Market Update in Bryn Mawr Neighborhood

The Northwestern Anchor to Minneapolis’ Beautiful Chain of Lakes

Bryn Mawr Neighborhood

Bryn Mawr (pronounced /ˌbrɪnˈmɑːr/ from Welsh for “big hill”) is a neighborhood within the Calhoun-Isles community in Minneapolis. It is located directly west of downtown Minneapolis. Prior to the 1960s, the neighborhood was home to many workers of the nearby Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway yard. The railway is still very active to this day. The neighborhood is all residential, but a majority of the neighborhood is covered by parks and hiking trails. The homes line the hill up towards Theodore Wirth Park and the borders of the suburbs of Saint Louis Park and Golden Valley.

The oddly-shaped neighborhood is bound by parkland: Theodore Wirth Park to the north and west, Bassett Creek to the north, Bryn Mawr Meadows to the east, and Cedar Lake park to the south. Nearby neighborhoods to Bryn Mawr include Harrison to the north, Lowry Hill to the east, and Kenwood and Cedar-Isles-Dean to the south.

Minneapolis’ Bryn Mawr neighborhood offers outdoor fun alongside delectable dining in a friendly community with a small-town vibe.

Located just a few steps outside downtown Minneapolis, Bryn Mawr is quickly becoming my new favorite Twin Cities ‘hood. While the hustle and bustle of spots like Uptown and Lowertown (in downtown St. Paul) makes for a fun night out with friends, visiting this quaint neighborhood northwest of downtown Minneapolis is like coming home. Maybe it’s the idyllic craftsman-lined streets. Or maybe it’s the way Mother Nature is on display in more than 650 acres of natural landscape. And I can’t leave out the welcoming restaurants and cafes that call Bryn Mawr home. All in all, it’s a neighborhood worth visiting time and time again.

Check out some of my favorite things to do in Bryn Mawr.
Bassett Creek Trail: Hop on your bike and enjoy this five-mile, paved trail that hooks up with French Regional Park in Plymouth and Luce Line Regional Trail to the south.

Bryn Mawr Garden Tour: This bi-annual event gives residents and visitors alike the chance to see the many extravagant gardens around the neighborhood.

Cuppa Java: It’s not just the catchy name that makes me love this corner coffee joint. In addition to the traditional coffee beverages, you can order sandwiches, malts, beer and wine.

Sparks: Tucked into a residential area in the neighborhood, this restaurant serves up wood-fired pizzas alongside a menu of thoughtful spins on old classics. Warm up your appetite with fire roasted shishito peppers or fingerling potatoes, then dive into the gem salad, which is punctuated by a soft boiled egg and herb vinaigrette with Parmesan. For something that will stick to your ribs a little more, I recommend the shrimp gnocchi.

Theodore Wirth Park: Bryn Mawr is surrounded by nature, and nowhere is it more apparent than in this park and the adjacent Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary. Read more about all there is to explore at Theodore Wirth here.

Bryn Mawr is the northwestern anchor to Minneapolis’ beautiful chain of lakes, yet it is just minutes from shopping and business centers; a number of important historic sites; a wide variety of cultural and entertainment venues; major sports facilities; and several colleges and universities. A diversity of building styles reflects Bryn Mawr’s history, from Victorian to Tudors, colonials, bungalows, and mid-century modern.

Bryn Mawr is a neighborhood with a low crime rate and a high percentage of active voters. Residents are also fortunate to have many parks and two public schools, Bryn Mawr Community School, and Anwatin Middle School: International Baccalaureate Middle School, located right in the neighborhood.