Eating Out

Bike to dinner: A course for your courses

The Twin Cities are regularly voted among the most bike-friendly in the country. Bicycling.com currently has us in the #1 spot although we regularly swap the prestigious ranking for second place with Portland, Oregon. Similarly, publications such as Travel and Leisure also have the Twin Cities a ... More >>

Ideal Diner remodeling and (hopefully) re-opening

When news broke in April that Ideal Diner, a Northeast Minneapolis landmark and breakfast institution, had closed, the most common response from local diners was a regretful, "I always meant to stop in there." Well folks, in a few months time you may just have your chance to intend to go there once ... More >>

La Belle Vie's sweet pea tortelli: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 3

No matter if you're rolling in a hooptie. Step inside La Belle Vie and be transported into a opulent world where every aspect of the restaurant functions at the pinnacle of fine dining.See Also:2013 Best Desserts: La Belle VieLa Belle Vie throws fabulous birthday feteThomas Keller and Bouc ... More >>

Mason's Restaurant & Barre now open in the Cowles Center

In the old Masonic Building at Hennepin and 6th, now part of the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts, a new restaurant serving sophisticated American bar food and takeaway deli sandwiches (from their M To-Go area), quietly opened earlier this month. They're doing everything from morning ... More >>

Spill the Wine's Pinterest-like perfection

The well-rounded restaurant makes the trek to Uptown and thrives

Signature Dish: Victory 44's Chef Eric Harcey

In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the fu ... More >>

Coming soon: The Buttered Tin

There's a new little bakery and breakfast spot headed for Lowertown in St. Paul. The endeavor comes from Alicia Hinze, a pastry chef who has competed on, and won Cupcake Wars, and Jen Lueck a marketing and PR professional who specializes in working with restaurants. The two are St. Pa ... More >>

Nightingale now welcomes early birds

When Nightingale opened last October, the Whitter Neighborhood rejoiced. So did all of the hungry night-owls in Uptown who finally found a really good kitchen that is open until 1 a.m. And not just good, the food and atmosphere have been very well-reviewed by everyone, including our own Emily Weiss. ... More >>

Haute Dish is turning three!

Downtown's favorite haute 'diner' celebrates their venture into mid-toddlerhood as the restaurant known for its own distinct take on Midwestern cuisine turns three-years-old this weekend. The restaurant will be celebrating with a special five-course tasting menu composed of several of their classic ... More >>

Brainstorm at Butcher & the Boar: A bigger, better drink of the week

Brainstorm Butcher & the Boar $10 "Quality over quantity" is the name of the game in fine dining, small plates and subtle taste, restraint and dainty plating. But with bold flavors and portion to sizes to match, Butcher & the Boar has us questioning whether you can't have both. With big-ticket item ... More >>

Chef Jim Christiansen has left UNION

Some tasty restaurant news broke this afternoon. Jim Christiansen, the opening chef at UNION has packed his knives and is heading towards Uptown to open his own space. Hot Dish was able to confirm the news with the chef. Here are the details:See Also:Chef Chat: Jim Christiansen Part 1, Part 2Union's ... More >>

Butcher & the Boar's pastry chef opens Black Walnut, a pop-up bakery

Though bourbon, big portions, and beer gardens may be the most talked-about attractions at Jack Riebel's Butcher & the Boar, a recent James Beard Award semi-finalist in the Best New Restaurant category, early on we also recognized there's something special going on in their pastry station. South ... More >>

Signature Dish; The Kenwood's Chef Don Saunders

In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the fu ... More >>

Pig Ate My Pizza plans to open this Friday

After remarkably short time away from the scene, the creative crew of cooks behind the nationally lauded Travail Kitchen and Amusements have announced that they're about to unleash Phase One of their ambitious expansion upon the world.

Food truck courts return to St. Paul beginning today

The sun is shining, birds are singing and stomachs are rumbling like truck generator mimics. It's time to take lunch outside and get back in touch with the curb-side dining culture. St. Paul kicks off the season in fine form with not just one, but two food truck courts.See also: Tips for new food tr ... More >>

Hello Pizza is a slice of heaven

The new Edina pizzeria boasts excellent toppings, flavorful sauce, and an A+ crust

Month in Review: Open, Closed, Coming Soon May '13

NOW OPEN Burch Steakhouse (City Pages review) Corner of Franklin & Hennepin, Minneapolis Daily Diner Frogtown (City Pages preview) 615 University Ave., St. Paul Glam Doll Donuts (City Pages review) 2605 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis Gigi's Cupcakes (City Pages coverage) 7722 Olson Memorial Highway, Gol ... More >>

