Duluth, MN: Don’t Miss These Local Spots
If you’re travelling to Duluth, MN make sure you check out these local spots. I’m keeping a list of cool places to visit or eat at in Duluth after I test them out myself.
So grab your Blundstone’s and plaid shirts and start exploring Duluth. Seriously though, I felt a little left out because I wasn’t wearing plaid in Duluth.
- If you’re looking for a place to stay in Duluth, check out my review of Enger Lofts.
Duluth Breweries
If you’re in Duluth and are looking to enjoy a beer from one of the many Duluth breweries, it’s your lucky day. The brewery scene in Duluth is alive and well and you have lots of options. Check out my growing list of breweries below.
USRA Minor Brewing: Duluth Minnesota Breweries
USRA Minor Brewing is a great brewery in Duluth, Minnesota that I can definitely recommend. Not only do they have a cool list of beers & seltzers available to order, they have a huge outdoor patio and lots of indoor seating.
The patio has everything you want in a brewery patio like hanging lights, fire places, lots of tables and chairs spread out, a stage for a band.
You aren’t allowed to bring in any outdoor food or drinks but you can bring your pup. You can tell this is a place locals meet. They started to arrive when the work day was over.
The drink I ordered was called ‘Barbies Dream’ which was a lemon and cherry seltzer – the perfect drink for a sunny day sitting on the patio.
Bent Paddle Brewing
Next up we have Bent Paddle Brewing which is another awesome Duluth brewery in the Lincoln Park Craft District. This brewery is right across the street from Enger Lofts (my absolute favourite place to stay in Duluth).
Just like Enger Lofts, Bent Paddle Brewing is located within a historic brick building formerly known as the Enger & Olson building where they made furniture. It’s so great to see these buildings being re-imagined while preserving a part of history.
It has an incredible patio and stage for bands. They have lots of seating, hanging string lights, a covered patio area and you can even watch the live music from inside because they have large doors that can open up, if the weather allows.
Inside the vibe is cozy and welcoming. This is another Duluth brewery you can tell is frequented by locals. You can also rent out sections inside if you want to host a private event. There was a wedding party event when I was there.
They have so much live music to enjoy so make sure you check their Events Page. They also sometimes have a food truck outside which is awesome because they don’t serve food. They do allow you to order food from other local restaurants to be delivered to you at Bent Paddle.
Bent Paddle Brewing is a place the entire family can enjoy and Duluth is lucky to have this awesome place to chill out at.
Duluth Breakfast Diner
Uncle Loui’s Café
If you’re in the mood for a traditional old school diner in Duluth, check out Uncle Loui’s Café. It was obviously a popular spot among locals. Our breakfast was amazing and exactly what we were in the mood for.
I ordered the hillside breakfast sandwich and it was delicious. My husband ordered pancakes and they had three kinds of maple syrup – blueberry, cinnamon and regular. We’ve never had that many syrup options before. So good! Super nice staff and they came around a few times to fill our coffee.
Local Duluth Pizza Spots
Pizza Lucé
One of the nights of our stay at Enger Lofts in Duluth (truly such a great spot to stay) we were craving pizza. So we got pizza delivered from Pizza Lucé. All I can say is ‘incredible!’. The crust was amazing – the perfect mix of thin but not too thin loaded with toppings. As you can see we even got pickles on our pizza which was a first for me, but definitely not my last.
Local Duluth Coffee Shop
190 Coffee & Tea
190 Coffee & Tea is the coffee shop in the same building as Enger Lofts where we stayed. I’m adding it this list list of local spots in Duluth you can’t miss because even if you aren’t staying in the building, I still think it’s worth the visit.
Whether you need to get some work done or just want to sit and enjoy a delicious coffee, this is a great spot to do it. If you’re there in the summer, the large garage door type windows will be open and you can sit right there at the high top bar and bar stools.
The one thing that could’ve greatly improved my experience (and created less waste) is if they used real mugs.
Duluth Local Shops
North & Shore
North & Shore is such a lovely Duluth gift shop that allows you to shop from many Duluth makers, artists and creatives all under one roof. It’s a beautiful shop to explore and if you need to find a gift, North & Shore is the place you’ll find it.
I’m a sucker for gorgeous stationery and greeting cards and ended up finding a beautiful card (pictured here).
Duluth Pottery & Tile
I was introduced to Duluth Pottery & Tile because the mugs in the Enger Lofts units (where I stayed) were from there. Their pottery mugs are beautiful and I was so impressed with how sturdy and durable they are.
They have a retail shop that you can visit that features art and pottery from a few different local artists.
Goat Hill World Market
Goat Hill World Market is a unique local shop in Duluth that you need to visit, especially if you love all things culinary. Along with spices, pasta, and coffee they have drinkware and other decor items.
I ended up finding a stunning cobalt blue glass that I couldn’t leave behind. It’s perfect for holding my Zinnias.
Goat Hill World Market Address
Local Duluth Restaurants
OMC Smokehouse
We had a great time and great meal at OMC Smokehouse in Duluth. They have a large patio if you’re visiting in the summer months. We sat inside and love the vibe they’ve created with the exposed brick behind the bar, the old school bar ladder, and dim lighting. All in all we had a great experience at OMC Smokehouse.
One thing to note is that if you don’t pay with cash, they charge a 3.5% service charge.
I’ll keep adding to this list as I discover more local spots in Duluth you can’t miss.
