7 Minute Miles

Food Recommendations

  • Cafe Latte – Grew up nearby, stopping in frequently for a sandwich and that amazing chocolate chocolate cake.
  • Carbone’s on Randolph – We were all worried when the original closed for remodeling, but the pizza ovens are still the same and the pizzas still taste great (pepperoni is my fave). The room lost it’s old charm, but the new look is growing on me.
  • Cecil’s Deli – The best hot pastrami on egg white with Swiss sandwich I’ve had anywhere in the country. Love the guy who is always there too.
  • Cossetta Alimentari – Expanded and better than ever. This place would fit right in at a Disney park – great pizza slices and mostaccioli (always with Dr. Brown’s black cherry soda). The Pasticceria is one of a kind and we always get Christmas dinner supplies at the fully-stocked Italian market.
  • Grand Ole Creamery – Even though Minneapolis now has one too, the Grand Avenue spot that I grew up with will always be my favorite ice cream spot in the metro. Sweet Cream 4 Eva.
  • House of Wong – The Chinese restaurant of my childhood that somehow got me to like chicken chow mein (even though I was a super picky eater as a kid).
  • Key’s on Raymond – The original location will always be my favorite. Try the No.1 (and add a side of ham).
  • Kim’s Chow Mein – Ate here a lot when I worked for HSRA and some of the staff still remember me. The combo #3 with white rice is a winner. Currently take-out only.
  • Mac’s Fish Chips Strips – the first spot near House of Wong is great, but the one in Minneapolis near Lyndale and 54th is good too (RIP Snelling).
  • Meritage – I’ve never met Russell and Desta Klein, but their downtown St. Paul restaurant is a classic. Four James Beard nominations tell you all you need to know if you are looking for French cuisine.
  • Mucci’s Italian – The Tim Niver empire is the best. At this spot near my old neighborhood, you will find Chef Chris and the crew serving up fancy Italian dishes along with the most amazing montanara pizzas (fried crust!) that you can now also buy frozen at select grocery stores around town.
  • Pajarito – Tyge Nelson and Stephan Hesse’s excellent Mexican joint on West Seventh (below the Czech and Slovak Sokol Hall). These Tim McKee protégés know what’s up – try the crispy chicken tacos.
  • Parlour – the burger at the newer St. Paul location didn’t seem the same to me as the original across the river, but the decor and atmosphere win hands down.
  • Revival – Haven’t been back to the original in Minneapolis since this one on Selby opened with a bigger room, full bar and a smoker out back. Same great chicken and cheeseburger (order them both and call it the Wilford Brimley), but also a solid pastrami sandwich special on Mondays and those good, good butter ribs. Best mac and cheese anywhere.
  • Rooster’s BBQ – Need to cater fried chicken for a party? We have first-hand experience that Rooster’s is a crowd pleaser.
  • Saint Dinette – It may have been two floors down from my loft, but this Tim Niver joint is the best thing to happen to Lowertown since the Farmer’s Market. Great staff front to back, seasonal menu updates, awesome cocktails and one of the the best cheeseburgers in the country. Fight me.
  • Saint Paul Grill – Home to the movers and shakers of the capital city, the Grill has classic meat and potatoes down cold, plus a Scotch list that would make Ron Burgundy blush.
  • Tavern on Grand – Two words: walleye and Gorbachev.
  • The Buttered Tin – Smash hit from the time it opened in 2013. Love the TBT Ho Ho cupcakes and the Pig’s Eye breakfast.
  • The Lexington – Lovingly brought back to life (finally) by the Thoma-Fitzgerald-Riebel trio, this neighborhood institution hosted most of the major family milestones in my life.

  • 112 Eatery – Haven’t been to this Isaac Becker award-winner since they remodeled, but we loved our last visit. More Beard sightings.
  • Alma (Cafe and Restaurant) – You can’t lose on either side of this newly-expanded space (plus a hotel – wow). Yet another Beard sighting.
  • Al’s Breakfast – Smallest place you will likely ever visit. All about the short stacks for me.
  • Anchor Fish and Chips – the Minneapolis answer to Mac’s. Also roll as a food truck. Armon says these are the best fish and chips in town.
  • Band Box Diner – the fact this place has a detailed Wikipedia page says a lot about this 1939 greasy spoon. A+ hand-cut fries. Might still be closed – they had a GoFundMe after the pandemic.
