9 Best Restaurants in Canal Park, Duluth MN

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Are you looking for a list of the best restaurants in Canal Park, Duluth that everyone in the family will love?

As the central hub of activities and restaurants in Duluth, Minnesota, Canal Park has a wide range of dining options to please the young and old alike.

Here is a list of our favorite restaurants in Canal Park that include brewpubs, fine dining, casual Tex-Mex, and handcrafted smoked fish.

We guarantee that these restaurants will be the perfect addition to your adventures in exploring Canal Park!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.

View of Canal Park from Duluth’s Lakewalk

Table of Contents

Restaurants in Canal Park, Duluth

Canal Park is a lakeside dining, entertainment, and lodging district that is the epicenter of fun and activities in Duluth, Minnesota.

Not only is Canal Park home to some of the most popular attractions in Duluth, but a plethora of exciting restaurants are located here too.

While enjoying a Duluth family vacation, most of your stay will be centered around exploring the beautiful Lake Superior by way of Canal Park and the North Shore Scenic Drive.

With that said, here’s our list of the best restaurants in Canal Park that are all conveniently located within walking distance to one another within the Canal Park district.

Additional planning tip: Parking for each of the restaurants listed in this article is available in the various open-air Canal Park Public Lots, as seen by the letter K on this map.

Each lot charges various amounts between $1/hour and $10 /day.

Oh, and psst…we love visiting Duluth so much that we’ve written several other guides to help you plan your trip!

Grandma's Saloon & Grill restaurant — Grandma’s Saloon & Grill

1. Grandma’s Saloon & Grill

Grandma’s Saloon & Grill is a legend in Canal Park and has been open since 1976.

Located at the foot of Duluth’s historic Aerial Lift Bridge, Grandma’s Saloon & Grill has the most prime location in Canal Park.

Along with its bright and colorful indoor dining areas, Grandma’s has seasonal deck dining and a rooftop lounge that offers spectacular views of Lake Superior!

Accompanied by fabulous customer service, Grandma’s serves up award-winning food including sandwiches, burgers, and house specialty pasta.

They’re also known for their awesome appetizers including nationally recognized homemade onion rings, chicken wings, and Wisconsin cheese curds.

Additional planning tip: When dining on Grandma’s rooftop patio, you’ll have a birds-eye view of the famous Aerial Lift Bridge going up and down to let ships and sailboats through.

Watching the Aerial Lift Bridge happens to be one of the best free things to do in Duluth, and one will never get tired of its sights and sounds.

2. Northern Waters Smokehaus

When you’re dining next to the largest freshwater lake in the world, why not feast on amazingly delicious handcrafted smoked fish?

As one of the best restaurants in Canal Park, Duluth, Nothern Water Smokehaus offers a wide assortment of smoked fish and meats, cheeses, olives, and gourmet sandwiches.

The most popular sandwich on the menu, the Cajun Finn, has a cult-like following of patrons who consider this a must-eat when visiting Canal Park.

Other popular sandwiches include The Cold Turkey, Cedar’s Secret, The Salmon Melt, and a Northern Bagel.

Northern Waters Smokehaus is located in the gigantic DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace building in the center of Canal Park.

It features a dining room, outdoor patio, walk-up counter, and deli, as well as mail-order and delivery options.

Interested in learning about the fish, animals, and habitats of the Great Lakes? Be sure to visit the nearby Duluth’s Great Lakes Aquarium and its interactive exhibits.

3. Canal Park Brewing Company

Canal Park Brewing Company is a locally owned industrial-chic microbrewery featuring artisanal beers and area-sourced pub food.

As one of the best breweries in Duluth, Canal Park Brewing Company is located right along Duluth’s Lakewalk and is a must-visit restaurant in Canal Park.

We love the laid-back atmosphere, huge outdoor patio with a fire pit, and classic pub food and kids menu found here.

If exploring Duluth is on your Minnesota Bucket List, be sure to drink and dine at Canal Park Brewing Company!

Little Angie's Cantina restaurant — Little Angie’s Cantina patio

4. Little Angie’s Cantina

Also located in the center of Canal Park, you can’t miss the huge outdoor patio and brightly-colored furniture that is the signature of Little Angie’s Cantina.

In true Southwest style, Little Angie’s has a fun and vibrant atmosphere along with delicious food including Tex-Mex classics such as fajitas, tacos, burritos, and enchiladas.

With both indoor and outdoor dining, Little Angie’s Cantina is a fun place to take kids, and a great place to enjoy one of the hundreds of combinations of house-specialty margaritas and mojitos.

