For Catholics, the season of Lent is a 40-day season to challenge yourself before Easter. Many Catholics practice some form of fasting during this time, whether that’s sacrificing small pleasures like chocolate or eating smaller meals and abstaining from meat. The tradition of avoiding meat during Lent, especially on Fridays, generated the tradition of fish fries on Fridays in church basements across the Midwest.
The Catholic Spirit compiled a list of fish fries at churches in Minnesota, which includes just one in Southwest Minneapolis: Church of the Annunciation, which has a one-time fry on March 15. According to Father Kevin McDonough of Incarnation Catholic Church on Pleasant Avenue, St. Albert’s in Longfellow is the place to go for a big fry, and he said that the priest who started their fish fry is a native to the Incarnation parish. The St. Albert’s fish fry is a favorite of McDonough’s and many of his parishioners.
To supplement the area’s lack of traditional fish fries, there are several restaurants in Southwest that serve fish on Fridays and all year. So for those abstaining from meat during Lent and anybody who wants some fried fish, here’s the list of places to get fish in Southwest Minneapolis:
Brother’s Cafe at 3450 Lyndale Ave. S, Nighthawks at 3753 Nicollet Ave., Red Cow Uptown at 2626 Hennepin Ave., Morrissey’s Irish Pub at 913 W Lake St., The Prodigal Public House at 25 E 26th St., The Lowry at 2112 Hennepin Ave. and George and the Dragon at 813 W 50th St. sell fried fish in some form.
Church of the Annunciation at 509 W 54th St. has a fish fry that is open to the public on March 15 from 5-7 p.m. Prices are $12 per adult and $40 per family. St. Albert’s fish fries are every Friday through March 22 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at 3204 E 29th St. Tickets cost $15 per adult, $7 for kids ages 6-12, and kids ages five and under eat free. Our Lady of Peace, though it isn't in Southwest, has a weekly fish fry on Fridays through Lent from 5-7 p.m. at 5435 11th St. S. Adults pay $17, seniors 62+ pay $15, and kids 3-12 cost $11.
