The Depot Rink - Minneapolis' Most Romantic Spot

Rick Nelson, Star Tribune

January 17, 2003

The Warmest Spot on Ice.

Picking the city's most romantic spot is a highly subjective activity, but right now I'm leaning toward the Depot Rink, the indoor ice oval located inside the former train shed of the lovingly restored Milwaukee Road Depot in downtown Minneapolis. The setting is certainly dramatic, particularly after dark: a vast, climate-controlled room under a giant 19th-century iron-truss canopy, with the downtown skyline twinkling in the background. Drive past it on Washington Avenue and you'll spy couples whirling hand-in-hand around the ice, like contemporary Jennifer Cavilleris and Oliver Barretts, the lovey-dovey couple from "Love Story." Well, almost.

After all those camels, salchows and Mohawks, a skater's gotta eat, right? While this part of town isn't exactly the city's dining epicenter, grabbing a decent lunch or dinner isn't impossible, if you know where to look.

There are a few on-site options. A rinkside snack bar, open when the ice is, offers standard-issue basics, from hot dogs and nachos to candy and prepackaged pizza slices. More compelling dining options lie within the adjacent Courtyard by Marriott Hotel. Charley's Restaurant offers moderately priced hotel-ish fare (appetizers, salads and panini sandwiches, all under $10, and entrees such as New York strip steak, crab cakes and pasta, all under $20) from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The adjacent Charley's Market sells ready-made noshies and beverages 24/7. The hotel's most pleasant spot is the Stone Arch Bar, a comfortable destination for a glass of wine (10 familiar by-the-glass choices), a cocktail or a snack; Charley's full menu is also available.

A nearby branch of Dunn Bros. has a definite warming-house vibe, a casual and comfortable post-skate destination. It's located in a once-crumbling two-story railroad freight house, sweetly brought back to life after years of neglect. Walk in and you instantly know you're in a java joint, thanks to the tantalizing aroma of roasting beans from the in-house roaster.

The menu's more than just coffee. There are first-rate pastries and other baked goodies from Taste of Scandinavia, bagels from Natural Ovens Bakery (and a do-it-yourself toaster) and sandwiches and pasta salads from D'Amico Catering. Hot apple cider, too. The spacious upstairs seating area features live music on Friday and Saturday nights, when the shop is open until midnight (and the rink swings until 1 a.m.). Type-A types can check their e-mail on the free Internet terminals, and the entire joint is smoke-free. My one complaint: the mean-spirited "No quarters for parking meters" sign on the cash register. How neighborly is that?

Families with kids might want to put the Old Spaghetti Factory on their Depot Rink itineraries. The Italian-American menu -- spaghetti, baked lasagna, cheese ravioli, chicken parmigiana -- is more American than Italian, but the unthreatening flavors cater to kids, and the value-driven prices -- it's easy to get out for about $7 a person -- will please grown-ups. The large, durable setting (its faux blast-from-the-past decor makes you wonder why they didn't call it Ye Olde Spaghetti Factory) and family-friendly service is another plus. An adjacent parking lot, accessed via Chicago Avenue, charges $1.

Nearby Sawatdee offers an encyclopedic menu of Thai favorites -- curries, stir fries, soups, salads -- along with wines, beers and a selection of "Sawatinis" (translation: cocktails) and a noon-hour buffet. Dinner is served until 9:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Lunch is the time to drop by Chessen's Deli & Bar, where the focus is nicely done deli, including beef brisket, pickled herring, cabbage borscht, chopped liver, pastrami and other standards. The windowless room is far from glamorous, but if you time your visit right you'll probably rub elbows with all kinds of City Hall and courthouse types breaking for lunch. Another nearby option is its more goyish cousin, Chessen's 301 Cafe, a cafe teria-style setup with daily lunch specials, a hamburger bar and pizza-by-the-slice, all inexpensive and abundantly portioned.

An additional near-the-rink dining option is on the way. Lunchtime skaters soon will be able to squelch their appetite at Eddington's, set to open soon in the Ceresota Building, a stone's throw from the Depot at 155 5th Av. S. The quick-service cafe, which specializes in soups, will be open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Depot Rink is located at Washington Av. S. and 5th Av. S. and is open daily, with weekday lunchtime skates and late-night weekend hours. Call 612-339-2253 or go to http://www.thedepotminneapolis.com/rink.htm.

Admission is $7 adults, $5 kids and seniors. Skate rental is $6. Sweethearts in search of a unique Valentine's Day outing might consider the rink's Feb. 14 nighttime skate. Twenty bucks covers admission, rental and hors d'oeuvres for two. The romantic setting is free.