Considering you only have one stomach, planning an epicurean adventure through the Twin Cities can be tough.

You’ll find a number of casual eateries scattered throughout the metropolitan area, including the Birchwood Cafe, where creative vegan fare is the focus.

Pay a visit to quirky old-timer Al’s Breakfast and you’ll rub shoulders (literally) with famished University of Minnesota undergrads in a narrow diner teeming with people and personality.


What’s more, downtown Minneapolis lays claim to 112 Eatery and Bar La Grassa, stylish establishments operated by James Beard Foundation Award winner Isaac Becker. While the driven restaurateur took the coveted Best Chef: Midwest title in 2011, Becker faced some stiff competition from two culinary stars busy courting hard-nosed foodies in St. Paul: Russell Klein of Meritage and Lenny Russo of Heartland.

Clearly, this doubly decadent destination will whet your appetite and make your head spin. But don’t worry. My own very satisfied belly’s got you covered:

Barbette: Julia Child Would Be Proud

Spot-on service? Check. Eclectic décor? Check. Late-night crooners, colorful cocktails and decadent desserts like pineapple upside down cake and crème brûlée? Check, check and—yeah, you guessed it.

Long one of the city’s top French restaurants, this Uptown Minneapolis bistro puts forth a changing menu showcasing such mouth-watering concoctions as coconut lime mussels and whipped truffle brie. Needless to say, the next time I’m in the Twin Cities area, I’m heading straight to Barbette and checking all of the above off my to-do list.


The Blue Door Pub: Beef + Cheese = Greatness 

Here you’ll find such locally produced beers on tap as Surly and Summit. But the fine selection of foamy beverages, coupled with the hip hangout’s petite dimensions, isn’t why patrons are constantly spilling out the blue front door.

Rather, the big draw are the Blucys, the St. Paul pub’s take on the Minneapolis-born Jucy Lucy. If you can’t decide which of these meaty, cheese-stuffed overachievers to order, a simple grunt in the general direction of the B.O.M. (“Burger of the Moment”) board will do you just fine.

Piccolo: Understanding Umami

I can’t beat what Anthony Bourdain had to say about this unpretentious Minneapolis gem: “Far and away the best and most inspired and inspiring meal of my trip across America.”

But trust me, each and every morsel whipped up by the talented Chef Doug Flicker will trigger your brain’s “happy” neurotransmitters, so much so that you’ll tire of all the yummy noises—both your own blissful gurgles and those of your fellow diners.

Punch Neapolitan Pizza: “Pizza Poliza”-approved

Although flawless clones of St. Paul’s Highland Park original can be found across the metropolitan area, this laid-back Italian venture has thrived because it focuses on quality, not quantity.

Quick tip: Order your personal-size pie doppio-style. After cooking in a bell-shaped brick oven, the hand-formed pizza is left uncut (this is key!) then loaded to capacity with olive oil, fresh San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella di bufala direct from Naples.

Tilia: Game-changing Gastronomy

I still dream about my eye-opening visit to Tilia, a smart newcomer to the family-friendly Linden Hills commercial district. On a blisteringly hot summer day in Minneapolis, I found myself eagerly slurping down a bowl of celery root and oyster chowder before inhaling this heavenly foodstuff called gravlax—raw salmon cured in salt, sugar and dill. What could possibly make the thinly-sliced, melt-in-your-mouth Nordic dish even more wonderful? Accompanying wedges of black rye bread, smeared with a to-die-for fusion of fish roe and butter.

Other Twin Cities blog posts that may interest you are:
• Gluten Free in Minneapolis-St.Paul
• Kid-Friendly Attractions, Food and Fun in the Twin Cities