  • Barbette – This was my favorite restaurant in Minneapolis for a long time. Winner of Best Fries multiple times, the Steak Frites (dinner) and Croque Monsieur (brunch) are perfect matches for those hand-cut beauties (DO NOT SKIP the saffron aioli). Update: the fries the last two times there seemed…off, so buyer beware.
  • Black Forest Inn – my high school German class took a field trip here, so you know it’s some authentic schnitzel.
  • Boludo – several people have told me this is now the best pizza in Minneapolis. Original tiny location has transformed into several larger new locations.
  • Borough/Parlour Bar – Borough upstairs, Parlour down. Probably the second or third best burger in town.
  • Broders’ Pasta Bar – Don’t know why I don’t go here more often. Combined with Cucina Italiana across the street, not a better place for carbonara.
  • Bull’s Horn Food & Drink – Doug and Amy’s awesome dive bar. Kitschy atmosphere + chef quality food + pull tabs + jukebox + bubble hockey = winner.
  • Eli’s Food and Cocktails – Best spot for late night food when you are downtown (the one at 1225 Hennepin, not the other one). Will always remember our server who sang This Is How We Do It.
  • Hi-Lo Diner – Beautiful old diner they bought in Pennsylvania and shipped to Lake Street to be restored. Try the Gary Cooper or Mac Rib Hi-Tops with any of the ice cream cocktails.
  • Italian Eatery – First impressions mean a lot and the first time we hit ie, Doug Flicker was sitting at the table next to us. What’s good enough for Flicker is good enough for everybody.
  • Lake & Irving – Try the cheeseburger, then try the buttermilk chicken sandwich. Ponder which one is better.
  • Manny’s Steakhouse – To be honest, I’ve always been a Murray’s over Manny’s guy, but they both have their charms. Parasole exec Phil Roberts has a great blog and their top servers reportedly earn six figures a year. Bring your corporate card and fill out that expense report.
  • Martina – To say Daniel del Prado has a hit on his hands is the understatement of the year. Try both dinner and weekend brunch. Creative cocktails, potato “churros” and a really great double cheeseburger.
  • Maxwell’s American Pub – One of my favorite spots within walking distance of the stadium. Always friendly staff and a perfect fish and chips platter. Owner Rosie is the best.
  • Murray’s Steakhouse – Since 1946. The Silver Butter Knife Steak might be the best steak I’ve ever had. RIP, $20 luncheon steak with au gratin potatoes special. Tim Murray is a perfect gentleman and host.
  • O’Shaughnessy Distilling Company – The Keeper’s Heart Cocktail Bar & Restaurant is a beautiful space (next to Surly and Malcolm Yards) that has a really good happy hour menu (food *and* drinks). Rumor has it Pip Hanson from the legendary Marvel Bar is the food and beverage director, but I’ve yet to see him on my visits.
  • Old Southern BBQ – With Q Fanatic closing the south Minneapolis location, this is now our go-to Minneapolis BBQ spot (although I do still have a soft spot for Famous Dave).
  • Pizzeria Lola – We had a terrible first experience here (and CK still refuses to go back), but the My Sha-roni! at Ann Kim’s first place is one of my favorite pizzas in town.
  • Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge – Best Tiki Bar on the (upper) Mississippi. Just get a pupu platter (or two) and be done with it. The Christmas transformation moved there from up the street and is quite a spectacle.
  • Rainbow Chinese – Chef and Owner Tammy Wong is a local icon. The starters are my favorites, while my daughter likes to create her own bowl of deliciousness.
  • Red Wagon Pizza Company – Peter and Jacquie Campbell (with investor Steven Brown) have quietly built an outstanding menu that expands beyond pizza to include great appetizers, salads and pastas.
  • Saint Genevieve – Steven Brown (yeah, him again) has miraculously recreated Paris in south Minneapolis. The madame tartine is wonderful.
  • Sea Salt Eatery – The Minneapolis Park Board did good when they awarded this concession in Minnehaha Park. You will find long lines pretty much the entire April through October season.
  • Spoon and Stable – James Beard winner Gavin Kaysen famously left the kitchen of mentor Daniel Boulud in New York to return home to Minnesota and open this spot across the street from the former Bachelor Farmer. Not 100% sure, but I think it’s worked out OK.
  • The Depot Tavern – First Avenue did it right when they decided to add a food joint next door to the Entry and the Mainroom. Great for pre-show dinners or late-night snacks.