5. Vitta Pizza

For an ultra-casual, yet delicious dining experience, Vitta Pizza is a great choice!

Vitta Pizza serves up amazing salads and 9″ wood-fired pizza made with crushed Italian tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella (Pizzas feed 1-3 people depending on how hungry you are.).

You can choose from 10 different specialty pizzas, or the popular “create your own” option if you’d like to choose your own toppings.

Simply place your order at the counter, wait for your number to be called, and dine in the indoor or outdoor seating areas.

6. Lake Avenue Restaurant & Bar

Lake Avenue Restaurant & Bar is located in the DeWitt Seitz Marketplace building next to Northern Waters Smokehaus.

They are known for their interesting (moderately fancy) menu of farm-to-table selections, as well as their delicious handcrafted cocktails and mocktails.

With excellent brunch, lunch, and dinner options, Lake Avenue is a popular choice in Canal Park and often has an hour or more wait to dine here.

7. Bellisio’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar

For an easygoing fine dining experience, Bellisio’s Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar is a go-to restaurant choice in Canal Park.

Bellisio’s serves authentic Italian dishes and house specialties that include fennel roasted rack of pork, homemade risotto, grilled steaks, shrimp, seafood, and a fresh catch feature every day.

With more than 500 wine selections (125 served by the glass!) Bellisio’s has received Wine Spectator’s prestigious “Best of Award of Excellence” every year since it opened in 1999.

A white-tablecloth experience is offered in the indoor dining room, as well as on the large outdoor patio.

8. Old Chicago

Old Chicago is a pizza + taproom franchise and has a convenient location in Canal Park.

We consider Old Chicago one of the best restaurants in Canal Park for its dependable food offerings, large dining area that is perfect for bigger groups, and for their dozens of beers on tap.

Our favorite things to order at Old Chicago are the Chicago 7 Calzone, Chicago Pesto Mac, and the Pepperoni Insanity Pizza.

Amazing Grace cafe — Amazing Grace outdoor dining

9. Amazing Grace Breakfast & Cafe

Amazing Grace is a quaint cafe plus a grocery store, loved by tourists and locals alike.

If you walk by in the morning you’ll see plenty of people relaxing with a newspaper, baked goods, and a cup of coffee while enjoying the beautiful outdoor patio.

Amazing Grace offers locally sourced made-from-scratch breakfast as well as coffee, espresso, tea, smoothies, as well as house-made muffins, and other baked goods.

Located inside the restaurant is Amazing Grace Grocery. They offer locally made, small-batch, artisan, organic and natural groceries.

Both the cafe and grocery store are accessed upon entering the main doors of the DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace building.

Other Restaurants in Canal Park

Red Lobster: American casual, seafood.
Famous Dave’s BBQ: Midwest chain, authentic BBQ.
Green Mill: American fare plus deep-dish pizza.
Cloud 9 Asian Bistro: Japanese (sushi), Chinese, and Thai dishes.
Taste of Saigon: Vietnamese cuisine, located in DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace.
Lakewalk Galley: Walk-up window (from an old wooden boat) serving burgers, hotdogs, nachos, etc.
Chachos Taqueria: Walk-up window featuring authentic tacos and tamales.

Grandma's Boxcar in Canal Park — Grandma’s Ice Cream Boxcar

Ice Cream Restaurants in Canal Park

If you’re looking for a sweet treat or a cool-down on a hot day, Canal Park is home to a great selection of ice cream shops.

You’ll definitely want to pick from at least one of these great places to stop, especially if you’re visiting Duluth with kids!

Grandma’s Ice Cream Boxcar: Legendary to Duluth! Ice cream, cones, and root beer floats.
Love Creamery: Small batch, handcrafted ice cream.
Jacq Frost: Self-serve frozen yogurt + toppings.
Cold Stone Creamery: Ice cream parlor chain.
Dairy Queen

Where to Stay in Canal Park, Duluth

Although there are other options on where to stay in Duluth, the convenience of staying within Canal Park is off the charts.

Your final selection of Canal Park Duluth hotels will be based on availability, as these popular hotels book up extremely fast during the summer months.

Each of the links below contains valuable images, descriptions, and reviews of my favorite hotels in Canal Park.

We’ve stayed at each one of these locations and recommend them time and time again. You cannot go wrong with any of these choices, as they are all within Canal Park and are just steps from the lakefront.

And our favorite, The Suites Hotel of Waterfront Plaza.

The Suites is pet-friendly and offers a complimentary hot breakfast every day. It has an amazing pool area that includes a separate kiddie pool, hot tub, and sauna.

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