When Minneapolis chef Isaac Becker (formerly of D'Amico Cucina and Café Lurcat) and his wife Nancy St. Pierre (a decade in the front of the house at Cucina) opened their homey little downtown restaurant with its cozy booths, they changed the face of fine dining in Minneapolis. First, there's... More >>

Irish fare can be bland as the misty moorlands, but that's not the case at this jam-packed Northeast chippery. (They don't take reservations, so expect to put your name on the list and then go get a drink across the street at the Peacock Lounge.) The short, affordable menu - nothing costs more... More >>

Notched your belt with all your eastern-Mediterranean cuisines, have you? Your Lebanese, Egyptian, and Syrian? But ask yourself, have you eaten Kurdish? Probably not--if you haven't been to Babani's, which looks to be the first Kurdish restaurant in the nation, a quiet corner shop where one can... More >>

The talented team at the Bachelor Farmer, assembled by brothers and co-owners Eric and Andrew Dayton, is bringing the simple sophistication of clean flavors and complex textures--like sour and chewy dried cherries, creamy and earthy duck liver pâté, and ripe, salty pistachios--and making them a... More >>

Chef Isaac Becker, who runs the 112 Eatery with his wife Nancy St. Pierre, partnered with some of the restaurateurs behind Barrio, to launch this trendy, Warehouse District pasta bar. The space exudes the relaxed luxury of a wealthy person's family cabin and even though La Grassa means "the... More >>

Barbette is an Uptown dining legend--the fries consistently win awards as the best in town, the wine list is shockingly affordable and well chosen, the food has tended to showcase fine-dining sourcing at everyday prices. Seriously, this has long been the place wine and dining professionals go... More >>

Forget all the awful tequila stories you've heard (or told)--the ones that ended hunched over the toilet, waking up in a stranger's bed, or spending the night in jail--because Barrio is out to class up the much-maligned spirit. Tim McKee and Josh Thoma, of La Belle Vie fame, partnered with... More >>

This Warehouse District pizzeria puts a big premium on its crust, which has an evenly cooked chewy/crunchy texture that's second to none. Toppings include exotic departures such as fennel sausage, and anchovies, in addition to more classic choices such as meatballs and garlic. Two people can... More >>

This husband-and-wife's labor of love has a decor--mismatched mirrors and an extensive antler collection--as eclectic as its menu. After a fire destroyed the original location, the owners reopened in bigger, sunnier digs, but retained its neighborhood hospitality and many of its clientele's... More >>

The first thing you'll probably wonder about the drinks at Bradstreet Craftshouse is why they're taking so long to make. What are they doing? Adding ingredients with eyedroppers? Actually, yes. That's because Bradstreet's bartenders treat each drink as a work of art--the Dark and Stormy looks... More >>

How can you turn Twin Cities-area farm products into the food that the food cognoscenti really, really want--namely well spiced, healthy, various, filling, affordable, and local? Chef Alex Roberts, the James Beard-nominated chef who also owns fine-dining standard-bearer Restaurant Alma,... More >>

Step right up, ladies and gents, see the miracle material molded into a hundred different spine-tingling shapes. You've seen it before, it's pasta, but you've never seen it like this: Thrill to the sight of housemade egg fettuccine with crimini mushrooms, smoked paprika and wild boar ragu. Gape... More >>

Reborn from the ashes of former fine-dining standard-bearer Restaurant Levain, Café Levain is a T-shirt casual, safe and sound little French-oriented bistro, with the emphasis on safe and sound. The French onion soup is the best in town--beefy as a steak, comforting as a quilt, and smothered... More >>

Café Maude debuted in 2007 with a simple idea: Be as chic as Chanel, as hip as a San Francisco DJ, and as affordable as T.G.I.Friday's. Sound good to you? Yeah, you and everyone else in town. If you do ever get in, some of the highlights you'll find: creative cocktails; a jewel-toned room... More >>

This mobile kitchen operated by two local culinary pros, Carrie Summer and Lisa Carlson, dispels misconceptions about mediocre street food every Saturday morning during the Mill City Farmers' Market and Sundays at the Kingfield Farmers' Market. Summer handles the sweets, and Carlson, the chef... More >>

Most of food-oriented Minneapolis was reeling when three of our biggest of our big-name restaurants closed, namely Auriga, Five, and Restaurant Levain. What to do? Where to go? Who would carry the locally sourced, local-talent train forward? Luckily, the answer was right in plain sight, at the... More >>

The first really nice, upscale, celebration-destination dinner restaurant in the recent history of East Lake Street combines an American Arts and Crafts decorating scheme, a lovely outdoor patio, an over-ambitious menu, and a wonderful bar that serves a number of imaginative, well-executed, and... More >>

D"Amico Cucina, the restaurant which spent decades at the pinnacle of luxury dining in the Twin Cities, has been reborn as D'Amico Kitchen, which presents Italian fare in a way that's hard to find in the Twin Cities-with an approach as urban and contemporary as the Chambers Hotel's chic... More >>

The standard line on the Dakota is that it has the best food of any jazz club in the country. That's got to be true, but doesn't really cover it. When there is no music playing at all, the Dakota is a very classy lunch or dinner spot. At lunch in the dining room you'll find the best salads in... More >>

Michael Fitzgerald, the executive chef at Fika, the casual cafe in the new Nelson Cultural Center at the American Swedish Institute, is turning out dishes that are as precisely executed and beautifully presented as the restaurant's clean, spare décor. Fika is named after the Swede's traditional... More >>

Landon Schoenefeld has a reputation for having a creative mind and an intense work ethic-as well as an impulsive, volatile personality. His legacy at the Bulldog NE, for starters, is one of mustard munitions, not first-rate hamburgers. But these days, Schoenefeld is leading the next wave of... More >>

In the grand tradition of emigrés who appreciate their adopted land more than the natives do, Jersey-native, French-kitchen-trained Lenny Russo is the Minnesota chef most dedicated to exploring the possibilities of a native Midwestern cuisine. The excellent wine list and respectful, peaceful... More >>

Heidi's 2.0 picks up where its predecessor left off when it was tragically destroyed by a kitchen fire. The reborn restaurant elevates the chef-driven contemporary neighborhood eatery in a way that's both artful and savvy. Chef Stewart Woodman and his wife, the namesake Heidi, earned their... More >>

The concept behind the new Icehouse was to create a fun-for-all restaurant and music venue on Eat Street, with a chef-driven menu of imaginative, elevated small plates. And they have pulled that off quite well. Small plates are the focus for late night and dinner, with dishes like gulf shrimp... More >>

Chef Don Saunders, the former proprietor of Fugaise, returns to the stove in a more inviting south Minneapolis space. The cozy, intimate dining room, which previously housed Café Maude's Armatage Room, offers a menu loosely based on what's "in season," locally and domestically, and using... More >>

A snazzy, five-table little deli right in the middle of the sweet spot of Eat Street, the Jasmine Deli is the sweet spot of choice for much of the Vietnamese community. Put a Vietnamese coffee on the table, and you'd swear you're taking an afternoon shopping break in Hanoi. Except that everyone... More >>

The Kenwood exemplifies what can happen when an old pro, in this case, award-winning chef Don Saunders, combines his classical French training and local restaurant connections with a willing ear and an open heart. Saunders has allowed his new venture to be influenced by the hopes and opinions... More >>

From the easy-on-the-pocketbook, not-so-easy-on-the-eyes Bangkok Thai deli in St. Paul, the owners have spun off Krungthep Thai in Minneapolis--a lovelier place, but with the same tasty soul. Krungthep serves the wonderful, addictive, spicy noodle dishes; slurpable, deep bowls of broth... More >>

Fine dining is often attempted, but rarely done. Why? Few and far between are the chefs with the cooking skills to design an unforgettable menu, and fewer and farther between are the cooks with the skills to pull those menus off flawlessly, all night long. Few and far between are the dining... More >>

The budget-friendly kid sister to one of the most esteemed fine-dining restaurants in Minnesota, Lucia's Bakery and Take Home is just what it sounds like: a place to get chef Lucia Watson's particular take on locally raised comfort foods, to take out. The counter-service restaurant has a dozen... More >>

D'Amico's Mexican restaurant Masa opened to the kind of reviews that kept using words like upscale and high design; words that made most people assume: expensive. Not so! Masa is really just an everyday Mexican restaurant, albeit one in a nicely polished room with some splashy cocktails. At... More >>

The busy design of Masu Sushi & Robata--bright geisha imagery, stacked up sake barrels, cartoon-like Munny dolls, and even a mini pachinko parlor--replicates the energetic rush of urban Japanese culture. But the restaurant's concept is actually much simpler than its flamboyant decor: join... More >>

