The Kenny neighborhood is one of 9 different neighborhoods that make up Southwest Minneapolis. It’s also where we live and have for the last 20 years.
It’s a quiet neighborhood and a close knit community. Admittedly there’s not much to do in Kenny if you don’t live here but we’re in very close proximity to so many wonderful coffee shops and restaurants. Not to mention Kowalski’s Markets and South Lyndale Liquors. And we can’t forget Grass Lake. It’s a sweet little spot to get some exercise or simply enjoy nature. I used to spend hours here with the kids when they were little.
Located on the southern edge of Minneapolis. The Kenny neighborhood boundaries are 54th Street on the north, on the south Highway 62, Logan Avenue on the west, and on the east Lyndale Avenue.
The houses here are predominately one and a half story homes built from the 1930s to the 1960s with a boom between the 1950s and the 1960s. You see quite a bit of newer construction homes here as well. Mostly because people love the neighborhood but need more space.
Here are a couple examples of the different types of houses found in the Kenny neighborhood. The first one is ours so I had to share. But it’s a two story and not as abundant in Kenny as the other house styles.
Our sweet home in the Kenny neighborhood built in 1938.
This one and a half story style home is typical for the Kenny neighborhood built in the 1950’s.
The Kenny neighborhood is also home to quite a few Tudor style one and a half story homes.
And more recently more and more new construction homes like this one built by Alma Homes.
If you follow us on Instagram it’s no secret, I have a thing for pretty houses, some would say I’m obsessed. Good thing Minneapolis has a lot of pretty houses to keep happy. Here are a few of my current faves.
The front porch, the hydrangea’s, the details under the soffits, it’s all so good.
Again with the front porch and the landscaping!
I love how the window boxes match the chairs in the front yard.
This house has always been a favorite, it’s just so grand!
Yes please to the curves, the peaks and that door.
It’s no secret, we love to eat out. We also love to support the small businesses in our neighborhood. So I’m working our way through Southwest Minneapolis sharing our go to spots in each neighborhood. If you remember from my previous posts there are 9 different neighborhoods that make up Southwest Minneapolis. I started with our favorite Kingfield restaurants mostly because there are so many. But today I thought it was time to share our favorite Lynnhurst neighborhood restaurants. It’s a smaller list compared to Kingfield but I think you’ll agree, they’re both awesome.
Let’s start with George and the Dragon, this is our go to family neighborhood spot. Seriously we can’t go here without running in to at least a few people we know. It’s cozy and warm just like the staff and the food. The Ultimate Burger and the Asian Hangover are family favorites. Just be sure to call ahead because as I mentioned this really is a Lynnhurst neighborhood favorite and it fills up fast.
Next up is Terzo. Matt and I don’t typically bring the kids here mostly because we like to order a bottle of wine and sit at the bar. But we love it for some of the same reasons we love George and the Dragon. It’s cozy and warm and the staff is friendly and the food is so fantastic. Your dining experience always starts with a small bite, it’s a little bite of something spectacular on a spoon and I love it. It makes us happy and sets the tone for a wonderful dining experience.
We love living here and can’t wait to tell you why. But first a little history if you’re new to the area. The City of Minneapolis is divided into 11 communities, each containing multiple neighborhoods, with over 80 different and vibrant neighborhoods. There really is something for everyone.
9 of these neighborhoods make up Southwest Minneapolis. They are Kenny, Armatage, Fulton, Lynnhurst, Tangletown, Windom, King Field, East Harriet and Linden Hills. We live in the Kenny neighborhood and have for over 16 years.
We picked Minneapolis and our neighborhood for a variety of different reasons the first being the proximity to the Lakes and Minnehaha Creek. We love to be outside and having the Creek and the Lake within walking distance to enjoy on a daily basis is pure joy. For us and our dog.
That said our neighborhood also offers easy access to 35W and Hwy 62, which make it easy to get just about anywhere in the Twin Cities. A bonus for us as Realtors!
Next, we think our house is pretty awesome. I love how all the houses are different in Minneapolis. If you follow our Instagram account you can see why.
