South Como - Saint Paul, MN

In 1873, the city of St. Paul purchased Como Lake and decided to develop a park around that area. Now, the unrivaled Como Park offers residents and visitors to the area large green spaces, a free zoo, a Japanese garden and a gorgeous conservatory. As the park grew, South Como grew up in the blocks to the south and southwest of this iconic park.

Once a neighborhood of affluent business leaders, the neighborhood now houses an ethnically diverse population of students and families. Every year, Como Park holds a Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival for residents and visitors.

South Como houses a few restaurants, with the majority of them clustered together on Como Avenue or along Rice Street. On Como Avenue, expect to find small spots such as John's Pizza Cafe or Aesops Table, a sandwich deli and caterer.

On Rice Street, hungry residents display their "East Side Pride" by visiting Mama's Pizza. This extremely affordable pizza joint offers classic flavors on tasty thin crust pizza with a side of ranch dressing for dipping crusts. Expect to bring home leftovers.

For close to a century, residents have been exploring their spicy side at Wong's Cafe. The talented staff at this delivery and eat-in cafe make homemade crispy noodles, which provide the basis for the establishment's tasty but simple menu of dishes, including egg foo young and lo mein. Remember to pop in early, as this restaurant has really adopted Minnesota's tradition of eating dinner early.

For an evening of draft beer and bocce, head to Half Time Rec, voted one of the best bars in the Twin Cities for games. When you want to tap your feet to live jazz, visit Wilebski's Blues Saloon, where they host jazz musicians from the twin cities as well as around the country. Otherwise, locals who want to dance or hear live music typically leave South Como and travel to the busier Midway or West Seventh areas for nightlife.

Many residents choose to walk around the picturesque neighborhoods of this area and stroll down the stores on Rice Street when shopping. When ready to leave the neighborhood, Metro Transit buses take riders to both downtown areas as well as many other parts of the cities. While hailing a cab on the streets of South Como isn't usually possible, residents can easily call a taxi or contact Uber for a ride.

Cyclists take advantage of the city's many biking paths and the neighborhood's convenient location to commute to work or school. Those who prefer a leisurely bicycle ride head to the beautiful trails around Como Lake and through Como Park.

Como Park, located north of South Como, serves as St. Paul's largest park and offers residents everything from impressive green spaces for quiet picnics to bicycle trails for intense racing and exercise. The park and surrounding area also boasts a heated conservatory full of exotic plants, a public golf course, a lake for swimming and a cross-country skiing area. The park also offers annual festivals and educational opportunities for children.

Living in Como South costs about the same as living in other areas of St. Paul. However, it's important to note that the area tends to grow less expensive as you move away from Como Park and towards the east side of St. Paul. While the average one-bedroom apartment rents for $860 in St. Paul, some of the more affordably-priced complexes offer one-bedroom rentals for only $800.

At 93 percent of national average, gas is also affordable in this neighborhood, and residents can also take the bus anywhere for only $1.75. Residents who take the bus to run errands only need to pay for a single fare as long as they jump on the return bus within two and a half hours after starting their journey. Express and rush-hour fares cost up to $1.25 more, while senior, student and disabled fares cost a dollar less.

Grabbing a beer in this neighborhood is not expensive. Expect to pay around $3 to $5 for a pint, and if you really want to save cash, order a pitcher of domestic brew; these can usually be found for less than $9.

Shoppers typically do not head to the South Como neighborhood to satisfy their cravings for new things, but a few shops do exist in the neighborhood, such as the California Thrift Store and the Unique Thrift Store, both of which offer great fashionable finds on Rice Avenue. Residents who need an imported gift, a high-end educational toy, yarn, brewing supplies or other essentials head to Grand Avenue. This historic street, located south of Como South, features a range of old Victorian houses that have been converted into store fronts. Expect to find boutique clothing stores, hardware stores and unique gift shops including Bibelot and Ten Thousand Villages. Residents in need of groceries typically leave the South Como neighborhood and drive or cycle to one of the grocery stores in the surrounding areas. Residents craving organic, local fare and bulk products head to the Mississippi Market Food Co-Op, a natural member's owned grocery store in Summit-University area. Those who want to stock up on basics, conventional fare or even imported foods shop at one of the large grocery store chains located a short drive away in Midway or Roseville. On the weekends, many residents of the cities check out the farmers' markets located in downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. The abundance of nearby markets makes it easy for South Como residents to drive to a market and choose fresh fare. The Saint Paul Farmers' Market downtown offers a variety of freshly grown produce and artisan-made crafts and jewelry.