St. Paul chef Russell Klein (formerly of W.A. Frost) and his wife, Desta (who worked as a banquet captain at Frost), operate the classiest restaurant in downtown St. Paul. Their brasserie, in the charming Hamm Building in what was once the home of A Rebours, is named after an American wine made... More >>

The pot roast at the Modern is the stuff of legend. The fries and breakfasts are tops, too. And the fact that you can get beer and wine? That's the sprinkles on top of the cherry on top of the whipped cream on top of the sundae. Is the Modern the absolute perfect definitive postmodern diner?... More >>

If Ikea sold kits for neighborhood Japanese restaurants, Obento-Ya could be its floor model. The room's design is as boxy as a vintage Volvo, its modern, minimalist look reinforced by the long, straight lines of the bamboo laminate booths, the sushi counter, and the dangling teardrop lights.... More >>

A sidecar, clams casino, lobster thermidor, and thou--is this Miami Beach in 1958? Close, with the same deco-echoing architecture of fanciful fun and many of those classic American hotel dishes. The only difference is that here the freshness of the fish relies on airlines, not proximity to the... More >>

Fold yourself into a chair at Origami if you want to try what many agree is the best sushi in the state, and order the omakase. What's that? It's when you establish some kind of rapport with the sushi chef, and give him carte blanche to put together a meal for you. (You can specify a price... More >>

In France, the term "patisserie" may be legally used only by a bakery that employs a licensed maître ptissier, or master pastry chef. At this ambitious Kingfield bakery, that role would be filled by the shop's owner, John Kraus, who was most recently an instructor at the French Pastry School in... More >>

After spending the past several years cooking for other people, Doug Flicker, the chef-partner of the late, lamented Auriga is now cooking at his own wee little 36-table restaurant. Piccolo presents a dining style new to the Twin Cities of a mini-entrée menu we've been hard-pressed to name:... More >>

The best seats at Pizzeria Lola are those at the bar, which offer a view into the fiery mouth of the restaurant's iconic, copper-clad oven. One could spend hours watching the oven master add pies and logs as the coals glow orange and the pizza cheese bubbles. The rest of the former Xerxes... More >>

Eat and drink enough at Alma and you'll earn a virtual master's degree in contemporary food and wine. Chef Alex Roberts, a veteran of such white-hot New York City kitchens as Bouley, Union Square Café, and the Gramercy Tavern, builds dishes around strong flavors, painstaking prep work, and... More >>

Say you love a good street-cart falafel, exploding with onions, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and leaving a trail of creamy yogurt dressing dripping down your wrist. Say you make weekly trips to Holy Land to stock up on pita, hummus, tabouli, and stuffed grape leaves. What do you do when you want to... More >>

James Beard Award-winning chef Tim McKee took over the Guthrie's first-floor restaurant space and transformed it into a sustainable seafood eatery that's quickly become among the best places to dine in the Twin Cities. Erik Anderson's cooking is a marvel--flavor pairings pop and textures... More >>

Sea Salt is a consternating force in the life of Twin Cities fish lovers. On the one hand, it's got the best fresh fish in town, like oysters shucked as you watch, which taste chilly, silky, fresh, and briny as ocean mornings. Like fried haddock baskets offering fish fillets so crisp they snap;... More >>

The Twin Cities were forever changed the fateful night that this four-story tapas bar opened in the middle of downtown. It wasn't just the Gaudi-inspired architecture with all that Barcelona style that changed Minnesota. And it wasn't just that Solera has probably this country's best sherry... More >>

People who take their diet seriously have a friend in Spoonriver owner Brenda Langton: Vegetables, and specifically locally grown, organic vegetables, are the root of most of her dishes, and cream, butter, sweeteners and oil are only garnishes. Even without the prop of fat, many of the dishes... More >>

This cheekily named meat-and-fish joint is the sophomore venture from two of the founders of the Town Talk Diner in Minneapolis, so expect a similarly playful attitude. The dark, clubby digs inside a historic Dayton's Bluff building recall St. Paul's gangster days and make it a perfect spot to... More >>

Homestyle, cheap, and elegant are not usually qualities you'll find served simultaneously in life, unless you're at St. Paul's Tanpopo, a Japanese restaurant where you can find those very things in a single bento box. Homestyle chunks of elegant, buttery looking broiled mackerel, next to... More >>

After a career working for several of the Twin Cities' most notable restaurateurs and running some seriously ambitious kitchens at Restaurant Levain and Porter & Frye, chef Steven Brown finally has his own digs. To retain an accessible vibe, his 14-table Tilia doesn't take reservations, so you... More >>

Think of Harvey McLain's Tosca as the Italian version of his Café Levain (he also owns the Turtle Bread empire): both hit the sweet spot between upscale and casual, restaurants that feel special enough to celebrate a birthday, but not too extravagant for a weeknight supper. Tosca's kitchen... More >>

Travail Kitchen and Amusements is the best thing to happen to the northern suburbs in quite some time. Chefs James Winberg and Mike Brown, two Porter & Frye alumni who drew notice for their innovative gastropub fare at Victory 44, finally have their own place. It's named in homage to their... More >>

Erick Harcey, formerly of the Nicollet Island Inn, has turned his fine-dining chops towards gastropub fare in the former home of Sauced in North Minneapolis. The menu includes such English pub delights as fish 'n chips with expert crunchiness and Scotch eggs that are the closest thing to a... More >>

It looks as placid as a museum, but things go on behind the ceiling-height windows of Vincent that are terribly, terribly intriguing. Trout fillets, crisped till you expect to hear them crack if touched by a fork, recline decadently on smoky beds of bacon, leeks, and chanterelles; tripe stew... More >>

This quirky little restaurant in the basement of a St. Paul apartment building is now in its second incarnation, after one of the waitresses bought the place from the former owners. The ribs are a must-order--they're the baby-got-back of baby back ribs--as is the roasted garlic appetizer with... More >>

Blue Plate group, which also owns the Edina, Highland, and Longfellow Grills, and the Groveland Tap, does its best to make Maple Grove feel like a neighborhood. 3 Squares most closely resembles the Edina Grill--the two have the same menu--but with dowdier decor. Squares' fare, like Edina's, is... More >>

This little café with a big heart brings laid-back scratch-cooking to downtown Excelsior. The kitchen serves simple-but-tasty soups, sandwiches, salads, and baked goods, along with a nice selection of coffee drinks, wine, and beer. Plus, there's patio seating and live music for when you want to... More >>

As one of the dueling "original" Jucy Lucy restaurants (5-8 uses the "i" in its Juicy), you'd expect the 5-8 Club to offer a classic rendition. And so it does, serving up a large, competent patty stuffed with plentiful (if not terribly flavorful) American cheese. The onions are a stringy,... More >>

Just four days after Edina's most iconic restaurant, the 38-year-old Pearson's, shut its doors, the 50th Street Cafe opened in its place. Needless to say, little about the vintage decor was changed. The booths are still wrapped in quilted vinyl, the tabletops laminated with Formica, and the... More >>

This Bloomington buffet aims to be more than just a Chinese restaurant; it also ambitiously offers 16 kinds of sushi. Skip the sushi. It doesn't taste fresh, it doesn't taste like fish, and it doesn't in any way satisfy that primal longing for sushi that fans are occasionally struck by. That... More >>

Wander into this extremely plain-looking Como Park deli and you will find yourself in a wonderland of lovingly crafted Palestinian treats, all made by Bishara and Izabelle Ailabouni, who are basically the Palestinian Christian Arab grandparents you wish you had. The Ailabounis make everything... More >>

The former general manager and executive chef of Uptown's Campiello opened their own spot, Acqua Restaurant-water, in Italian-on the shores of White Bear Lake. The old Wolfgang's Waterfront Bistro still feels rather like a bed and breakfast, with two dining rooms containing just nine tables.... More >>

Frozen custard is one of those cult-favorite foods that spawns fierce devotion on the part of the initiated. That's why this lakeside custard stand draws crowds nearly all year. Yeah, they're closed in very deepest winter, but if you can sell ice cream to Minnesotans in March, you must be doing... More >>

Sushi purists-those who won't be satisfied with a Japanese meal that doesn't involve roundtrip airfare to Tokyo-will view Aji with the same disdain they reserve for the ignorant masses who mix green-colored horseradish straight into their soy sauce. But for less-discerning diners whose sushi... More >>

A red-sauce southern Italian restaurant with some lovely golden lighting, miles of seating, and a few contemporary non-Italian restaurant treats, Al Vento is as popular among Minneapolis's south siders as kids, dogs, and televisions. And who can blame them? The Caesar salad is as perky as a... More >>

