The City of Northfield
Ben talks about what Northfield has to offer and highlights his favorites spots.
Ben talks about what Northfield has to offer and highlights his favorites spots.
As it turns out, Carleton is not entirely in the middle of nowhere!
In addition to being only about 45 minutes away from the Twin Cities, our campus rests snugly against (oh-so-charming) downtown Northfield. With tons of cute coffee shops, yummy restaurants, and convenient shops, the City of Northfield fully embodies quaint and relaxed small-town vibes while providing ample opportunities to have physically distanced fun off-campus.
Coffee Shops and Food
Some of my favorite study spots in Northfield include the Public Library, Little Joy Coffee, and The Hideaway. Also, at Tandem Bagels we can use the Schillers on our OneCards to load up on superb bagels or grab lunch and coffee while in town. On the outskirts of the main downtown strip, there is the Just Food Co-op and Family Fare grocery store making it easy to stock up on essentials or buy some ice cream and snacks for a movie night.
Restaurants
For some of the best Indian food you can get, Chapati is the go-to. The bar and eatery Reunion is a great option for a more upscale outing, and the Contented Cow is a classic option that offers live outdoor music and great food. Additionally, Smoqehouse, which is near the Victorian-style Archer House, offers comforting all American food, and El Triunfo has delicious burritos for a quick bite. It always feels refreshing to get out of the campus bubble once in a while, and Northfield offers a lot of restaurants for a small town.
At a population of just over 20,000, Northfield is far from being a big city but it isn’t too small either. In addition to an impressive selection of restaurants, shops, and study spots, there is also a farmers market and numerous events held throughout the year.
Right now, masks are required everywhere, and most restaurants and coffee shops offer outside seating, so I feel safe venturing into Northfield for the most part. Being only about a 5-minute walk from campus, it is also very accessible. Life feels like it slows down in Northfield and, for me, it is an ideal college town.
Ben is a Michigander and freshman at Carleton who is curious about everything but particularly interested in Psychology and Neuroscience. He also plans to study Norwegian at St. Olaf. Outside of classes, he enjoys playing Appalachian music on the mandolin, reading, cycling, and spending as much time in nature as possible. Meet the other bloggers!