Best Places To Drink A Daiquiri In Minnesota
The Daiquiri, a popular drink of iconic writer Earnest Hemingway, and an even-more-popular drink of many a Spring Breaker, has found its way up north. While our climate only gets hot for a small part of the year, we enjoy celebrating it as much as anyone. The sweet and sour, rum-based cocktail is one of the best ways to celebrate sandy beaches and months of sunshine, and these bars won't disappoint.
Psycho Suzi's
1900 Marshall St NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 788-9069
www.psychosuzis.com
Psycho Suzi's a tiki bar where rum reigns supreme, so it seems an obvious choice for daiquiris. The pour is strong, the atmosphere lively and the food tasty to keep that hangover from grabbing hold. During the summer, Suzi's has one of the few patios in the Twin Cities on the Mississippi River. Kick back with drink in hand and enjoy a tropical vacation right here in Minneapolis. Note: Three upstairs bars, each with a slightly different theme, are open on the weekends as well.
Smalley's Caribbean Barbeque & Pirate Bar
423 Main St S
Stillwater, MN 55082
(651) 439-5375
www.smalleyscaribbeanbbq.com
Any place that adds "Pirate Bar" to their moniker should have an extensive selection of rum and rum drinks. Smalley's doesn't disappoint. Their variation of the Hemingway Daiquiri is at once tangy sour, boozy, and with just a touch of sweet that makes it a little dangerous. There's never a hotel or taxi too far away if your inner pirate came out a little too strong.
Little Tijuana
17 26th St E
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 872-0578
www.littletjs.com
A late-night joint that feels almost as lively as Mexico's popular Spring Break destination, Little T's is known for a sometimes raucous, sometimes drunken, sometimes unforgettable good time. But it's not just about getting wasted and waking up somewhere you don't recognize with someone you don't know. It's a great place to get together with friends and not worry too much about your volume while enjoying a daiquiri and an enormous plate of nachos.
Related: Ask a Minnesota Bartender: Your Best Summer Drink Recipe
The Whistling Bird
101 N. Broadway
Gilbert, MN 55741
(218) 741-5030
www.thewhistlingbird.com
The northern part of the state doesn't always get a lot of love on lists like these. But when something like The Whistling Bird pops up, it's hard not to take note. An authentic caribbean bar and restaurant in the heart of the Iron Range, the Whistling Bird's dedication to seafood and rum make it a true island escape. The Daiquiri comes blended or on the rocks, and the bright, fruity drink will instantly bring to mind the rocky shores of Negril. Then you'll look outside and realize it's not the ocean you're looking at, and that's okay too.
Ngon Vietnamese Bistro
799 University Ave W
St Paul, MN 55104
(651) 222-3301
www.ngonbistro.com
St. Paul's University Avenue is full of quality East Asian restaurants. There are only a few, however, where you can get a quality cocktail. Ngon nails both the food (their pho is some of the best), and the cocktails. The "To have and have not" is, as it says, a classic Hemingway Daiquiri made with Cedar Ridge rum, maraschino liqueur, fresh grapefruit, and lime juice. It has that addictingly sour and sweet mix that begs to be enjoyed on their patio out back.
Adrian Schramm is a resident Saint Paul writer with a passion for all things local. Through his work with Saint Paul Almanac and Minneapolis Examiner at Examiner.com, as well as in the kitchens of bars and restaurants around town, he has discovered what truly makes the Twin Cities tick.