This splashy Hennepin Avenue Thai eatery is among the new wave of gentrifying ethnic eateries. They serve the same Thai standards as most of their competitors, but the decorative wood carvings and gold statues and the full bar give the place a hipper ambiance. More >>

American Burger Bar feels almost too classy a place in which to eat with your hands. Located in the longtime home of Gallivan's in downtown St. Paul, which was most recently Matty B's, the Burger Bar is a more upscale sibling of the owners' American Burger Emporium in Woodbury. The kitchen... More >>

Authentic Italian cooking in a cozy, 50th and France storefront that's intimate enough for a romantic dinner, yet relaxed enough for a family meal. Gnocchi and Neapolitan pizzas are favorites. More >>

The big-splash restaurant of 2007, B.A.N.K. is something of a conundrum. On the one hand, it's physically the most gorgeous restaurant in Minnesota--the machine-age luxury of the former Farmers and Mechanics Bank is nothing short of heart-stopping and breathtaking: With its acres of teak and... More >>

Ba-Gu, situated in the pretty Tudor neighborhood just north of Minnehaha Creek, is a stylish, serene jewelbox of a restaurant with modern steel art on the walls and chairs upholstered in silky ruby, amethyst, and coral fabrics. It offers everything you'd want in a neighborhood Japanese... More >>

Pancakes have certain curative powers: to quell hunger, to soothe a broken heart over a gossipy brunch, and to help soak up the toxins from a legendary evening. They hold within their tenderly crusted surfaces a warm, buttery center of comfort that recalls one's childhood security blanket. For... More >>

A cheapskate's hall of famer, the Baja Sol is that rare place where you can consume fresh, vibrant, lively food and walk out the door having spent less than $6. Tacos, burritos, fajitas, and quesadillas, all made with fresh tortillas, are the foundation at these cafeteria-style cafés. But the... More >>

This inconspicuous, lowbrow, dead cheap little neighborhood bakery is actually run by a former pastry chef from the Plaza Hotel in New York--and the pastries are dazzling. The lemon bars are golden squares of French lemon tart, so full of butter they project a certain glowing luminescence and... More >>

A historic diner that was made by a grain-bin manufacturer, a community hub on the edge of legendarily community-lite downtown, a grill-and-go diner run by the name-brand chef who put Café Solo on the map-the Band Box has more contradiction about it than any other 24-seat diner in the state.... More >>

If you mix them, they will come! Bar Abilene has proved this, building an almost cult-like following with their 16-ounce margaritas made with fresh juices and top-shelf tequilas. Truly, people drive in from the farthest corners of the metro area for these jewel-bright drinks made from some 90... More >>

This unprepossessing Grand Avenue house is our local Casablanca, our outpost of sunny Moroccan flavors, Tunisian spices, and casual Provençal style. Skip the tired standard menu items in favor of fantastic specials like b'steeya, a Moroccan dish of shredded chicken in a slow-cooked custard... More >>

The Barrio Truck doesn't offer the long list of tequila that the bricks-and-mortar stores do, but it serves some of the restaurants' same chef-driven Latin street food, including the carnitas and lengua tacos, plus several wheels-only exclusives. The street-only options include a hefty barbacoa... More >>

Three words: house-cured pastrami. This tasty, salty meat is one of the stars of the menu at Be'wiched, and it's about time it got here. The Twin Cities have never exactly excelled at the deli thing: Until recently, our best delis were the ones flying ingredients in from New York. Here to... More >>

Like a Prada-clad sophisticate roaming around with a purse jammed full of Twinkies and Gummi Bears, Bev's Wine Bar is a charming study in contradictions. The place has a gorgeous view of soaring Minneapolis, a prettily modern and understated decor, a lovely beer list, accommodating service, a... More >>

This charming, Italian eatery is tucked into a historic storefront in downtown Excelsior. With such classic dishes as beef carpaccio, ravioli, and pan-roasted boar chops, it's one of the best places to dine in the western suburbs. More >>

Forgive them their cheesy lingo, and their "My Favorite Muffin Muffins" (You mean your favorite muffins, or my favorite muffins?! Break for hilarious laughter, flavored coffee, those special moments only best friends share; add more muffins; repeat.) If you can get past that, please note that... More >>

Fancy pan-Asian cuisine with gourmet ingredients--like shiitake mushrooms and daily-fresh noodles--for less than $10? No wonder these mall spots inspire two-hour waits on the weekends. Sure it's a chain, but the truth is they just do what they do really well: first-class components, thrown... More >>

To combine his interests in baking and cycling, in 2008 Belgian native Olivier Vrambout opened the Bikery in Stillwater as a hybrid cycle shop and café. He opened a second outpost, the Bikery du Nord, in downtown Marine on St. Croix a couple years later. Du Nord combines a coffee shop with bike... More >>

Birch's roadside supper club on Highway 12 in Long Lake serves younger diners in baseball caps and tank tops who look like they just hopped off their Harleys, alongside older patrons in khakis and sweaters who look like they just docked their yachts. Burt Joseph, a Minneapolis caterer, took... More >>

From the minty-fresh, funky-Fifties dining area to the healthy, hand-hewn foods dished up from behind the cafeteria line, there's nothing about this Seward coffee shop and casual restaurant that isn't smart. Intelligent. Well-considered. Insightful, even. It's a place that embodies the idea... More >>

Name one other place, one other place on the whole of planet Earth, where a gnome mural, matjes herring, and a Richard Avedon photo marked with bullet holes exist under the same roof. Really, the Black Forest is one-of-a-kind and beloved because of it--that, and the big, beautiful beer garden... More >>

With a menu driven by Jucy Lucys and all manner of fried goods (green beans, cheese curds, Spam bites, etc.), the Blue Door Pub is low on pretense but high on creativity and passion. The menu is dominated by scratch-made pub grub that puts a premium on quality and taste, and the atmosphere is... More >>

Modern humans evolved in Ethiopia, but what did our distant ancestors eat? Possibly something like injera, a fermented flatbread made from one of the earliest cultivated grains, called teff. At the Blue Nile, a large restaurant that often has live music and dancing in the attached bar, a big... More >>

The standard joke at the Blue Point is that you'll be so dazzled by the phenomenal seafood selection, you'd swear that lake across the street was in fact an ocean. An oyster bar offers at least half a dozen selections and each day brings half a dozen fresh-catch selections. This is no mere... More >>

Restaurateur Dean Vlahos, founder of the Champps chain, is famously connected, and his Redstone restaurants have become places for the wealthy to relax when they're not at the country club. Vlahos has even been called the de-facto mayor of Minnetonka, because he seems to know everyone. His... More >>

The Cities' longest-lived Mexican restaurant is also one of its most beloved, not so much because the standard American-Mexican menu is that radically different from others in town--though the spicy guisado chipotle, a pork stew with nopalitos (sliced cactus) is a treat--but because the... More >>

A favorite of downtown office workers--lines queue into the hallway for the lunchtime buffet--Bombay Bistro focuses on traditional North Indian cooking. The ambiance feels rather like a hotel banquet room, but the large menu and affordable prices have made Bombay popular enough to add a second... More >>

This cute little Selby Avenue café specializes in fresh breakfast basics, sandwiches, and salads. Save room for dessert, as they come from the owner's neighboring bakery, Piece of Cake. More >>

Until a few years ago, Minneapolis treated its park concessions like those of airports and stadiums: With a captive audience, there was little competition, and little reason to innovate. Following the lead of Tin Fish at Lake Calhoun and Sea Salt in Minnehaha Park, restaurateurs Kim and Kari... More >>

Brianno's is an Italian-American takeout deli with all the heart and soul of a Jersey cop, and sandwiches that aren't too much smaller than such Garden State flatfoots. For example, the eggplant parmigiana sandwich, which is, in a word, staggering: To make it, thin slices of eggplant are... More >>

Situated across from Peavey Plaza and Orchestra Hall, Brit's Pub is one of the best destinations for drinking and socializing on Nicollet Mall. The warmer months accommodate a popular patio, lawn bowling, and rooftop bar, while year-round entertainment options include weekly pub quizzes,... More >>

Back in the dark days of the early 1980s, visionaries Tom and Molly Broder founded a fragrant little empire of handmade pastas, imported olive oils, olives, cheeses, meats, vinegars, and other high-quality imported ingredients. Local gourmets were exceedingly pleased. But when they added spicy,... More >>

From the outside, the Brookside looks like it belongs in Bavaria, with its beautiful carved wood facade. But inside, it's your basic American bar and grill operating in a building that originally housed a creamery--the small brook that, believe it or not, actually runs through the building's... More >>

