Twin Cities Dining

You’re in luck! Thanks to fresh local produce, thriving immigrant communities, and relatively low rents, Minneapolis and St. Paul are great restaurant towns. This list is divided into three categories: restaurants close to the OAH conference location in downtown Minneapolis, restaurants close to the Minnesota History Center in downtown St. Paul, and restaurants worth a special trip. If something you are looking for is not on this list, I suggest checking out the recommendations of three local restaurant critics: Dara Moskowitz of City Pages, Jeremy Iggers of the Star-Tribune, and Andrew Zimmern of Mpls-St. Paul Magazine.

Close to the OAH Meeting

The Hilton, Millennium, and Convention Center are midway between the downtown restaurants, which cater to business diners, and “Eat Street,” a stretch of Nicollet Avenue populated mainly by restaurants serving ethnic food that reflects Minneapolis’s growing immigrant community. A trolley makes it easy to get from the Convention Center to Eat Street. The Convention Center is also close to Loring Park’s restaurants, which are known for their artistic sensibility.

“Eat Street” (Nicollet Avenue)

In this neighborhood, the streets are lined with good restaurants. Here is just a small sample.

▪ Azia and Anemoni. These are owned by the same entrepreneur, who has received national attention for the Asian fusion cuisine offered at Azia. Anemoni is an accomplished sushi restaurant with a hipsterish vibe. It’s said to have some of the freshest and rarest fish in town. $$$ for Azia, less expensive for Anemoni. <http://www.citypages.com/restaurants/ summary.asp?SCID=665>. 2550 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis; 612-813-1200.

▪ Black Forest Inn. A beloved, old-school German restaurant, with interesting gnome-centric decor. The bullet hole in the bar is real, but it’s been there a while. $$. 1 E. 26th St., Minneapolis; 612-872-0812.

▪ Christos. Sunny and welcoming Greek restaurant that offers options not seen on your average Greek menu. There is an additional location in St. Paul. $$. 2632 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-2111.

▪ New Delhi Bar and Restaurant. Perhaps the best Indian food in town. The fork out front is a leftover from an earlier pasta restaurant. $$. 1400 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-813-0000.

▪ Taco Morelos. A local Mexican restaurant with several branches, serving reliable home cooking. $. 14 W. 26th St., Minneapolis; 612-870-0053.

▪ Yummy and Rainbow Chinese. These offer some of the best Chinese food in town. During the day, Yummy also serves dim sum. $$ for Yummy, $ to $$ for Rainbow Chinese. 2450 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis; 612-870-8000; 2739 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-870-7084.

Downtown Minneapolis

▪  Chambers Kitchen. As of November 2006, the hippest restaurant in Minneapolis. The menu was designed by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Reportedly, the food is erratic, but the scene is wonderful. There are also very trendy bars, one of which is members-only. $$$$. 901 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-767-6999.

▪ Cosmos at Graves 601 Hotel. Excellent modern food from a chef who has won awards from Food & Wine magazine. A genuinely stunning futuristic dining room. $$$. 601 First Ave. North Minneapolis; 612-312-1168.

▪ The Local. More of a bar with food than a restaurant. A beautiful Irish pub-themed decor offers large gathering areas as well as private spaces. $$. 931 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-904-1000.

▪ Oceanaire. Very close to the convention center, offers fresh fish with steakhouse-classic sides. A little unimaginative but very consistent. $$$$. 1300 Nicollet Mall (in the Hyatt Regency Hotel), Minneapolis; 612-333-2277.

▪ Solera. A nationally acclaimed tapas restaurant, with a wonderfully over-the-top decor. $$. 900 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-338-0062.

▪ Vincent. Serves some of the most reliably delicious French-inspired food in town. This is a very popular spot for business lunches. Try the madeleines for dessert. $$$-$$$$. 1100 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis; 612-630-1189.

▪ Zelo. Loud, fun, and accommodates groups well. $$$-$$$$. 831 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; 612-333-7000.

Loring Park Neighborhood

This area, overlooking Loring Park, has long attracted some of the quirkiest, most artistic restaurants in the city.

▪ Café Lurcat. Part of the locally respected D’Amico’s family of restaurants, Café Lurcat offers bistro-style food in an attractive setting. Bar Lurcat is right next door. $$$. 1624 Harmon Place, Minneapolis; 612-486-5900.

▪ Joe’s Garage. If it’s warm (it could happen), try to get seated in the rooftop garden. Joe’s Garage is best known for its burgers, made from pork, lamb, tuna, or turkey, as well as beef. They occasionally host site-specific plays, drawing on some of the best local theatrical talent. $$. 1610 Harmon Place, Minneapolis; 612-904-1163.

▪ La Belle Vie. The most elegant restaurant in the Twin Cities, serving some of the best food in town. $$$$. 510 Groveland Ave., Minneapolis; 612-874-6440.

▪ 20.21. Located in the Walker Art Center, with an amazing view of the city. Wolfgang Puck is executive chef, and the restaurant reflects his take on California cuisine. $$-$$$$. Walker Art Center (1750 Hennepin Ave.), Minneapolis; 612-253-3410.