Signature Dish: The Left Handed Cook's Thomas Kim

In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the fu ... More >>

Ideal Diner in Northeast: Closed

Sad news for fans of crispy hash browns: The Ideal Diner, which had originally closed under the guise of vacation, now looks to be taking a permanent vacation under owner Kevin Kelzenberg, who has run the tiny spot for 32 years. In an April 6 Facebook update, the restaurant confirmed it is closed an ... More >>

Red Cow builds buzz-worthy burgers

Loaded and stuffed is the name of the game at this new southwest Minneapolis burger joint

In Season closing for the summer, will resurface this fall

Culturally and historically, we think of spring as the time for rebirth, renewal, and re-emergence, but apparently in the Twin Cities restaurant world there's a burgeoning movement to make fall the season for cleaning out the cobwebs and debuting new concepts.  See also: Best Restaurant for Ro ... More >>

Millennium Hotel introduces new restaurant North 45° Restaurant and Bar

Downtown Minneapolis's Millennium Hotel has undergone a $22 million renovation. Part of the spruce-up includes a new restaurant and bar. They have plans to use some local purveyors and have plenty of Minnesota brews on tap. It's the cooking technique that has us raising a skeptical eyebrow.

Food Network's Ted Allen talks about Dining Out for Life

This Thursday more than 180 restaurants around the Twin Cities will take part in a national fundraiser to help raise money and awareness for the fight against HIV/AIDS. Dining Out for Life is an annual event in which restaurants from across the country donate a portion of their evening's proceeds to ... More >>

Daily Diner Frogtown: A First Look

The interior of the new Daily Diner Frogtown pops with color and art. There's a chalkboard wall with a painted mural (made to look like chalk) celebrating the surrounding community. An overhead art installation is actually a topographical map of the neighborhood. Like the room around it, the staff a ... More >>

Kangaroo hops onto the Hell's Kitchen menu

Alternative meats are starting to come back into vogue these days and Downtown Minneapolis hotspot Hell's Kitchen is hitching a ride on the alt-meat bandwagon in a big way. As of late last week the restaurant started serving kangaroo steaks as one of their regular dinner time meal options. According ... More >>

North Loop restaurant vies for liquor license, French bakery coming to downtown

We first reported about this  North Loop restaurant - then called Tangiers Eatery and Lounge - almost a year ago, but now it looks like this place is getting a few steps closer to actually opening its doors. The restaurant, now known as The Tangiers, has streamlined its name, solidified its pla ... More >>

Spill the Wine: A first look at the new location in Lyn-Lake

The late-afternoon light was spilling through the wall of windows at the new location of Spill the Wine. An early happy hour crowd had already begun to collect inside the new restaurant space at the corner of Bryant Avenue and West Lake Street. Wine glasses were softly clinking as plates were delive ... More >>

New State Fair vendor announced

Today might be cold, but one day it will be warm and we will again fight the good fight: corn dog or Pronto Pup? A sunny bit of Minnesota State Fair news was announced yesterday. Each year the valuable food vendor real estate is fought over by local purveyors both big and small. Food trucks, fine di ... More >>

Daily Diner Frogtown: Coming soon

The mix of cultures and people along the stretch of University Avenue in St. Paul has created a corridor of culinary treasures. The latest restaurant slated to open on the corner of University and Dale won't just focus on feeding the people, it will also aid those in the community who could use a he ... More >>

Rincon 38 shows that less is more

The new tapas restaurant packs a lot of flavor into small plates

Signature Dish: Barbette's chef Sarah Master

In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the fu ... More >>

The best Twin Cities bars for spirits

We distill what local watering holes serve up the best Scotch, gin, tequila, vodka, and more

Blue Plate Company plans Loose-Wiles Freehouse brewpub in North Loop

North Loop is fast becoming the hippest ticket in town. The Blue Plate Company is known for reading just what a neighborhood needs in a casual restaurant spot. This fall, the two will come together. We spoke with co-owner Stephanie Shimp and have all the hoppy details about their plans.

