Selby Ave, Summit University

When moving from Chicago to the Twin Cities, I was looking for a neighborhood with some life and strategic location and found it on Selby Avenue between Dale and Western. There are some fantastic restaurants (La Grolla, Moscow on the Hill) and bars (The Muddy Pig, Sweeney's, Happy Gnome, WA Frost) as well as several neighborhood parks within a few blocks. The Cathedral is at the end of the street and Summit and Grand Avenues are a few minutes walk.

You also have two convenient stores (one on Dale, one on Western) as well as the YWCA which has great workout facilities for a very reasonable price. For culture you have the St. Paul Curling Club that is open for anyone to stop in and watch, and a local art school which often has public showings of the student art.

For work commutes, you are very close to downtown St. Paul (#21 bus will take you there directly from Selby stops), for downtown Minneapolis or Woodbury you are under a minute's drive from 94, and for anyone heading to the airport, Mall of America or southern suburbs 35E is a two minute drive.

When I was out visiting with my family, I found this road to be a run down street. There seemed to be a handful of shops and restaurants but many closed. The neatest part of visiting this street is to see the Cathedral of St. Paul. It is stunning to check out the architecture. Very magnificent to see!!

Selby Avenue is divided into 2 sections, a struggling commercial street and a typical residential street. The commercial Selby does not thrive as it should, there are several diamonds in the rough. In between the small-time businesses that frequently change owners and names, there are some of the best restaurants in the local area. It is home to the hip pizzeria, Pizza Luce, delicious Thai food at Taste of Thailand, and several other great restaurants on this street. If you live in the area, be sure to cruise Selby and scope out the food. The restaurants are small and hardly advertise, but are an excellent secret of Saint Paul.