Where to Eat in October: Snack Bar, Centro, Hyacinth, and More

This cozy space lives up to its name, focusing on cocktails, small plates (garlic-fried octopus, antipasto, focaccia), and pizza. In a unique touch, guests can design their own slices, starting with a red, white, or amatriciana base, then adding toppings to taste. Whole pies are also available, as are a handful of main dishes, including the prime hanger steak that was a favorite at now-shuttered sister restaurant Burch. (Other Burch dishes make appearances, too … schupfnudeln, anyone?) The snug booths for two are ideal for date night but don’t come expecting a quiet, romantic atmosphere. The fun-loving crowd and brick walls ensure that the vibe leans more toward lively during prime time.

Eat Street has a nice new feather in its cap with the arrival of Centro, the fast-casual taqueria that made a name for itself in Northeast. Tacos are on the menu, as is an assembly of “not tacos,” items like quesadillas, enchiladas, and the popular Centro Crunch, a tostada stuffed with beef, cheese, and garnishes, then wrapped in a flour tortilla. Exclusive to this location (for now) is co-concept Everywhen Burger Bar, which shares the same fast-casual ethos but offers up a range of sandwiches, smash burgers — served on pastry chef Ngia Xiong’s pillowy soft brioche buns — and sides. (A selection of her sweets, including a banana cream pie, are available as well.) Guests can order from both places (plus the café, Vivir) via QR code or opt for counter service.

No reservations. Find more info here.

If you’re ready for full-on comfort dining, Hyacinth should be high on your to-try list. The words “small but mighty” apply not only to the restaurant itself — a cozy space with room for about 40 diners, max — but to the finely curated menu of southern Italian plates as well. Starters like mixed olives, crostini, and salads make up roughly half the options, with pasta filling out the primi section, followed by three or so secondi, including the famed Risotto al Salto, a rice dish with a crunchy top. Reserve early enough and you might be able to land one of the coveted tables in the front (look for a slot labeled “window table”).

When one of the Cities’ most popular liquor stores is responsible for the adjoining restaurant, it’s hard not to have high expectations for the drinks side of things. Sidebar doesn’t disappoint, offering a sizeable selection of wines from around the world by the taste, glass, or bottle; beer, seltzers, and ciders; and colorful cocktails that please the eye and the palate. It should be no surprise that a cheese and charcuterie platter kicks off the appetizer section: Surdyk’s has long been known for its cheese shop. That’s joined by other shareable starters and, from the mains, dishes like spaghetti alla vodka, a lamb T-bone, swordfish ceviche, and rigatoni with shrimp and vegetables.

Call 612-455-2574 for reservations. Find more info here.

For foodies who want to hunker down and eat, this hotel/restaurant/café a few blocks away from St. Anthony Falls has “staycation” written all over it. Reserve one of the seven Scandinavian-influenced guest rooms — each one a bit different, with toiletries handmade by proprietress Margo Roberts (you can purchase more from the apothecary) — and you’ll be rewarded with antipasti upon check-in and breakfast in the café. Save room for indulging in dinner at the James Beard award-winning restaurant, where you can choose from a regular or vegetarian prix-fixe menu (wine paring optional), where the focus is on seasonal and organic fare, with many items sourced locally and regionally.

Call 612-379-4909 for reservations. Find more info here.

One thing’s apparent from the Bricksworth tap list: Beer here is meant to be fun, whether you’re ordering the Livin’ Rent Free, Mandatory Volunteer Hours, Versace Lettuce, or the Jock Jams. Those cheeky names are spread across a range of styles, but IPAs get special attention, with double, triple, and a cold version frequently on tap. And while it’d be easy to say that the brewpub is all about the beer, its food menu — anchored by a variety of made-from-scratch pizzas, with a few types of wings thrown in — is no slouch. While there’s a set slate of regular, rectangular pies, keep an eye on the team’s Instagram page for specials like the Poutine Pizza (tater tots, cheese curds, beef gravy, green onions) that popped up last month.

After capturing those last balmy days on Prior Lake (we’re sure there’ll be a few), head to this restaurant in the suburb’s downtown, where a daily late-afternoon happy hour in the bar or on the patio makes a nice preamble to dinner. For two hours, you can take advantage of special pricing on cocktails, wine, beer, and small bites, like the killer nacho fries. Over in the dining room, slightly fancier fare — such as grilled Alaskan salmon, saffron paella, half a dozen or so steaks — is on display, in addition to soup, salads, pastas, and sandwiches. You may think you don’t have room for dessert, but the mini sweets are too cute and tasty to pass up.

Don’t be surprised if, when you walk through the door, you do a double-take to make sure you’re not at Bachman’s — there’s greenery, greenery everywhere, 600-plus plants in total. But nope, you’re in the right spot, as the neon green “Earl Giles” sign above the bar can confirm. That bar is the source of an innovative cocktail program, which features a half dozen-ish drinks on tap that can be made with or without spirts, plus boozy “shaken and stirred” and “pulled and poured” creations. The Spicoli Cola, a rum-based drink with a foamy cherry cream finish, seems to be especially popular. Pair your drinks with one of the scratch-made pizzas, available with regular or gluten-free crust.

Call 612-345-5305 for reservations. Find more info here.

The St. Paul Grill is the epitome of a classic, with the swank that you’d expect from a fine-dining destination that’s been around for more than 30 years and knows what it’s doing. The menu is a rich compilation of surf-and-turf favorites, like fried calamari, crabcakes, filet mignon, the raved-about chicken pot pie — “the original” — and onion rings as big as donuts. Or slide into a bar seat for a martini — there are about 10 to choose from — or a post-dinner libation paired with a slice of banana cream pie, apple crisp, or bourbon-spiked molten lava cake.

While you’ll find standard Indian food here, it’s the out-of-the-ordinary additions that make Raag stand out, items like wild mushroom-and-truffle-stuffed naan. And chicken served in a blend of masala curry and tomatillo salsa. Or Da-Belly Sliders, a trio of mini potato or chicken patties accented with red cabbage and an apple chutney. On weekends, watch the dosa master make magic at the live crepe station (sweet and savory options). Many of the dishes are edible works of art, showcasing designs and colors that are sure to elicit “wow”s. That experience extends to the drinks. A prime example? The Kerala Spiced Trail, a concoction of bourbon, cinnamon, and orange bathed in a shroud of smoke.