If pickles and pastrami thrill you to the core, you probably already know about Brothers. But if you don't, settle in for a quick history lesson: This bright restaurant perching in the skyway is the latest incarnation of a Minnesota institution, run by the Burstein family for more than 80... More >>

If you live in the delivery area of Bryn Mawr Pizza and Deli, consider yourself blessed, for some of the best sandwiches in town are only a phone call away. The pizzas are good, and very vegetarian-friendly; more interestingly, the salads here are bizarrely fantastic. The spinach salad with... More >>

Buca is the Cities' least-escapable restaurant because they handle big parties economically and efficiently, and the food is really pretty good. Old hands learn to ally themselves with like-minded friends and occupy a corner of the table where the rich and spicy Linguini Frutti di Mare (full of... More >>

The Bulldog is big old bar-bar, the kind of place with napkin dispensers on the tables and hockey on the TVs, which also has steak tartare, house-made terrine, and elegant salads on the menu. Burgers are made with kobe beef, and the fresh, square-cut fries that arrive with the burger are as... More >>

Humans have weird superstitions about food, as any rhinoceros without his horn can tell you. However, ration and practical skepticism notwithstanding, please know that the Chicago Beef at Bulldog kills hangovers dead. Dead! No one knows why. Is it the steamy beef? The hot giardinera, all fire,... More >>

The burger concept from Parasole-the restaurateurs behind Manny's, Salut, and Chino Latino, among others-anchors the east end of the Calhoun Commons shopping mall and has made the former Applebee's space more modern and appealing, with its black-and-orange color scheme and sleek-looking bar.... More >>

Moe Sharif, owner of the Downtowner Woodfire Grill on West Seventh Street in St. Paul, has filled the restaurant site he owns across the street, just two blocks from the Xcel center. The space has some nice assets--among them its enormous patio--but has still managed to churned through several... More >>

Neighborhood bar known for its large beer list--dozens of hard-to-find drafts come from as close as Wisconsin and as far as Belgium. Better-than-average bar food includes bison burgers and homemade salt-and-vinegar potato chips. More >>

Filippo Caffari, former executive chef at I Nonni, took over the former home of Fugaise and turned it into an Italian trattoria serving a whole flock of various of chicken wings. Caffari spent several decades working as a master butcher in Rome, so Butcher Block's menu is unsurprisingly... More >>

Butter is your typical south Minneapolis café/coffee shop, with the standard plates of eggs and ho-hum biscuits and gravy. What makes Butter special is its éclairs, which were introduced to the Kingfield neighborhood back when the space was Sweetski's Bakery. Their delicate pastry shells are... More >>

Upon first impression, the C.C. Club appears to be just a typical sports-bar-style dive joint. However, after spending just moments inside, you'll notice a young, trendy, energetic crowd that frequents the bar to enjoy its comfortable, informal and entertaining vibe. The booths sport pleather,... More >>

Café Lurcat and Bar Lurcat are conjoined twins covering substantial acreage halfway between Uptown and downtown on Minneapolis's beautiful Loring Park, across from the Walker Art Center's famed sculpture garden. The restaurant serves artisanal American bistro fare such as a lush salmon tartare... More >>

The sister restaurant to El Meson and Indio serves Latin fusion fare in a tastefully decorated, light-filled dining room. While some of the entrees are hit-or-miss, neighbors have been known to gab for hours over glasses of wine and stellar appetizers like the queso fundido and tamales. More >>

When the Truong family, owners of Jasmine Deli and Jasmine 26, opened Café Kem at 26th and Nicollet-their fourth restaurant, and their third one within as many blocks-they asserted their stature as a local Vietnamese restaurant dynasty. Café Kem is the most youthful of the three, a coffee... More >>

The saddle of glossy caramel. The big, smiling pecans. The moonless-midnight black chocolate cake. Yeah, there are probably some people who go to this giant, cafeteria-style restaurant for the coffee drinks, the wine and beer, the salads, the sandwiches, the breads, the pizzas, the... More >>

Cafe 28 has more going for it than just its charming space: a historic fire house with lots of pretty wood and big windows and an actual fire pole. They make a great pork adobo with naturally raised meat, pillowy gnocchi, and tasty tuna melts, in addition to serving a bang-up brunch and... More >>

We've got money, yes we do, we've got money, how 'bout you!? Muuuuunicipal bonds! Cheer like that when you walk in to Old Money World-themed steakhouse Capital Grille, and you'll be deserving of the bounty that descends: real aged steaks, the best clam chowder in town, absolutely extraordinary... More >>

Puerto Rico native Tony Panelli and Caribe (pronounced ca-REE-bay) chef/owner didn't grow up eating doubles, the famous Caribbean street snack, but the guy must be a quick study. The bread, or bara, is golden with turmeric and tastes like a cross between fry bread, roti, and naan. The... More >>

Frog's legs and Vin du Pays, frites and aioli, escargot and pot de crème--this duskily lit Provencal cavern of a restaurant serves everything you love from the garlic-and-passion tradition of French life, and does it under-budget, cheerfully, and well. Escargot are plump as grapes and bathed in... More >>

When it comes to authentic deli fare, Cecil's is the place, from the potato latkes on the griddle to the celery soda in the refrigerator case. Cecil & Faye Glickman established the delicatessen in 1949 (they later added the family-friendly restaurant in back) and the operation is still... More >>

Chai's Thai is tucked into a tiny, cute-as-a-button West Bank storefront whose ambiance is nicer than its student-budget prices might suggest. The noodle dishes are good and the curries even better; sometimes they serve pumpkin curry in a carved-out squash shell. More >>

There are dreams you never knew you had, like the dream of being instantly transported to the best basement in town, circa 1983, where you can play Atari in television/lounge-chair/couch pits. Don't you wish Mom would have brought you craft-brewed ale and a basket of fries while you crouched in... More >>

At Cheeky Monkey, the sandwich is king. And several of its offerings are good enough to elevate the humble, handheld snack out of its lowly lunch-bucket to take its place at the dinner table. Onetime Zander cook Matt McArthur heads the kitchen at this cheerful, affordable, self-service eatery... More >>

Hidden in the back of Calhoun Square, Chiang Mai Thai is one of the least likely of all possible restaurants: a stylish, contemporary northern-Thai spice rainbow featuring a wine list to make California collectors swoon. This treat is the product of owner Charles Lodge, who believes that his... More >>

The former Charly's Polleria has gone Ecuadorian, spiffed up by a few photos and hand-woven cloths and, on occasion, live flute-and-guitar folk music. The tasty llapingachos, which resemble cheese-filled mashed-potato pancakes, are as good as the patacones, green plantains that have been... More >>

If you're a hot enough country, you're cool enough to have your cuisine represented at red-hot Chino Latino-Mexico, Thailand, Jamaica, Polynesia, Korea, take a bow, you're in! And if you're hot enough to sip powerful, fruity, yummy drinks in a dazzling sort of red-toned Blade Runner sequel of a... More >>

Are you from Chicago? Are you dying to talk to someone about the Bears? Do you have a deep and haunting fear that your child may grow up not being able to tell a Maxwell Street Polish from a sport pepper? If any or all apply, head on down to Chris and Rob's (formerly Joey D's), a dog-and-beef... More >>

The St. Paul Christos (closed for renovations until December 2011) has one of the most fabulous of all restaurant spaces. Seated high on a platform in the middle of the soaring, neoclassical train depot, one expects Mel Gibson to hurry through with a briefcase of cash, or some French... More >>

Minnesota's first butcher shop specializing in the products from local family farms that are ethically and environmentally responsible, Clancey's is truly a gem. Stop here for some of the best ingredients available, honest, in the whole darn country. Clancey's owner, Kristin Tombers, has deeply... More >>

With its red-and-black color scheme and bull-themed decor, Cocina del Barrio in downtown Edina looks a lot like its sister tequila bars in downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul, right down to the gothic candelabra drowning in drippy white wax. But the third of Ryan Burnet and Tim Rooney's Barrios... More >>

Authentic Ecuadorian cuisine joins the growing Mexican/Latin restaurant row on Eat Street's southern stretch. Tables are filled with a largely Latin clientele and the melodramatic music videos feature Spanish songs. Cocina offers the standard tacos and arepas, plus harder-to-find fare like... More >>

Cocoa & Fig makes scones, brioche, and chocolate bouchons, macarons, carrot cake sandwich cookies, and quiche, but it's best known for its cupcakes, which are among the best in the Twin Cities. While the cupcake's cake is uniformly excellent, what truly distinguishes the sugary treats is their... More >>

