Northeast Social
Each time I walk into Northeast Social, it feels like I just crashed a party with the most gracious hosts in town. Instantly, I’m not an anonymous customer with a credit card but a guest, invited to stay awhile.

For starters, the owners and chefs are such close friends they’re family, and everyone’s spouses and children are either directly involved in the operation or they’re stopping in after work and before piano lessons. Bartenders are content to chat you up as though you’re a card-holding regular even if this visit is your first. And before you know it, you and your friends are toasting “social-style” glasses—wee, three-ounce vessels perfect for sharing a bottle of beer or wine.

Pay special attention to the cooking from chef Eddie Hayes, particularly his charcuterie and authentic Italian-inspired dishes (he spent a number of years at Osteria I Nonni). He’s a true up-and-comer. And don’t be surprised if one of your hosts ends up at your table chatting about his last weekend of fishing or the price of beef. This is Northeast Social, and you’re family now. —M.B.W.

359 13th Ave., N.E., Mpls.; 612.877.8111

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Best New Cheese Shop
St. Paul Chees Shop
Opened this summer by the cheese whizzes behind Minneapolis cheese/wine purveyor France 44, this small but well-stocked specialty food shop has a great selection of fromage from around the world.

1573 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651.698.3391

Truest Thai (sorry, True Thai) 
Mango Thai
Rare is the truly great Thai restaurant. That’s because most Thai places in America have sucked all the complexity out of this inherently complex cuisine, leaving us with Southeast Asia’s version of comfort food (damn you, wimpy Western taste buds!). Thankfully, the Twin Cities are home to a growing number of eateries (the King and I and Ginger Hop come to mind) that are elevating the fiery fare to its rightful place on the culinary totem pole. Our favorite of these spots is Mango Thai in St. Paul, where the green papaya salad and ginger roasted duck are revelations on a plate.

Mango Thai, 610 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 651.291.1414

Best (and Biggest) Gyro
Marina Deli
Marina Deli in Northeast Minneapolis has done for the gyro what Chipotle did for the burrito. That is, it took a beloved staple, filled it with fresh, simple ingredients (moist yet crispy lamb, tangy tzatziki sauce), super-sized it and turned it into a delicious, relatively inexpensive meal-of-a-sandwich.

2424 University Ave. N.E., Minneapolis; 612.788.0461

Best Sous Vide 
Meritage
If you were to ask us before last spring if we had much use for either sous vide (the cooking technique that involves low-temp water cooking and a cryovac bag) or salmon, we would have said: “eh.” Sous vide is the kind of thing usually found on the hautest of menus, and salmon, well, it’s a sure-thing money-maker for many chefs—but can often be a throwaway. But now that the two have converged on the menu at Meritage, we’ve fallen desperately in love with both, and chef/owner Russell Klein has himself a sure thing indeed. It’s the best piece of salmon we’ve ever eaten. When Klein’s fish meets the sous vide bag, the result is a buttery, near liquid tenderness.

410 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651.222.5670