Minnesota restaurants want tips included in minimum wage

With the state Legislature looking to thrust Minnesota's minimum wage up to $9.25 an hour, The Minnesota Restaurant Association (MRA) is throwing its hat into the debate, suggesting that the increase could throw the hospitality industry into financial difficulties. The group is seeking exemptions fo ... More >>

Blackbird's spicy peanut noodles: 50 Favorite Dishes, no. 26

As a countdown to the Best of the Twin Cities 2013, coming April 17, the Hot Dish is serving up 50 of our favorite local dishes. So far our 50 Favorite Dishes countdown has heavily emphasized food from restaurants opened in the last year or so, but this one is more of a perennial favorite, and with ... More >>

Burch delivers the cure for your hunger

Isaac Becker's new restaurant in the old Burch Pharmacy location boasts amazing steaks, dumplings, and pizza

Men of Distinction: Knob Creek Rye

Celebrate Easter in Hell's Kitchen

.This weekend Hell's Kitchen is celebrating Easter as only Hell's Kitchen can; with a slurry of live music and food specials. On Easter Sunday, downtown Minneapolis's Hell's Kitchen is serving a special dinner event featuring live music from Minneapolis blues man Javier Matos and some holiday walley ... More >>

Signature Dish: Sanctuary's chef Patrick Atanalian

In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the fu ... More >>

Top 5 places to eat on the Mississippi: A dining guide for river rats

Believe it or not, Twin Cities, spring is coming! And as it does, an increasing number of our citizens find themselves drawn to the riverfront to watch the progress. They want to see if the geese are back, if the ice is melting, and just how loud the falls are roaring. The only thing that makes spri ... More >>

Primebar closed

Around 11:00 p.m. on Sunday night, word started getting around that Primebar in Calhoun Square was abruptly closing its doors for good. The chain, which is owned by Restaurants America, opened its Minneapolis outpost in the ill-fated space at the corner of Hennepin and Lake last summer. After a fals ... More >>

Mill City Cafe to return as the Mill NE

Wild rice pancake fans have cause for rejoicing! Last May the Mill City Cafe closed its doors but promised fans it would not be forever. The Northeast restaurant has finally found a new home and will be going by a new name. We spoke with owner Mandy Zechmeister about the new location.See also:Mill C ... More >>

Eatiply: Eat a meal, donate a meal

You decide it's time to donate to charity. So what do you do? Likely reach for your wallet or try to squeeze a couple of volunteer hours into your busy schedule. That's simple enough, but what you probably don't know is that giving back is now as easy as going out to eat. Thanks to a new local orga ... More >>

Union makes changes to dining room policy

Downtown hotspot Union has been a magnet for see-and-be-seen types since opening in November, thanks in large part to the swanky top floor dining room, with its bustling bar and retractable rooftop. The multilevel concept -- with Marquee in the basement, more formal dining in the middle level, and w ... More >>

Travail closing next month, but will resurface

Travail Kitchen and Amusements, otherwise known as Robbinsdale's crown gastronomic jewel, announced it will be closing on April 6, to the shock and dismay of many a local foodie. But don't get too down in the dumps. Travail's owners have plans to re-invent the restaurant as a two-parter (which will ... More >>

Top 15 best underrated Twin Cities hipster bars

We all know where the go-to spots are for a heavy-handed, no-nonsense rail drink, or for standard curds and tots at a table your mother wouldn't want to eat off of. In fact, sometimes, it seems like there are all too many overcrowded watering holes for the hipper set. Say you're in the mood for a be ... More >>

Seward Cafe now open until midnight, serving wine and beer

Fans of the Seward Cafe's granola ethos, colorful walls, and sprawling patio have long been disappointed by its breakfast-and-lunch-only offerings (and hours). But for the past week, people passing by the cafe's spacious Franklin Avenue corner lot have had to double take: Yes, there are lights on in ... More >>

Dishcrawl's Christine Carlson: 5 Questions

If you've done the Light Rail bar crawl or a Pedal Pub outing, you're probably familiar with the concept of progressive partying, but the appeal of something like that fades quickly after too many weekends spent on a party bus. Thankfully, an organization called Dishcrawl, which has just recently po ... More >>

Signature Dish: Lucia's chef Lucia Watson

In the search for the Twin Cities' best culinary creations, we often come across dishes that stop us mid-bite and force us to reflect on the level of thought and artistry chefs put into their work. The efforts of the chefs are often laborious, and the end results are regularly consumed before the fu ... More >>

Chef's Day Off: Where Ian Gray of the Gray House likes to eat

It's relatively rare -- maybe even a blue moon-level occasion -- for a chef, particularly one at a new restaurant, to be able to go out on the town and have someone else cook for them. So when local chefs do get a chance to get away from their own kitchens, where do they choose to eat? This Chef's D ... More >>