The ironically named Colossal Cafe--the place can't have more than a dozen chairs--offers several light, fresh, and novel approaches to what can otherwise be the heaviest meal of the day. The rich and substantial apple, walnut, and brie flappers are things of wonder-fluffy and elegant without... More >>

Sure, coffee is a staple for those looking to get some work done fast. But for lower-key job duties or term papers, sometimes you just want a pint. When you want to do some less high-maintenance thinking, Common Roots Cafe fulfills those needs. A cute spot with community in mind, the new-ish... More >>

Happy Days has led us to believe it was conventional in the 1950s to have endless access to real ice-cream malts, real handmade burgers, real golden fries, real neon out front, and real crowds inside--and the Convention Grill fulfills these conventions enthusiastically and well. More >>

The fare at Kieran Folliard's St. Louis Park pub is generally boorish, aside from the tasty fish and chips and the knockout tomato soup, but the space is pretty and the taps fast-flowing with UK beers. More >>

Where the cheap meet to eat elite treats. Well, maybe we're not cheap, exactly, but we're thrifty. We know that we can walk into Cossetta with a date on our arm and a pair of sawbucks in our pockets, get slices of pizza enlivened by spicy sauce, salads full of oil-cured olives and zingy... More >>

With its combination of American fare and sushi, and hip-but-casual ambiance, Crave is a likeable, popular spot: Applebee's for yuppies. The sushi is good--try the crispy rice cakes piled with spicy tuna--as are the lunchtime soups and sandwiches, though the dinner entrees tend to be pricey and... More >>

Crema is one of the most creative and original bits of Minnesota food life. So why do you think it's merely an ice-cream shop that closes in the winter? It doesn't, in fact. Nowadays it's open year-round, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with the coffee drinks and ice cream. That food... More >>

Nicole and Meerwais Azizi's bakery and counter-service restaurant offers what is inarguably the Twin Cities' finest Afghan pizza. Order one and you'll receive a groaning platter spilling over with a vast slab of pillowy roasted Afghan bread glazed with a light tomato sauce and smothered with a... More >>

The Crystal Bistro is known to regulars as Hadi's place, for the owner is always on the floor, recommending the lentil soup his wife makes, the pasta dumplings his mother is famous for, the hot sauce his little son slurps up like soup. The bistro is just that kind of family place: Here's where... More >>

Have you been good? Very good? If not, you'd better clean your room and find some old lady to help across the street so that someone will buy you something from Cupcake, the new, stylish University Avenue coffee shop and bakery. Don't know which of Cupcake's 30-some cupcakes to try? How about... More >>

The bright orange van parked along Nicollet Mall doesn't look that conspicuous until you notice the cartoon cupcakes painted on its exterior, and the small tray mounted on its hood to hold the coffee fixings. The vehicle comes from St. Paul's Cupcake cafe on University Avenue and usually... More >>

This casual family restaurant doesn't seem to have changed over the course of its 60 years of doing business. Despite the Irish name and heritage, it boasts an all-American menu: Think hamburgers, spaghetti and meatballs, and pot roast. Solid, reassuring execution of Midwestern favorites makes... More >>

Curry 'n' Noodles distinguishes itself from the typical Indian restaurant for its menu's geographic depth: There are northern-style kebabs and southern-style curries, along with Indo-Chinese dishes of the east not commonly seen at the average American Punjabi-focused eatery. Some of these... More >>

Need bread and Parmesan for dinner? To D'Amico, for an airy ciabatta and a chunk of imported reggiano. Dog ate your birthday cake? To D'Amico for a lush chocolate-mascarpone torta! On a diet? Green salad! Dispirited? Coffee! Getting married? Catering! No wonder these things are spreading across... More >>

The owners of Nala Pak take Indian food upscale, both in ambiance (it's in the former home of Willie's Wine Bar in downtown Minneapolis) and fare. The wide-reaching menu includes everything from snack foods found in India's streets to Continental-style fare served in its fancy hotels. It... More >>

Weather permitting, the bright yellow truck stationed outside the IDS center on Nicollet Mall serves sandwiches--BLTs, grilled cheese with cabbage slaw, and smoked chicken apple chutney, for example--salads, and homemade sodas. More >>

When you want to rid the earth of some zombies, ride a faux snowmobile through flaming skies, drink insane shooters made with Red Bull and every DuKuyper flavored alcohol imaginable, there's only one spot in the metro to go: Dave & Buster's. Granted, it's not for people who believe the first... More >>

First Avenue is still a place a teenager might feel reluctant to let her mother survey before dropping her off for a concert, but its bar-restaurant, the Depot, looks squeaky enough to belong in a suburban shopping mall. The space feels rather cavernous and kind of generic, save for the... More >>

The former Cesare's Wine Bar's new name, Domacin (pronounced DOME-ah-chin), is a Serbian term for a congenial host, and it may be the Stillwater restaurant's most noticeable change--and that's probably a good thing. The cute, boxy dining room has a long bar, wide rows of windows, and a cozy... More >>

There are a lot of reasons to stop into Dominguez Family Restaurant, from the bottomless chips and salsa served toasty warm to the always-quick service and friendly atmosphere. But principal on the list are the tacos. Tacos aren't a complicated thing, if done in traditional Mexican style-two... More >>

If you need fire-roasted Korean salt, fresh lotus pickles, or more elaborate seaweed-based bar snacks than any of your neighbors, the market at Dong Yang should be first on your list. If you need Korean comfort foods cooked to order by a group of Korean moms and grandmas with an ocean-deep... More >>

Naked, nude, and bare as the day they were born, ladies and gents, come in and see them in all their bright and throbbing purity: They're your vegetables! Well, technically not entirely naked, since there are a few vinaigrettes and sauces made of other raw vegetables, but basically, Ecopolitan... More >>

The Edina Grill serves top-rate pan-Western diner chow: burgers, hand-cut sweet potato fries, a brilliant cheese steak, fish and chips, eggs, a caramelized banana waffle, etc. The restaurant even has all the other elements you need to make a date go well: a stylish interior, a good wine and... More >>

The space is tiny, but the portions are big. If your dining party is torn between bread-or-tortilla-based meals, El Burrito Cubano offers both burritos and sandwiches. The Cuban is packed with roasted pork, ham, pickles, and cheese, but if you want to eat it in the dining room, you have to exit... More >>

This humble cafeteria-style counter on one side of an indoor market has quickly become the least well-kept secret in the Twin Towns, because one taste of one of this joint's potent guisados is all it takes to get hooked. Guisados are the stewlike dishes the cafeteria offers as fillings for... More >>

Chef Hector Ruiz and his wife Erin Ungerman have made this casual eatery a favorite of south Minneapolis residents. In the winter, the covered booths are so cozy and colorful they'll almost make you forget it's cold and gray outside, and in the summer, the popular outdoor seating is a reminder... More >>

When the triangle of spinach pie is unceremoniously plopped in front of you, you'll be forgiven for not expecting much. After all, the room is inhabited by all of ambiance's nemeses: faux-wood paneling, too-close tables, paper placemats, a big refrigerator case as the dominant piece of... More >>

There's a good reason Nepali food isn't as profoundly spiced as Indian food: If you had to walk down a mountainside to pick up your nutmeg, and then carry it back up again, you'd be pretty sparing too. Everest on Grand is one of America's only Nepali restaurants. If you're not familiar with the... More >>

Vegetarian? Bored? Sick and tired of mock duck? Bolting awake in the middle of the night craving something, anything new--mock pork, maybe? Mock shrimp? Mock Chateaubriand? Well, we can't help you with that last one, but Evergreen Taiwanese is fascinating, novel, and serving things you won't... More >>

Potentates, emperors, sovereigns, lend us your ears. The Falafel King, Fouad Masroujh (who started cooking falafel on the streets of Jerusalem at the tender age of 13), invites your attendance at his daily bargain bazaar, which of dips, sandwiches, and many, many other boldly spiced, fresh and... More >>

From the noise of the "El" train rumbling overhead to the Disneyish, chic-shack décor, there's a lot for barbecue snobs to get their panties up in a bunch about at Famous Dave's. (Don't get us started about all those feel-good business stories that make it sound like it's a civic duty to... More >>

Crayon your hopes and dreams on Fat Lorenzo's butcher-paper tablecloths while you await your big, toasty, bubble-crusted pizza. Use green to sketch the friendly ambiance in one of Minneapolis's most charming neighborhood pizza parlors. Use yellow to draw the goopy cheese bread, of the... More >>

