| By Tammy Sproule Kaplan |
|
Red Stag SupperClub
American
Red Stag Supperclub, the first LEED-certified restaurant in Minnesota, is right at home in its Northeast locale, with a Friday night fish fry, steaks and cocktails. But it adds a modern flair, with environmentally sound practices and dishes like lobster mac ‘n’ cheese and veal casserole.
509 1st Ave. N.E., Mpls.; 612.767.7766; redstagsupperclub.com $$$
Alaska Eatery and Glacier Bar
Steak/Seafood
In the former Shelly’s Woodroast, Alaska Eatery and Glacier Bar focuses on daily fresh seafood selections, steaks and chops, all prepared on a wood-fired grill. Under the same ownership as Wayzata Eatery and Wine Bar, it also offers a full bar.
6501 Wayzata Blvd., St. Louis Park; 952.345.0505; alaskaeatery.com $$
Otho Restaurant and Street Lounge
Pan-Asian
Otho ignites the upscale dining scene in Elliot Park with a creative Asian-fusion menu in a relaxed setting, and an adjacent lounge that serves late-night cocktails. Order up a dish of Cantonese braised short ribs or rainbow trout
en croute.
949 Portland Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.455.1516; othorestaurant.com $$$
French
Husband-wife team Russell and Desta Klein have launched Meritage, a French brasserie in the former A Rebours space, serving lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. The harvest pumpkin soup and the cassoulet are proving to be immediate favorites. Closed Mondays.
410 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651.222.5670; meritage-stpaul.com $$
The Kitchen
Steakhouse
Patrons of Schiek’s Palace Royale have a new alibi in The Kitchen, a steakhouse serving classic American cuisine for lunch and dinner, including prime steaks, lobster tails, Kobe beef burgers, hot dogs and more.
115 S. 4th St., Mpls.; 612.341.0054 $$–$$$
Pagoda
Asian
Pagoda hits the mark with the Dinkytown crowd, offering a noodle bar, bakery, smoothies, Chinese karaoke and a couple hundred menu items that span all of Asia, including Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand and India. Serving cheap eats from lunch to late night, it’ll be a hit with students or diners looking for another reason to venture over to campus.
1417 4th St. S.E., Mpls.; 612.378.4710; pagodadinkytown.com $
Red’s Savoy Inn and Pizza
Pizza
If you’re going to derail your diet, why not do it with a Red’s Savoy pizza, piled high with cheese and toppings like pepperoni, sausage and onion? This dive on the northern edge of downtown St. Paul has garnered quite a following for doing pizza the old-school way, cut in squares with a crispy crust.
421 7th St. E., St. Paul; 651.227.1437 $
Isles Bun & Coffee
Bakery
The legendary cinnamon rolls at Isles Bun & Coffee are irresistible, so don’t go there if you’re avoiding sweets. Coupled with a steaming-hot cup of coffee, they’ll be the bright spot in your morning.
1424 W. 28th St., Mpls., 612.870.4466 $
Annie’s Parlour
American
Sure, the all-American burgers and fries are a slice of heaven at this Dinkytown staple, but what Annie’s Parlour is really all about are jumbo-sized malts big enough to share. Create your own flavor combinations, from Oreo-banana to caramel-hot fudge and anything in between.
313 14th Ave. S.E., Mpls.; 612.379.0744 $
Skinner’s Pub
American
The humble, small-town atmosphere at Skinner’s may tempt you to pull up a stool and stay a while, but if you’re strictly on a chicken run, you can pick up an order of the popular fried chicken for takeout.
919 Randolph Ave., St. Paul; 651.291.0146 $
Matt’s Bar
American
At Matt’s Bar, the legendary Jucy Lucy burger is unadulterated, oozing, cheese-stuffed enjoyment. Not only do the locals head there over lunch, but businesspeople also make the pilgrimage from their downtown offices just to get their hands on one.
3500 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.722.7072; mattsbar.com $
Nick and Eddie
American
Everything feels easy at Nick and Eddie, with its unimposing staff, clean décor and favorite menu items like chicken liver mousse, cider-poached salmon and a gnocchi dish that’s light like gougère. Grab a seat in the front window for views of a snow-covered Loring Park.
1612 Harmon Place, Mpls.; 612.486.5800;
nickandeddie.com $$
Asian Fusion
Try to snag a window seat with a 180-degree view of Hennepin Avenue, Loring Park and the Minneapolis skyline from this hotspot at the Walker Art Center. The exhibition-style kitchen lends vibrant energy and the bronze bar is an excellent place for a warm-up drink and appetizer. Asian-influenced, family-style dishes, now exclusively made with sustainable, humanely raised ingredients in warm, tangy, spicy flavors will leave you feeling content.
1750 Hennepin Ave., Mpls.; 612.253.3410;
wolfgangpuck.com $$$–$$$$
Nicollet Island Inn
American
The Nicollet Island Inn, with river views and a seasonal menu, hosts a fireplace in the lobby and sitting areas throughout, which creates a cozy ambiance. The five-course champagne brunch on Sundays is noteworthy.
95 Merriam St., Mpls.; 612.331.3035;
nicolletislandinn.com $$$
Picosa
Latin Fusion
With its views of the Mississippi outside, the Latin flair at Picosa heats up winter nights indoors. Offering lunch and dinner, the menu is informed by the flavors of Mexico, and Central and South America.
65 Main St. S.E., Mpls.; 612.746.3970;
picosarestaurant.com $$$
The St. Paul Grill
American
Great for special occasions, The St. Paul Grill serves classic grown-up American fare with service staff that attends to every detail. With a design that hearkens back to the era of clubby restaurants in every large city across the country, it’s the hands-down winner for posh hotel dining in downtown St. Paul. Wait for a snowy day to enjoy a picturesque view of Rice Park.
The Saint Paul Hotel, 350 Market St., St. Paul; 651.224.7455; stpaulgrill.com $$$–$$$$
Kinh Do
Asian
Kinh Do offers a hearty bowl of pho, fresh spring rolls, pad thai, lo mein and vegetarian-friendly favorites. For decades, this informal pan-Asian spot has been keeping Uptowners satisfied with low-cost lunches and dinners.
2755 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls.; 612.870.1295 $
Pho 79
Asian
Don’t let the small size of the restaurant fool you; what it lacks in space, it more than makes up for in its Vietnamese cuisine. With fresh ingredients and hearty portions, the pho, bun and spring roll dishes are sure to please both first-timers and long-time lovers of Vietnamese fare.
2529 Nicollet Ave., Mpls.; 612.871.4602 $
Vietnamese
If you’re looking for a more elegant dining experience with a wide-ranging wine and beer list but still crave Vietnamese favorites like pho, spring rolls and bún (rice vermicelli salad), try Ngon.
799 University Ave. W., St. Paul; 651.222.3301;
ngonbistro.com $–$$
Pho Tau Bay
Vietnamese
Pho Tau Bay is another Eat Street haunt serving Vietnamese specialties that include bánh mi, many varieties of pho and spring rolls. It may be a dive, but it’s authentic and cheap.
2837 Nicollet Ave., Mpls.; 612.874.6030 $
Vietnamese
Hoa Bien, once a modest hole-in-the-wall, recently made way for an upscale reincarnation of itself. The prices are still affordable, and the noodle salad with grilled meatballs, tasty pho and seafood dishes are not to be missed.
1105 University Ave. W., St. Paul; 651.647.1011 $
link
email
print