  • The Lowry – Probably our favorite Blue Plate Restaurant Company spot (and they are all pretty strong). Great mac n cheese and clever cocktails, but it looks like the Buffalo chips appetizer may be history.
  • Tilia – Steven Brown’s Linden Hills original. Sometimes I wish I lived in Linden Hills.
  • Travail Kitchen and Amusements – These guys are all nuts, in a good way. If you are scared (like we were), try the family meal option. Also, you need to head to Robbinsdale, not Minneapolis. Update: They now have a new building and sell memberships, so everything is probably different now. Call ahead before you go.
  • Uncle Franky’s – It’s like being back in Chicago. Or Coney Island.
  • Wienery – Kinda like Uncle Franky’s, but next to the Cedar Cultural Center (and we sat next to the guys from Trampled By Turtles there once).
  • World Street Kitchen/Milkjam Creamery– Sameh Wadi had a food truck, then a bricks and mortar location, then an ice cream shop – all with long lines of customers. It is futile to resist.
  • Young Joni – Ann Kim, part three. A beautiful room. James Beard nomination. Restaurant of the Year in 2017. She’s clearly on to something here. The “secret” back bar is very fun.
  • Zen Box Izakaya – Just a *bit* too far to walk from the stadium, this place has killer Japanese knick-knacks and about ten million things I want to order off the menu every time I visit.

  • Vermilion Club – This spot on Lake Vermilion was named one of the best dive bars in America and I loved visiting here when I worked down the road at Fortune Bay. Poor Gary’s Pizza operates out of the same spot and is famous for the 24″ Bamboozler, but my favorite will always be the house-made bleu cheese they serve with the Buffalo wings (Wednesday Wing Night FTW).
  • Sven and Ole’s – A Grand Marais tradition, but one that was hit hard by the pandemic and by staffing shortages. Hoping the dining room eventually comes back and the wait for a pizza returns to something shorter than an hour.
  • World’s Best Donuts – Our other Grand Marais tradition (opened in 1969), I could easily eat a half dozen chocolate cake donuts all on my own. Insider trick: order online for pickup and skip the always long “normal” line.
  • Angry Trout Cafe – Located in a primo location on the Grand Marais harbor, this has been our go-to spot for fresh fish for a long time. Parking has become an issue lately, but it’s worth a short walk from the nearby side streets.
  • Hungry Hippy Tacos – My mom (the Taco Punk) liked it when it was Hughie’s Taco House, so the current version makes the list. Haven’t been to the new Duluth location, but the Grand Marais original has good food and a large drink selection.
  • Voyageur Brewing Company – I think I’ve only been here once, but it’s a big favorite of the two jokers. I don’t think they had any cider, but the beer list is strong if you like that sort of thing. Very solid food menu, lots of great merch and a beautiful patio for the too-short Northwoods outdoor dining season.
  • Gordy’s Hi-Hat – Made famous by Guy Fieri and his Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives season nine visit to Gordy’s, this became a frequent summer stop for me on the commute between the metro and Lake Vermilion. Gordy would do six months in Minnesota and six months in Sarasota, so the opening and closing weekends were always circled on the calendar.
  • Tobies Restaurant & Bakery – The other “up north” family tradition includes a pit stop in Hinckley, which isn’t really the halfway point to Duluth, but it’s close enough. Has second place chocolate cake donuts, but the real star here is the hot caramel roll.
  • Duluth Grill – Super easy access from I-35 (especially now that the bridge construction is done), this Duluth classic is *the* spot for early dining (open daily from 8am – 3pm). No reservations, but you can call ahead to get on the list.
  • At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Cafe – Don’t get tripped up by the confusing name, this spot is the real deal. It’s been a favorite of ours for a long time.
  • OMC Smokehouse – Wait times here can get ridiculous, but the expansion to the space next door has improved things a bit. Oink Moo Cluck platters are my fave – could eat here every day.
  • Northern Waters Smokehaus – This small sandwich shop in Canal Park is finally expanding to a larger space this year, but it’s always been a grab and go option for us anyways. Be aware of the short hours (10am – 4pm) when you place your order.
  • Milk & Honey Ciders – Their Heirloom cider has always been one of my favorites, so we finally decided to visit the taproom located in St. Joseph (just west of St. Cloud) last year and a new fall tradition was born. Be sure and check the current hours before you hit the road.