You might not expect locavores to flock to a hotel restaurant, but chef Paul Lynch's cooking has turned the downtown Radisson into a dining destination. Fire Lake's chic, classy dining room and bar are as suitable for a business breakfast as a pre-theater date. And the menu is a crowd-pleaser... More >>

With reasonably priced pastas and antipasto plates to share, First Course is the kind of neighborhood restaurant you could raise a family in. Pasta dishes are well-turned-out and flavorful, and the solid little wine-and-beer list is nice to have in your corner, but perhaps the biggest draw here... More >>

This Virginia-based chain keeps things simple with its short, focused menu and no-frills ambiance--the ordering line is divided from the dining area by a wall of 50-pound potato sacks and big boxes of peanuts and diners are encouraged to help themselves and throw the shells on the floor. At... More >>

Anoush Ansari and Hadi Anbar, the duo behind Atlas Grill and Mission, bring meat-heavy, flame-grilled fare to the Rosedale mall. Step u pto the host's stand and you'll think you're having a hot flash--but it's just the grill in the open kitchen and the ring of decorative torches above it. It's... More >>

How much meat can a meat eater eat when a meat eater eats and eats and eats? For the answer, report to Brazilian churrascaria Fogo de Chão. Here, you'll get all the steak, lamb, pork, and chicken you can eat, served hot from rotisserie skewers brandished by gauchos sprinting from table to... More >>

This elegant Victorian mansion, long known for its classic French fare, was starting to feel a bit stuffy before it was purchased by corporate food-service guru Bruce Taher, who also owns the Wayzata and Nordeast Eateries. Chef Donald Gonzales, formerly of Chambers Kitchen, has modernized and... More >>

This bright orange truck"s menu mantra is "fresh and familiar." In the summertime, that means cookout and picnic fare such as Reuben brats, diner-style pulled pork, pasta salads, and sno-cones. As the weather cools, the truck offers homestyle warm-ups like hot soups and meatball sandwiches. More >>

An entire book could be devoted to the wonders and marvels of French Meadow. Quickly, let us say that Lynn Gordon opened this foremother of all things organic in the Twin Cities as an all-organic, yeast-free bakery in 1985. Eventually she added a café with an emphasis on counter-service... More >>

What's gold and fresh and red all over? The hip Fuji Ya, the latest--and sexiest--incarnation of the restaurant that introduced Japanese cuisine to Mill City. Foremost among the attractions of the roomy digs include the reliable sushi bar, the vegetarian options, the spacious, quiet dining... More >>

Is your idea of the future one in which Britney Spears sells denture cream to people in gated communities who lost their teeth because of genetically modified soybeans that started growing in their gums and who can't go outside because of the toxic pollution? Or is it one in which people in... More >>

The decaying 1950s-era Wagner's Drive-In was reborn as the retro-future themed Galaxy Drive-In: a slick, Disneyfied concept with lots of teal and purple paint, neon lights, and pint-size replicas of old-fashioned planes and cars. Galaxy is the brainchild of Steve Schussler, the creative vision... More >>

There are a lot of reasons to love Gandhi Mahal: the handmade, quilted tablecloths; the sitar player (on Thursdays) in the corner; the authentic, thoughtful decor; and the quietly courteous staff. But most of all it's the food. Gandhi Mahal's northern Indian cuisine hits all the right notes:... More >>

It"s as if all of Eat Street converged in one restaurant: Gangchen"s menu runs the gamut from Tibetan, Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese cooking. Expand your understanding of fusion cuisine with the Vietnamese-style curry coconut, or stick to the traditional Tibetan momos and po cha, or butter tea.... More >>

Anna and Lazaros Christoforides's sunny restaurant with the bubbling fountain and the moist, lemon-scented air is a vivacious, herbal oasis in a cold meat-and-potatoes world. Start with a couple of kicky dips, like a zingy skordalia (mainly potatoes, lemon juice, and garlic) and tyro (feta... More >>

Ever drank beer out of a big glass boot? Ever done a shot of snuff from a snuff catapult? Ever sung a song you didn't really know at the top of your voice, led by an accordion player in lederhosen, in a room full of your very best friends? If the answer to all these questions is no, then you... More >>

Chef Stephen Trojahn traded the world of fine dining (he formerly oversaw the kitchens at Cosmos and Bradstreet Craftshouse in the Graves Hotel) for the more cramped confines of Gastrotruck. The switch is good news for downtown St. Paul diners, as Trojahn treats street eats with four-star... More >>

For the second time in as many years, our very own D'Amico restaurant group has played David to an international cheflebrity's Goliath, and bumped another imported toque out of a Twin Cities kitchen. First, D'Amico Kitchen ousted Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Chambers Kitchen from downtown... More >>

The best of the coffeeshops-with-benefits on the south side, Gigi's has a nice wine list, cheerful counter help, and a large dining area with lots of big wooden tables on which to spread out your architect's plans, hold a knitting seminar, or balance your baby in her car seat. Gigi's offers an... More >>

The former home of the Times Bar & Cafe on East Hennepin was reborn as Ginger Hop, an "East-meets-Northeast" concept of Asian and American fare. The owners are the crew behind the original Thailand-in-Uptown concept Chiang Mai Thai, and they wisely capitalized on the neighborhood's notable lack... More >>

The new Gold Nugget, which replaced the former shoebox-size dive bar beloved for its burgers, swapped character for class when it reopened in a massive new building with pretty wood booths, a faux tin ceiling, and suspended televisions. The Tavern and Grille's owners recruited a former general... More >>

There's a good reason that the Good Day Café is always jam-packed-in fact, from the waffles and caramel rolls to the fried-egg sandwiches stacked with ham and avocado, there are a lot of reasons. Besides, did you think Golden Valley's country-club crowd was going to make breakfast for itself?... More >>

The skyway to-go offshoot of Minneapolis's premier Persian restaurant, Atlas, Good to Go serves the complicated kabobs of Middle Eastern tradition, fast. You see, they make these intricate kabobs from minced meats and spices, like chicken and saffron, or lamb and fresh herb, form them around... More >>

Having formerly run the kitchens at the Plymouth Tea House and Little Szechuan in St. Paul, Grand Szechuan's chef, Luo Guanghe, started the restaurant with his son, Dan, and several other former Little Szechuan staff. Though Grand Szechuan is tucked into a Bloomington strip mall, the ambiance... More >>

With a forgettable name and an out-of-the-way Brooklyn Center location, Great India enters the race handicapped. But then they rush to the head of the pack! Definitely try the murg malai kabob, chicken breast marinated in a lemon accented cream, coated with cardamom powder, fire-grilled, topped... More >>

Chef Justin Grecco, who opened the now-shuttered Bellanotte several years ago, has his own place, Grecco's on the St. Croix, just across the river from Taylors Falls. The divvied-up space, which includes three small dining rooms, a bar, and a river-overlooking back patio, resembles a pack rat's... More >>

For more than 30 years, things have hardly changed at the Harbor View Cafe in Pepin, Wisconsin, the town's local tavern-come-gastronomic destination. (Jordan's King Hussein, Iraqi President Talabani, and the Reverend Billy Graham have all graced the Harbor View while receiving treatment at the... More >>

This grungy, worker-owned collective near the University campus attracts counterculture types hungry for vegetarian and vegan food 22 hours a day (it's closed between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. daily). Between the colorful walls and the guys playing chess, the place feels like a neighborhood community... More >>

Sing it! "Who are the people in your neighborhood? In your neighborhood? In your neighborho-oo-od?" Sesame Street might not have had a friendly neighborhood roti dhalpouri master, but Minneapolis has, ever since 1983: He is Harry Singh and he is a character, a cook, and the undisputed and... More >>

Brothers Andrew and Adam Sieve are the third-generation of a restaurant-owning family who named their first venture after their grandmother Helen, nicknamed Hazel. They've brought neighborhood-friendly dining back to the Johnson Street space vacated by the dearly departed Pop, a contemporary... More >>

On any given Sunday, as the faithful gather at their churches to sing, praise, and pray, another kind of worshiper lines up on the stairway to Hell. "Why people would wait two hours for brunch boggles my mind," Hell's Kitchen chef/co-owner Mitch Omer says of the lines at his restaurant. "I... More >>

If you're looking to enjoy a unique local beer, The Herkimer Pub and Brewery in the heart of Uptown is a popular option. This bar and restaurant offers a wide range of home-brewed suds ranging from light ales to dark German bock beers. The Herk (as locals have dubbed it) also features an array... More >>

The reasons to visit Hickory Hut are the crackling chicken wings, the long-stewed greens with ham hocks, the mac-'n'-cheese so creamy that your spork slides through it like a hot ice skate through molasses, and the barbecued beef sandwich that's as good as any. Probably you should plan on... More >>

