A Trip to the Newly (Re)Opened Annie’s Parlour

Graphic by Anneli Paulson

Growing up in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Annie’s Parlour was always a must-visit for my family when we were visiting relatives, going to sporting events or just happened to be near the UMN campus. However, when Annie’s announced they would be closing down due to the pandemic, it was a definite letdown for most Minnesota locals.

However, after four long years, Annie’s recently reopened and returned to the same building that much of the community has dearly missed. 

I decided to visit Annie’s for dinner with some friends, ecstatic to relive my childhood memories at the iconic diner. Luckily for us, they had just reopened the dining area after only accepting takeout orders for the first weeks of their re-emergence.

The staff were all the sweetest (almost as sweet as the milkshakes) and they managed to preserve and rebuild the nostalgia that Annie’s is notorious for. While the menu is scaled back, with only a few types of burgers, fries, and their iconic milkshakes, it was still a really great experience. 

I decided to order the California Burger, and our table shared a full order of fries as well as a wild blueberry malted milkshake. The portions were extremely generous, especially for the fries and the malt. The wild blueberry is definitely one of the more popular flavors and it’s my personal favorite!

As a longtime Annie’s fan, I am so excited that Annie’s has made a return to Dinkytown. Whether you used to be a regular or you’ve never been, I highly recommend stopping in for a meal, or even just for one of their malts!

I, for one, will definitely be visiting more frequently, especially as they get back in the swing of business! The owner of Annie’s has affirmed that they plan to re-expand their menu and reintroduce lunch hours which is super exciting. Overall Annie’s return marks a bright (and delicious) future for Dinkytown dining!