Near the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul

▪ Babani’s Kurdish Restaurant. Kurdish food is a wonderful mixture of Mediterranean favorites.  Be certain to read the menu to learn the romantic story of how this restaurant came to exist. $. 544 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-602-9964.

▪ Cossetta’s. Join the long line of happy people for a selection of Southern Italian favorites—eggplant parmigiana, pizza, sausage sandwiches. There’s an attached deli which has just about anything you’d need to make a great Italian meal at home. $. 211 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-222-3476.

▪ Mickey’s Diner. Tiny and beautiful classic boxcar diner, which is actually listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It recently appeared in the Prairie Home Companion movie. Serves well-executed diner food. $. 36 Seventh St. W., St. Paul; 651-222-5633.

▪ Ruam Mit. A longtime source of great Thai food. $. 475 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-290-0067.

▪ Zander Café. A beloved, chef-driven landmark. Expect cozy, heartwarming bistro food. $$-$$$. 525 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 651-222-5224.

▪ Matt’s Bar. Home of the Juicy Lucy; it looks like a regular hamburger, but there is a delicious glob of melted cheese trapped inside. I recommend getting it with onions. $. 3500 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-722-7072.

▪ Midtown Market Exchange. Like Pike Place Market in Seattle, or Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, this new marketplace combines many small, individually-owned restaurant stalls under one roof. The Mexican food is generally outstanding, but you can also find Middle Eastern food, African food, Tibetan food, and Thai food, from vendors who are often recent immigrants. Save room for a treat from the Starlight Bakery; their cakes are unassuming looking, but incredibly delicious. Free music most weekends. A great place to pick up presents for your friends at home. A visit here will cure any visitor of the belief that Minneapolis is a big Lake Wobegon. $-$$. Corner of Chicago and Lake Street, Minneapolis.

▪ Nye’s Polonaise Room. Esquire recently named this the best bar in North America. A local restaurant reviewer, Dara Moskowitz, says that it looks like a place that Captain Kirk would go to meet women. But it’s not just a great place to go for a drink. The Polish food is excellent, though you’ll probably need a nap afterwards. $$$. 112 Hennepin Ave. E., Minneapolis; 612-379-2021.

▪ Town Talk Diner. Answers the question of what diner food would taste like if the chef had trained at the French Laundry. Offers elegant takes on Minnesota favorites (best cheese curds ever). I recommend paying close attention to the specials, which are always fantastic. $-$$. 2707 1/2 E. Lake St., Minneapolis; 612-722-1312.

For fine dining

▪ 112 Eatery.  Probably my favorite restaurant at the moment, serves comfort food perfectly prepared. Try the stringozzi pasta with lamb sauce. Due to the size of the restaurant, it may be more appropriate for a small group than a large one. $$-$$$. 112 N. 3rd St., Minneapolis; 612-343-7696.

▪ A Rebours. I haven’t eaten here myself, but many people think this is the best restaurant in St. Paul. $$-$$$. 410 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-665-0656.

▪ Auriga. Quirky, innovative food that relies on the best of local ingredients. Consistently good and surprising, and often brilliant. $$$. 1930 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-871-0777.

▪ Fugaise. Wonderful French cuisine served in a very modern-looking setting. $$-$$$$. 308 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-436-0777.

▪ Heartland. Fine food characterized by a rigorous use of local ingredients, in a room William Morris would have loved. When I was last there, I had one of the best desserts I’ve ever eaten in the Twin Cities. There is an attached wine bar, which is more casual, and doesn’t take reservations. $$$. 1806 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul; 651-699-3536.

▪ jP American Bistro. Relaxed but refined, and particularly good with pasta and risotto. Local wine lovers enjoy this place for its great wine list and wine-friendly cuisine. $$-$$$$. 2937 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-824-9300.

▪ Loring Pasta Bar. Has a reputation for being both inexpensive and beautiful. You’re likely to hear live music from an interesting local band. I recommend the Artichoke Ramekin appetizer—a reminder of the original and long-closed Loring near Loring Park. $$. 327 14th Ave. SE, Minneapolis; 612-378-4849.

▪ Origami. Great sushi in a downtown setting. Your sushi will be so attractive that you’ll almost wish you didn’t have to eat it. $$-$$$. 30 1st St. N., Minneapolis; 612-333-8430.

▪ Restaurant Alma. A chef-driven favorite, Alma is particularly good with Mediterranean-inspired dishes and shellfish. $$-$$$. 528 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis; 612-379-4909.

▪ Sakura. Offers excellent Japanese food of all kinds, from sushi to shabu-shabu, in a charming room. It’s very close to the Xcel Center, which explains why all the sushi is named for hockey players. $$-$$$. 350 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-224-0185. 

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Jennifer Goloboy, an independent historian living in Minneapolis, is a member of the 2007 OAH Annual Meeting Local Resource Committee. (Most prices, addresses, and phone numbers came from City Pages online Dish Guide, written by Dara Moskowitz and others, and available at: <http://citypages.com/dish/summary.asp>.)