Southeast Richfield - Richfield, MN

Richfield began as a small farming community known for its abundance of rich farmland, and it officially became a city in 1908. The first-tier suburb became a popular home for returning veterans after World War II and experienced a defining population boom in the late 1940s and 1950s.

One of Richfield's first and most famous settlers, Riley Bartholomew, built a house on Wood Lake near the center of Richfield in the 1850s. In 1967, the Richfield Historic Society formed to preserve the historic integrity of this house, which currently operates as the Bartholomew House Museum under the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, Richfield holds many annual community events, including a popular Fourth of July celebration, community skating parties and New Year's Eve festivities. Community residents also enjoy the Walking Public Art Tour presented by the Richfield Arts Commission as a way to experience local art and sculptures constantly on display.

Southeast Richfield offers a tasty selection of quality ethnic food in generally humble atmospheres. When you're hungry and want to keep it in the neighborhood, head to the restaurants on 77th Street, especially those located between Nicollet Avenue and Portland Avenue.

Take a break from shopping at the Mall of America to visit Twin City Grill, a traditional American steakhouse lined with old-fashioned booths. Meat lovers drool over the menu of savory treats, ranging from the juicy open-faced steak sandwich to the generous plate of expertly seasoned ribs. Crispy fried walleye is the star ingredient of some of the restaurant's most popular dishes, including fish tacos, classic fish fry and almond-crusted walleye.

Next to a gas station on the corner of Nicollet Avenue, Andale Taqueria y Mercada quietly provides the best street-style tacos in the Twin Cities. Try the tacos lenguas or tripas (tongue or tripe) when you're feeling adventurous, or stick with pork tortas for a less intimidating treat. Round out your meal with a few vegetarian tamales.

Venture outside the immediate neighborhood for a nice date night, to bar hop or to just enjoy more entertainment options. In the cluster of popular bars less than a mile away in Northeast Richfield, enjoy moist, flavorful burgers alongside finely crafted cocktails at Lyn 65. A warm, classy environment makes this bar a unique city favorite.

Endless bars and restaurants at the Mall of America are just a few minutes south, while the north offers infinite dining and entertainment options in Uptown and Downtown Minneapolis. Check out the independent, artist-run comedy club at Huge Improv Theatre in Uptown, or dance downtown at the nationally acclaimed music venue First Avenue.

With Interstate 494 forming the southern border and Interstate 35W less than a mile from neighborhood borders, Southeast Richfield deeply benefits from its prime access to the Twin Cities as well as neighboring suburbs.

The 77th Street stretch between Nicollet Avenue and Portland is quite walkable, but generally Southeast Richfield residents favor a more convenient mode of transport than their own two feet. Enjoy ample street parking as well as the occasional parking garage, and prepare to occasionally pay a few bucks for public parking.

If you prefer to leave your car behind, Metro Transit offers limited transportation around Richfield and to popular neighboring suburbs, such as Bloomington, as well as express access to downtown Minneapolis via the Orange Line rapid transit bus service. As throughout the Twin Cities metro, bikers are also a familiar sight in the streets of Richfield. Major Southeast Richfield streets with dedicated biking lanes include 76th Street and Portland Avenue, while official bicycle-friendly streets, such as Elliot Avenue, 12th Avenue and 70th Street, abound.

Instead of waiting to hail a cab in Southeast Richfield, register with Uber, and enjoy a classier ride with the added convenience of ordering and paying from your smartphone or computer.

Southeast Richfield has three notable parks, all of which are free of charge and welcome pets. Local parks are well maintained through Richfield's Adopt-A-Park program, which encourages community members to commit to two clean-up days a year for a given park.

Untouched landscape, a pure lake and overall natural beauty form Wilson Park, a small getaway in the southeast corner of the neighborhood. Less than a mile away, Washington Park supplies the neighborhood with a basketball court, a softball field, a football/soccer field, two tennis courts and a playground area as well as nearly a mile of paved walking and biking trails.

In the winter, the ice rinks at Roosevelt Park afford a great opportunity for some cold-weather fun. This park sits right behind the tall walls that separate the neighborhood from the busy 77th street roadway and also features a basketball court, two tennis courts, four baseball fields and a playground area.

The city of Richfield also enjoys the Wood Lake Nature Center reserve, situated in the west half of the city. Here, varying landscapes, three miles of trails and a lake provide beautiful and reliable opportunities for enjoying nature. In addition to regularly scheduled special activities and events, an annual Candlelight on Ice program takes place here on New Year's Eve.

Southeast Richfield provides an affordable option for those wishing to live in the Twin Cities metro, with a cost of living 15 percent lower than Minneapolis and 9 percent lower than the city of Richfield as a whole. Rent a one-bedroom residence in this neighborhood for $700 versus $900 in Minneapolis.

You can ride to Minneapolis's city center via public transportation for just $1.75 and grab a beer at a local pub for around $4. Local gas prices hover 6 percent lower than the national average.

The southern half of Richfield, which is comprised of Southeast and Southwest Richfield, primarily houses large-scale commercial business like Walmart, Marshalls, Dick's Sporting Goods and the headquarters of Best Buy.

For a more eclectic shopping experience, hop on Interstate 35W North and enjoy the range of independent stores operating in Uptown Minneapolis. Check out Eye of Horus for a unique selection of incense, jewelry, talismans, artwork, and books geared toward the spiritual and paranormal, fulfill all your artistry needs with the range of materials and mediums offered at Art Materials, or sort through the finely maintained vintage clothing and beautiful accessories at Via's Vintage.

In addition to the bounties of Minneapolis, the premiere mall shopping experience waits three minutes south on Interstate 494 at the Mall of America in Bloomington. Local grocery stores include Cub Foods, Aldi, Lunds & Byerly's and the Asian Direct Oriental Market. In the summer, two Richfield farmers markets take place a mile north of the neighborhood at the Veteran's Memorial Park.