8 Under-the-Radar Hangouts for a Fun-Filled Weekend with the Girls

You can’t go wrong when you’re hanging out with girlfriends. Have you ever considered, though, breaking away from “the usual” (lunch date, dinner date, happy hour drinks) and trying something totally new? Read on for ideas for the perfect girls’ weekend.

Friday

Afternoon

No girls’ weekend is complete without a little slice of the upper crust. Thankfully, tea parties aren’t just for little ones and their stuffed animals. You and your best girlfriends will enjoy high tea (and pretending you’re in an episode of Downton Abbey) at the Saint Paul Hotel. Sip your way through a five-course traditional English style tea in the historic hotel’s beautiful lobby or a private room. Keep in mind that reservations are highly recommended to ensure the best experience.

Evening

After tea head across the Mississippi River into Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood for dinner and drinks at Haute Dish. At the restaurant, French technique meets Midwest grandma fare, with a kiss of kitsch. It was the first place in town to pull off fancy hot dish, an appealing upgrade to those of us who grew up on those one-dish meals. Haute Dish deconstructs the classic casserole into a sculpture of short ribs, haricots verts, house-made tater tots, and porcini béchamel in lieu of the canned cream of mushroom soup.

If you’re looking to taste several different dishes, we recommend ordering the “menu of favs.” Typically feeding two people, the menu features smaller portions, so you will have room to taste all their best dishes.

TJ Turner

WOW Bar

Saturday

Morning

Start your day off on a caffeinated note at Five Watt Coffee just south of Minneapolis’ Eat Street. Not only do they brew cups that the hardcore java geeks freak out over, but the baristas at Five Watt craft drinks that are animated with spices, bitters and rich, indulgent, creamy milk. Enjoy sipping one of their creative specialty drinks or a classic and nibble on fresh pastries delivered daily from Patisserie 46.

Afternoon

Learn the basics of cooking or refine your existing kitchen skills at Cooks of Crocus Hill. You and your girlfriends can participate in fun and educational cooking classes at one of their three locations throughout the Twin Cities (St. Paul, Edina and Stillwater). After laughing and learning and cooking and eating, check out the store for unique culinary gadgets, a wide selection of constantly changing cookbooks, and quality, high-end cookware.

After a couple hours in the kitchen, you may need a little freshening up. Visit WOW Bar for a hairstyling party. There are no cuts and no colors, just blowouts. You get to pick your preferred hairstyle from a menu, hang out with your girls in a lighthearted atmosphere, then leave feeling sassy and confident.

Evening

Brasa Premium Rotisserie is the perfect destination for a group meal. Stop in at their Northeast Minneapolis location and taste succulent slow-cooked, Creole-style comfort food. While meat is king here, they offer plenty of vegetarian-friendly options as well.

You may have heard of the new trend: A group of people locking themselves in a room and solving a mystery to get out. Sounds like a real-life game of Clue, and you can take part in the fun at Riddle Room, located just a few steps away from Brasa Premium Rotisserie. You and your girlfriends will enjoy putting your heads together to solve hidden puzzles and find clues to escape the room in one hour.

Todd Buchanan

Brasa Premium Rotisserie

Sunday

Morning

After a jam-packed weekend, it’s time to relax and enjoy a day of pampering at Ivy Spa Salon in downtown Minneapolis. Purchase one of their half-day packages for luxurious massages and body wraps, facials, aromatherapy, manicures and pedicures. And don’t forget the really soft robes.