A forward-looking neighborhood diner, the Highland Grill boasts fish and chips with fillets as crisp as lacquered balloons, grilled-cheese sandwiches jazzed up with chutney, a no-nonsense wine list, Summit on tap, and a legendarily welcoming attitude towards children. If that's not enough,... More >>

While as unpretentious as a Hibbing diner, Hoàng couldn't be more exotic to someone raised on meat-and-potatoes fare. Plastic-wrapped trays of colorful Vietnamese desserts line the front counter, and handwritten menu boards proffer an imposing collection of dishes: black sticky rice with... More >>

Arepas are made with cornmeal, from a dough similar to tamale masa that's been formed into a thick patty and griddled. The South American specialty is the foundation of Hola Arepa's offerings, which come topped with everything from shredded chicken and avocado to pulled pork with black beans... More >>

A Middle Eastern deli and supermarket that makes fast food for people who know their falafel from their fava beans, Holy Land specializes in concocting filling meals for the busy and budget-conscious. The menu is 40-plus combinations of falafel, gyros, lamb samosas, spanakopita, kebabs,... More >>

Kitschy, retro décor--there's a whole wall full of paint-by-number art--make Hot Plate feel as cozy as a cup of coffee and a big plate of pancakes. We like the ones studded with pecans, or the French Toast topped with apples and caramel. Hot Plate also serves lunch, which is a great time to try... More >>

There's a lot to like about Ike's: the dark, pubby ambiance, the wax-paper-wrapped, hand-pattied burgers, the warm chocolate chip cookies that come with the check. While the tiny, retro-themed bar and grill serves bang-up brunches and blue-plate specials, it's busiest during lunch and... More >>

All children should be regularly brought to this Uptown spot, for five good reasons. First, all children should see how difficult it is to flatten yeast dough into a rectangle a yard long and then roll it up like a sweet, cinnamon-filled carpet. Second, they should see how easy it is to slice... More >>

This south Minneapolis standby just keeps getting better year after year. Remember when the Greek salad was all iceberg lettuce and the dining room was a single, plain expanse? Nowadays there are murals and multiple dining rooms; grown-ups can feast on fried smelt or octopus while kids rave... More >>

Izzy's Ice Cream Café is a place so idyllic in a kind of old-timey, small-towny way it makes you feel like all is right in the world. Real homemade vanilla-bean ice cream flecked so densely with vanilla-bean seeds it's mottled gray. Real homemade cherries-jubilee ice cream made with big juicy... More >>

After Rustica bakery left the space it shared with Java Jack's, the coffee shop's owners decided to reboot with a family friendly café concept. The space looks mostly the same: The outsize windows are as lovely as ever, and tall-backed, olive-colored banquettes on each end of the room... More >>

The owner of O'Donovan's Irish Pub turned a former hardware shop into a handsome public house with leather booths, stained-glass dividers, and a hand-carved wooden bar. The menu includes traditional Irish favorites such as shepherd's pie and fish 'n chips, alongside several basic steaks,... More >>

The sleek, swanky sister of Jasmine Deli, 26 looks more like it should be related to Azia, with its dark walls, contemporary lighting, and hand-carved Buddha behind the bar. The menu offerings match the elegant surrounds: Vietnamese crepes, tamarind hot pot, lemongrass ribs, and roast duck... More >>

The definitive Old Minnesota supper club, Jax is the A-number-one spot to wear elastic slacks, tuck in behind the white tablecloth, order a double scotch, and plot how to take over the world. Start the evening off with either a shrimp cocktail or some gummy crab cakes, and then plow right into... More >>

For 103 years, Jerabek's New Bohemian has been selling baked treats to the residents of the Cherokee/Riverview area of west St. Paul--that's south of downtown, across the Smith Avenue high bridge, in one of those affordable, family-friendly, tree-filled and tricycle-rich St. Paul neighborhoods... More >>

Ever since camels got humps Jerusalem's has been winning local 'Best Middle Eastern Restaurant' awards--or at least, it seems that way. Why? The awkwardly charming tented room, which always feels like it's just been whipped together for a party just for you. The inexpensive, simple foods... More >>

Journalists are always threatening to afflict the comfortable, so, please, don't let any of them see this, because folks dining at Joe's are comfortable indeed. They are rendered so by comforts like burgers and falafel burgers; potatoes fried or mashed and served with gravy or aioli or both;... More >>

True pilgrims of the barbecue faith know Highway 52 well, for that four-lane thoroughfare is the path to the two John Hardy's Bar-B-Q restaurants, legendary establishments where they turn pork ribs into succulent, nearly gelatinous strips that are as opulent as any confit. Where they turn... More >>

For those of you who insist the only way to get good Indian food in Minnesota is to get on a plane, please report to Kabobs to have all your illusions shattered. Why? For one, Kabobs actually specializes in something--the food is mostly Hyderabadi, with some northern Indian and Pakistani thrown... More >>

Right across from Macalester College, Khyber Pass serves Afghan home cooking in classic college-town style--that is, in large portions, with plenty of vegetarian options, in a room that's fancy enough to take your visiting parents to, but not so expensive that you couldn't pick up the check... More >>

Only real insiders know that the best salami sandwich in town is to be had at this little delicatessen and grocery import shop--and you can choose from more than a dozen varieties. They also sell hard-to-find smoked sturgeon and sable, as well as sour Lithuanian rye bread, house-made frozen... More >>

Seen from the front atrium at Kikugawa, the Minneapolis skyline soars heavenward like a fantasy Metropolis out of a Superman comic book. It's easy here to feel like Lex Luthor, what with the deferent service and the stream of tasty dishes from the kitchen (especially if you order the... More >>

Perennial winners of awards from other publications, Kincaid's is a fish-and-chops chain restaurant of utterly mystifying popularity, famed for their rich crab cakes, crisply glazed salmon, and prime rib. The food is good, but the restaurant in its entirety is perhaps more interesting as an... More >>

Mod, artsy dining room provides a Thai-food option for Guthrie patrons and visitors to Mill City's museum and farmers' market. The short menu hits all the standards--pad Thai, spring rolls, and curries--but their impact is more likely to merely satisfy than awe. More >>

Just east of Central Avenue North and just north of I-694, King's is a Korean-karaoke spot with some of the best spicy comfort foods around. The room can get pretty loud sometimes, as Korean moms sing their hearts out in front of karaoke monitors full of cherry blossoms. Still, King's--with its... More >>

Andrew Kopplin thinks most coffee is crud, which is exactly why you should drink his. The veteran barista/shop owner sources his beans selectively and brews them by the cup in a fancy new machine called the Clover. (It gives coffee geeks precise control over water temperature and brew time, and... More >>

Family legend has it that in the waning days of WW II, Anna and Wasyl Kramarczuk fled their Ukrainian village and threaded their way through the front lines to Austria, where sausage-making was a valued art. Half a century later, Orest Kramarczuk still sells sausages made according to his... More >>

Kingfield could use more restaurants like La Chaya, classy-but-relaxed neighborhood spots to go for appetizers and wine, pizzas and pastas, or Sunday brunch. La Chaya has the dual menu of a Mexican chef who spend several years in the Mediterranean-you might find halibut with pumpkin seed sauce... More >>

Warm, welcoming, and garlic-scented. If there were an encyclopedia of restaurants, La Grolla would be the one pictured under the heading "ideal upscale neighborhood Italian." Servers are cheery, confident, and a joy to work with. Ribeyes in Roquefort sauce are tender, caramelized, rich, and, in... More >>

The best tamales in Minneapolis are right behind a plain glass door on the very corner of East Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue South in Mercado Central. Weekdays, try a chicken-green-chile tamale, a tube of lush, quivering corn meal batter with a heart of brisk tomatillos and stringent... More >>

The Lake House offers plenty of window side tables-and boat-up takeout, natch-bringing an up north atmosphere to the suburbs. The fare is typical clubhouse bar fare (sandwiches, chicken wings, pizzas etc.) with a few fancier entrees. The best way to finish a meal is the signature Lake House... More >>

Las Teresitas marks the return of Gaspar Perez, founder of the Taco Morelos restaurants. This time, his restaurant is extremely casual and Perez is keeping his staff small and family-oriented-his cousin cooks and his wife waits tables. It offers fresh ingredients and scratch cooking at... More >>

This old-school, no-nonsense pizzeria has been doing business since 1971, and it offers a traditional, crispy crust topped with a slightly greasy and extremely tasty layer of cheese and marinara. No gimmicky names or fancy toppings here (unless you count sauerkraut)-just a really classic pizza... More >>

