's Market in the heart of Macalester-Groveland provides residents with a high-class grocery shopping experience, and this beautiful grocery store has an in-house butcher, deli and gift shop. Nearby Mississippi Market is a neighborhood natural foods co-op, and large chain grocery stores sit north of this neighborhood in the Midway area.