And finally Southwest Minneapolis is a hotbed for small, local and unique shops and restaurants. It’s probably our favorite part of living where we live. Small businesses are the backbone of our communities and we love to support them, because without them our neighborhoods would not be the same.
All the pretty houses. Tudors happen to be our favorite but there are so many amazing and different styles of homes in Southwest Minneapolis.
The food scene here is amazing. Seriously it’s so good. We’re so lucky to have had multiple James Beard winners open restaurants in our neighborhoods.
The cute shops. Looking for a unique pieces, something you just can’t find at Target, from Vintage to Modern there’s a store for you.
Minnehaha Creek. Walk, run, bike or simply sit and enjoy the beautiful views. The Creek runs through the majority of the Southwest Minneapolis neighborhoods and brings much needed recreation and enjoyment for all ages.
The Lakes; Nokomis, Harriet, Bde Maka Ska, Isles and Cedar. Each and every one is pretty awesome and unique in their own way. Enjoy a day at the beach, get some exercise, enjoy a concert or grab a quick bite to eat. The options are endless.
The Rose and Peace Gardens. These gardens are so pretty. We love to wander around and look at all the pretty flowers but it’s also a great place to have a picnic or read a book. Just don’t forget your camera.
Dog Parks. We think everyone has a dog in Minneapolis or at least it feels like it so it’s great that we have so many places to let them run. They’re also a really great place for Fido and his or her parents to make new friends.
Proximity to downtown, uptown and the U of M. No matter where you want to be, what you want to see or do you can be there in 15 minutes.
The arts. From murals to museums and galleries, our community is very creative.
The people. Turns out there are just under 50 thousand people living in Southwest Minneapolis and the majority of them are pretty great. We’ve made so many friends over the years.
One of the many reason we love living in the Kenny neighborhood of Southwest Minneapolis is the close proximity we have to so many amazing restaurants. We could head out in any direction and find a sweet neighborhood hot spot perfect for what ever we happen to be in the mood for; from date night to dinner with friends or the fam. The restaurants we’re highlighting this week are all in the Kingfield neighborhood. A hip neighborhood filled with charming old houses and a relaxed neighborhood vibe. Below in no particular order are our current favs.
Grand Cafe– First off the Grand Cafe is beautiful. Seriously one of the prettiest and most romantic restaurants in the neighborhood, from the lush plants in the front windows, to the frond wallpaper and the candle light, it has a vintage yet modern, relaxed vibe, the kind of place I could stay all night. Go here when you’re in the mood for extremely good food (order the chicken) a bottle of red and the soft and quiet conversation of your company.
Revival– I’m sure you’ve heard by now that the chicken is good here and we don’t disagree, not for a minute, but when we go we go for the burger and the Mac and Cheese. The atmosphere is light and lively and it’s always busy. Our advice be prepared to wait and go hungry.
The Lowbrow – A family friendly establishment and a family favorite of ours until the boys became teenagers and decided they would rather stay home than go out to eat with us. Thankfully kids aren’t required to eat here so we still go. When we go we love to sit at the bar, it’s lined with baseball cards or outside on the street patio, it’s lively and fun and the food always hits the spot.
Kyatchi – Sustainable sushi in a laid back non pretentious environment. A fav of our oldest who loves sushi and a win for me since they serve hot dogs. A good thing because I don’t eat anything that swims in the water. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is fun.
Small local restaurants are the backbone of our neighborhoods. Aside from their amazing menu’s they make our neighborhoods desirable by adding to the uniqueness of our communities. Sure we all love mainstream restaurants too but can you imagine what it would be like to live here with out all the charming and unique restaurants we so often take for granted? Without them our neighborhoods and our home values wouldn’t be the same. So go ahead, eat out tonight, after all it’s for the neighborhood.
Live in Southwest Minneapolis like we do? Here are our top 5 favorite neighborhood restaurants.
Terzo – This is one of our favorite places to go when it’s just the two of us. We love the atmosphere. I describe it as warm and cozy, a friendly, quiet place. If there was a fireplace behind the bar I would never leave. It’s in the Lynnhurst neighborhood of Minneapolis so it’s close and we always seem to be able to grab a seat at the bar, which we love. The owner and the entire staff are knowledgeable and just generally delightful. The food and the wine are always a hit, we haven’t had anything here we didn’t like.