Look behind the plate-glass window of this little storefront and you'll find the home of the Cities' best catfish--miraculously grease-free fillets as crisp as potato chips and just as devourable. Off-the-menu greens are a smoky delight (when they're available) and the pulled-pork sandwich is a... More >>

With an all-day happy hour and the best Guinness pour in town, the Liffey is a new St. Paul bar with old-world Irish heart. Fans of woodworking should drop by to check out the hand-carved teak everything made by artisans back in County Wexford; fans of Emerald isle comfort foods should stop by... More >>

The numbing, the burning, the bliss! St. Paul's Asian-restaurant superstar Little Szechuan improbably unites high style, including Milan-modern fixtures and a decent wine list, with profound Chengdu-style cooking authenticity. The must-order dishes on the authentic black Szechuan menu are... More >>

How much wood would a wood-carver carve if a wood-carver would have free rein to fill up an enormous space with bars and sculptures and snugs and whatnot? Answer: A lot of wood. A lot. This much wood makes you crave an Irish whiskey and a pint of Harp, which are exactly what the Local seems to... More >>

Waconia's verdant lawns, weathered red barns, and split-rail fences create a picturesque backdrop for Lola's, whose lakeside digs look like they belong on Cape Cod. One of Lola's owners, Dermot Cowley, has now expanded his Irish empire (he runs Jake O'Connor's in Excelsior and O'Donovan's in... More >>

Another urban diner from the Blue Plate Group (Edina Grill, Highland Grill, Three Squares Groveland Tap), Longfellow serves up such crowd-pleasers as banana waffles, turkey burgers, and tempura-battered green beans. For a night with the kids, they have mac 'n cheese and Mickey Mouse-shaped... More >>

Loring Kitchen, a pretty, glassy space in the first floor of the Eitel Building City Apartments next to Loring Park, isn't a destination restaurant, but one that appeals to its neighbors as a place to host group meet-ups, spontaneous stop-bys, and after-work drinks that might roll into dinner... More >>

Like a movie set, like a stage set, like a fantasy with tapestry costumes and professional lighting, the Loring Pasta Bar is inarguably one of the prettiest restaurants in the history of Twin Cities dining. Two rooms: one a long grotto of a bar made of undulating, Gaudi-like writhing snakes of... More >>

Los Andes brings Colombian and Ecuadorian fare just east of Uptown. The décor is barebones except for several Univision-projecting televisions, but the food is budget priced. Find all the usual ceviches, empanadas, and fruit smoothies, plus ultra-authentic peanut-tripe stew, goat meat, and... More >>

Forget what you envisioned when you heard the restaurant's name--meatloaf and tater tots, sloppy Joes and Hot Pockets--the real-life Lowbrow sells...quinoa and pinto beans? The restaurant's owners, Heather Bray and Jodi Ayers, aren't interpreting the term quite so literally, and they're... More >>

The Lowry, at the refurbished corner of Lowry and Penn Avenues in North Minneapolis, brings the neighborhood classic American breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. The morning menu covers the basics of omelets, eggs Benedict, and biscuits and gravy, but it also includes crepe-like Swedish pancakes.... More >>

Sister restaurant to St. Paul's quaint, beloved Ristorante Luci, Ancora serves the same great Italian fare in a large dining room overlooking the picturesque St. Kate's campus. The hand-made pastas are just as delicious on both sides of the street, so deciding between Ristorante and Ancora is... More >>

Named after the famous 3.2-million year old hominid skeleton, Lucy's serves the traditional cuisine of east Africa. Spongy injera comes in red plastic baskets to pair with, say, the spicy chicken and hard boiled egg of the doro wat or the salad, cabbage, green beans, and lentils of the... More >>

For all the diversity Uptown accommodates, the neighborhood notably underserves the sports buff: no bona fide sports bar exuding jock-strap-snapping machismo. Perhaps Lyndale Tap House, in the former jP space at Lyn-Lake, will fill the void, with its lengthy beer list, meat-heavy menu,... More >>

The draw here is haddock fillets so crisp you could bounce a quarter off them--big, golden, pillowy chunks of fish that keep people running through the door, pacing the threadbare carpet, spending precious moments of their lives in what is undeniably a roadside shack. More >>

The first million-dollar Vietnamese restaurant in Minnesota is a cultural event no matter how you cut it. So when you cross over the hand-carved wooden bridge at the entrance of Mai Village, and cross over the waterfall and koi pond, please feel free to let out a whistle of appreciation. It's... More >>

You know that Monty Python skit that culminates in the cast singing, "Spam, spam, spam, spam"? Spend a few hours at Mancini's, and you might conjure visions of John Cleese marching through the endless dining rooms chanting, "Steak, steak, steak, steak." That steak is sirloin, filet, or New York... More >>

The most hotly sought-after restaurant seats between Minneapolis and Texas have got to be the seats at Mandarin Kitchen's riotously popular weekend dim-sum brunch. Folks have been known to wait for an hour in the blowing snow for a chance to sup on the most delicate dumplings in the state. At... More >>

Age has many benefits. It makes steaks deep and wine-scented, and wines rich and complicated. In people, it brings out the ability to recognize the value of those aged steaks and fine wines--and, if they're lucky, the ducats to pay for it all. And in a steak house, age confers prestige and a... More >>

Tortas mean a lot of things to a lot of people. But at Manny's they mean crisp French bread, hot and sweet chipotle mayo, and fillings, ranging from the massive Manny's Special (which starts with steak, ham, and Swiss cheese, adds piles of sautéed vegetables, and builds dizzyingly from there)... More >>

Chef Margaret Doran's tiny, lunch-service-only Margaux's Table, has just three components: an open kitchen, a communal farmer's table, and Doran, who takes the orders, cooks the food, and washes the dishes. (One of her friends jokes that she should have called the place "Just Me.") Margaux's... More >>

Consider yourself a connoisseur of all things flapjack? Well buddy, you haven't lived unless you've had one of Maria's famed corn pancakes, plate-sized, finger-thick fellows as brown as wrens, as plump as puddings. No wonder people make the counterintuitive pilgrimage from Wayzata to Phillips... More >>

The 1870 Marine General Store sells grocery items, drain plugs, linden-scented hand lotion, refrigerated nightcrawlers, and tickets to the local sixth-grade play. The bakery and deli in the back of the store prepares a variety of scratch-made sandwiches, salads, and, if you're lucky,... More >>

Better not to rely on the Force to find Marine Landing. If you plan to arrive by land, start at downtown Marine on St. Croix and follow these directions: Head down Oak Street, make a left on Second, then a right on Elm. Park next to the dry-docked pontoons adjacent to the garage and walk down... More >>

Once upon a time, Minneapolis had a thriving vaudeville scene, and a big farmers' market on the edge of downtown where farmers would come and sell their wares, including their meat and poultry. Market Bar-b-que was the logical product of this confluence, smoking up farm products for... More >>

Visitors shouldn't let Marla's no-frills decor or (charmingly) informal service throw them for a loop. For one thing, the doubles are too good to miss. These tidbits are the island interpretation of the soft bread and curried tomato-chickpea dish known in Indian restaurants as chole puri. Ask... More >>

Marx Wine Bar & Grill is a jewel-bright cheapie of a can-do, super-friendly bistro in the middle of Stillwater's main drag. Chef and owner Mark Hansen does a great job with aggressively flavored twists on Italian-American classics: He makes his own pasta, mozzarella, and one of the simplest and... More >>

Jucy Lucys (in case you're mailing this to an out-of-town friend--yes, that's how it's spelled) are south Minneapolis's contribution to world cuisine, made by crimping two beef patties together around a hunk of cheese and grilling until the cheese inside reaches molten temperatures. Served on a... More >>

Can a roast beef sandwich be so good it's good plain--no sauce, no ketchup, no tangerine-colored cheese-goo? Yes, yes it can. Here at Maverick's, they do the most basic thing imaginable: You walk in, you decide if you want roast beef or brisket (like pot roast with no vegetables), you tell... More >>

The best downtown happy-hour food is to be found in the bar here from 4:00 to 6:30 in the afternoon Mondays through Sundays, and late night from 9:00 to 10:00 Mondays through Thursday or Saturday to Sunday 10:00-11:00, for that's when you'll get an affordable and luscious pan of mussels or a... More >>

Dark and convivial, with servers and patrons obsessed with good conversation and great Scotch, Merlin's Rest is an eerily authentic pub considering its East Lake Street location. Hearty dishes such as fish 'n' chips and a version of cottage pie are stick-to-the-ribs tasty, and the menu boasts... More >>