Restaurants in St Paul or Minneapolis

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
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Good to know Meritage is still doing well, I practically lived there for a month a few years ago. Is that great cheese shop up on Summit still going?

Recently in Mpls I had decent beverages and charcuterie at Butcher & Boar, and some nice old-school cocktails at Murray’s (man what a classic steakhouse).

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AND FOR ROCK AND ROLL-

Check out the TURF CLUB - on University Avenue. A fabulous old school rock and roll club - good beer selection - always an interesting lineup - Turf Club - First Avenue

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What hotel are you staying at? If St. Paul Hotel their restaurant would be worth a few meals.

I Nonni is excellent for Italian

Sunfish Cellars is right down the road.

Sunfish has some decant appetizers/small plates and would be the best wine bar option as they don’t over price their wines. I think you can buy it in the shop and bring it into the wine bar portion with no corkage.

http://sunfishcellars.com/info/wine-bar/

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And didn’t they just remodel? Someone recommended the restaurant, but it had never occurred to me to eat there. I just associated it with off-beat shows and punk rock. At least that is why I went there. I’m going to a Jessica Hernandez concert there in July, maybe I will try the food this time.

k.

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How about favorite lunch spots for a real meal? Many places don’t seem to do lunch. I’ll be in town just for the day and would like to do better than a sandwich before heading to the airport.

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What part of town, Sarah?

Tilia, mentioned more than once above, has a lunch menu same as the dinner menu. Meritage, also mentioned, has a good lunch menu. Cafe Maude is also a good lunch choice. I can think of other places, if you can tell me the part of town. PM if that’s easier.

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Karring made some excellent additions, and I should also add Heyday to Minneapolis Uptown. Must order the chicken liver tart.

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If you’re around for 10 days, check the weather and if favorable treat yourself to a day out of the city. Short drive to Stillwater on the St. Croix River:

  • Stillwater Boat Club - rent a pontoon and explore the St. Croix River
  • Lolo or Lion’s Main - grab a pre-dinner specialty cocktail at either of these places. Both specialize in creative concoctions
  • Domacin - great wine list paired with good food
  • PD Pappy’s - a riverside roadhouse with music Thursday - Sunday and an interesting mix of boaters, bikers and locals. Indoor and outdoor service
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Thanks Brad - I’ll take a look at those. Neighborhood doesn’t matter - I will have a car and can get anywhere. My meeting is in Minneapolis, close to downtown, and I have a flight at 4.

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For me I love all of these. They’re all super wine friendly and great execution of food, service and ambience. You can walk around Lake Harriet or Lake of The Isles after you dine at Tilia and The Kenwood.
1. Tilia My all round favorite.
2. Tilia
3. La Belle Vie - The Lounge - great if you want to hear a conversation too. Feel like you’re in Europe room is really cool.
4. The Kenwood
5. Meritage

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Again, thanks all. Clearly we shall eat well, drink well, and be entertained this August!

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Tilia and Cafe Maude are both south of Minneapolis. So is the airport–although the airport is SE and these places are SW. Cafe Maude closer than Tilia. Vincent in downtown Minneapolis does a good lunch.

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What Craig said, plus Corner Table (they’re nailing it), Rincon 38 and Terzo (fantastic all Italian wine list)

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Had a very pleasant lunch at Tilia yesterday. Steven (or Stephen) behind the bar took good care of me.

Thanks very much for the recommendation!

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Cool, if he was a skinny gray haired guy in a t-shirt that was the owner and great guy. Look us up if you have more time thru.

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I will be going to Bar La Grassa next weekend. The menu has some great sounding dishes, especially pastas. Is there anything I shouldn’t miss? It looks like a Barolo would be perfect with many of them, so I am planning to bring that.

A few days later, it will be Ward 6 for cocktails and an early dinner.

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Diane, here is an alternative to Bar La Grasa http://www.il-foro.com/

I like it a lot better myself. And much much more BYOB friendly. If not, a carefully chosen list. The Somm seems to be a really good guy. Its run and managed by great people. The food is imaginative and extremely well executed. Its kind of noisy like La Grasa so ask for a quieter spot, if it matters.

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Craig, thank you for the recommendation. My daughter has already made reservations, so, right now, I’m looking for menu suggestions for Bar La Grassa. Have you byo’d to BLG?

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La Grassa has a steep corkage ( think its $30) that they don’t waive and they limit you to one or two btls. Its kind of run like corporation. The owner, good chef, is mostly removed from the day to day. Rarely cooks there.

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Isn’t there a travel forum?
And an offline forum?
And an Epicurean exploits forum?
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