Red Wagon Pizza – Located in the Armatage neighborhood this one is a family and a girlfriend favorite. My girlfriends and I like to go and meet for a glass of Red Car Rose. Matt likes the beer selection and we all like the pizza. The atmosphere is loud and friendly, the perfect place to bring the family. They have a beautiful bar, it’s seriously so pretty and the patio is one of the best in town.
George and the Dragon – The owners and the staff are what make this place tick. Oh and I guess I shouldn’t forget the food, it’s pretty darn good. The Asian Hangover is by far our favorite thing on the menu with the burgers and the Katherine (a steak salad) tied for a close second. The atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming, there’s always a familiar face greeting you at the door. This restaurant is truly a neighborhood favorite so it’s best to call ahead.
Wise Acre Eatery – Hands down the prettiest restaurant and patio in town. I could just sit for hours, sip my wine and let my eye wander from one gorgeous spot to the next. A true farm to table experience, seriously I think everything is actually grown on their farm in Plato, MN. Matt and I love to stop by for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And it’s my absolute favorite spot to meet the girls for drinks on the patio.
Grand Cafe – What can we say we love this place. They describe it as magical and well I can’t think of a better word to use. It’s French inspired and gorgeous. Seriously I think it’s one of the prettiest restaurants in the neighborhood. When Matt and I want to celebrate a special occasion or just forget about life for awhile this is where we go. I’m also a huge fan that it’s woman owned.
We’ve lived in the Kenny neighborhood of Southwest Minneapolis for 17 years. We love this neighborhood so much we moved next door. Yes we moved next door. No worries, I thought it was odd at the time too. But I’m happy we did it and I really can’t imagine living anywhere else.
The Kenny neighborhood is a quiet neighborhood at the very edge of Southwest Minneapolis. The boundaries are West 54th Street to the north, Lyndale Avenue South and Highway 121 to the east, West 62nd Street to the south, and Logan Avenue South to the west.
Homes in the Kenny neighborhood were built between the 1930s and 1950s. Bungalows dominate, but there are also two-story homes. We happen to live in one of the two-story homes with cedar siding. It’s a blue house, perched on a hill and it brings us much joy.
We love our neighbors, Kenny park, Kenny Community School, Anthony Middle School, the quick and easy access to Hwy 62, Grass Lake and the shops and restaurants at 54th and Lyndale.
If you’d like to learn more about the neighborhoods in Southwest Minneapolis or are considering a move, we’d love to chat. After living and working here for the majority of our lives. We can confidently tell you that we know the neighborhoods and understand the local market.
The following 9 neighborhoods are part of the overall community of Southwest Minneapolis; Linden Hills, East Harriet, Kingfield, Fulton, Lynnhurst, Tangletown, Armatage, Kenny, and Windom. Each neighborhood is as vibrant and unique as the people who live there and the houses they live in. In Southwest Minneapolis most of the homes were built between the 1900’s and the 1940’s and can be categorized as; Colonial Revival, Dutch Colonial, Tudor, English Tudor, Craftsman, Bungalow, Cape Cod, Victorian and Ranch or Rambler depending on where you grew up.
Each home has a variety of key features that help identify what type of home it is; year built, roof line, prominent features; center hallway, fireplace, stained glass, porch; stories or levels and materials used. With all the remodeling and new construction done over the years not every home in Southwest Minneapolis is easily identifiable or fits one style but most homes will still for the most part fit one style or another.
Learning about the different styles of the homes in Southwest Minneapolis is a highlight for us and many people who live here. The unique qualities these homes bring to our neighborhood add charm and value and keep the neighborhood a desirable place to live.
There are so many reasons we love living and working in Southwest Minneapolis. The amazing number of small businesses, local shops and restaurants are one of them. These establishments increase the demand for our homes and our overall quality of living. November 29, is Small Business Saturday, show your support to the Southwest community and shop local, shop small.
The following nine neighborhoods make up Southwest Minneapolis; Armatage, East Harriet, Fulton, Kenny, Kingfield, Linden Hills, Lynnhurst, Tangletown and Windom.