  • 1919 Root Beer – Corner of Dan Patch and Underwood. Get the big cup.
  • Bridge n’ Barrel – I don’t know if this is permanent, but in 2022 the two barrel-shaped stands that sold regular soda had a Lift Bridge takeover, adding glasses of their amazing black cherry soda. If this keeps returning, it will probably bump 1919 off the list.
  • Corn Roast – Kid one worked here a couple years; owned by the family of her grade school gym teacher. Booth was torn down and completely rebuilt in 2019.
  • Dairy Goodness Bar – The vanilla malts pair perfectly with the Fresh French Fries across the street.
  • Danielson Onion Rings – One of my oldest favorites (and I don’t really like onions in anything else). Salty.
  • Farmer’s Union Coffee Shop – This stand at the base of Machinery Hill added a delicious pork schnitzel sandwich to the menu that I hope is permanent, as it was our favorite new item of 2022.
  • Fresh French Fries – there was a tie to Sun Country at some point, but the airline now has different owners. Really, really good. Like, I-want-my-own-bucket good.
  • LuLu’s Public House – The mac & cheese on a stick and the beef Cajun bites are my favorites. Formerly known as Axel’s when they were outside the Food Building. Usually shake up the menu a little bit every year.
  • Mouth Trap Cheese Curds – Still can’t believe they kicked out the other one. Pretty sure there are better overall cheese curds outside of the fair now, but state fair law mandates you order these at least once a year.
  • Pronto Pups – Far and away my favorite fair food. Could eat these all day. NEVER CORN DOGS. Follow-up: people have asked why the hate for corn dogs. It’s not that corn dogs are bad (we used to get them all the time for lunch in the skyway), it’s just that you can only get Pronto Pups at the fair. Therefore, Team Pronto Pup 100%.
  • Sweet Martha’s Cookies – Almost took this one off the list, but Martha is still rich for a reason. The secret to me is that they are amazing when they are hot out of the oven, but not so much cold. In fact, if there was an option to just buy like four hot ones for a few dollars, I’d probably visit her stands multiple times a day.
  • Blue Barn – Owned by the excellent Blue Plate Restaurant Group, the Blue Barn in the West End has had a number of strong offerings since it opened, but in 2019 they had my favorite new food: the Nashville Hot Chicken-on-a-Stick. Like LuLu’s Public House, they like to change up the menu a bit every year.

  • Culver’s – A gift from our cheesehead neighbors to the east, the Butterburger is solid, but I love when they do the for-a-limited-time walleye sandwiches.
  • Davanni’s – A Minnesota success story, this local chain now has 20 locations, but the original at Grand and Cleveland will always be my favorite. Like the garlic cheese bread and ham hoagies more than the pizza.
  • Leeann Chin – Another Minnesota success story, I’ve loved their lemon chicken since I was in high school (you could even buy the sauce in grocery stores). Now they have like ten variations of chicken (RIP House Special Chicken), all good.
  • McDonald’s – Knock it all you want, the clown has the best fries anywhere. The egg McMuffin is my go-to quick breakfast item and I used to love the quarter pounder with cheese, but now it’s just OK most of the time (they changed the preparation).
  • Punch Neapolitan Pizza – This local chain now has 11 locations, after starting in 1996 with the Highland Park spot (still “temporarily” closed). They treat their staff right and my order is always a Napoli with prosciutto.
  • Raising Canes – When this Louisiana chain came to Apple Valley, it was an instant hit. Easily my favorite overall fast food option, the 3 Finger Combo with lemonade is to die for. Love it all: the Texas toast, fries, Cane’s sauce, little ice cubes and always-perfect chicken.
  • Taco John’s – My parents would occasionally stop at a Taco John’s when it was convenient (while almost always preferring Zantigo). Now that there appear to be no more ‘Tigo fries at Zantigo, I do like to occasionally hunt down a Taco John’s for their excellent potato olés with cheese. Really good tacos too. Now open in Eagan on Yankee Doodle where the DQ used to be.
  • Zantigo – A Minnesota classic during my childhood, it went away, came back, expanded, contracted and now re-opened the original St. Paul location I grew up with (although we still prefer the Woodbury spot). Mild chilito with extra cheese, ‘Tigo fries (sadly appears to be RIP forever), chips and cheese and occasionally a hard shell taco. But mainly chilitos.