The February Hit List: Where In the Twin Cities You’ll Want to Eat Right Now

The accolades just keep piling up for chef-owner Sean Sherman, known as the Sioux Chef, but that is not what makes his Minneapolis restaurant, Owamni, special. Sherman has pointed the national spotlight on to Indigenous cooking by dedicating his personal and professional life to the mission of showcasing and promoting pre-colonial North American ingredients such as elk, bison, wild rice, and foraged plants.

Owamni sources from Indigenous suppliers for its menu, and avoids post-colonization items like dairy and cane sugar, with stunning results. The room itself is breath-taking, with sharp lines, warm woods, and a view of the Mississippi River. And it has made Minneapolis the focal point of an important discussion of American foodways.

Chef Daniel del Prado has expanded his burgeoning empire with this Argentinian-style steakhouse in the North Loop, where beloved Bachelor Farmer once resided. The space could not be more different than its former Scandinavian self, with warm brick walls and industrial touches like exposed pipes snaking across the ceiling. The menu boasts rarely seen 100% grass fed beef as well as prime Argentinian cuts and domestic and Japanese A5 wagyu. There are plenty of non-beef options, like a cold bar and oysters, or eye-catching pasta dishes like the sweet corn agnolotto.

While the patio is gorgeous in the summer-time, the interior is exactly what shivering Minnesotans need for — let’s face it — most of the year.

After the closing of Sooki and Mimi — a moment of silence, please, for those mushroom birria tacos — a new gift from chef Ann Kim emerged. Kim’s the most personal offering to date from the James Beard winner, a  celebration of her Korean American heritage.

Prepare for stunning plates of grilled prawns floating on a decadent gochujang sauce (hold on to your plate until you have slurped up every last drop with chunks of warm hotteok buns), ethereal bowls of bubbling egg souffle, and Ann’s ham and cheese sandwich, utilizing the aforementioned hotteok in an ode to her native Korea’s proclivity for Minnesota-born Spam.

Afterwards, duck down the alley past artist’s Julia Chon’s vibrant mural to Bronto Bar, which has the familiar basement vibe of the stealthy back bar at Kim’s sister restaurant Young Joni.

No reservations. Find more info here.

Recently opened in the former Revival space by hospitality veterans Adam and Jeanie Ritter, Bûcheron (which means “lumberjack” in French) features classic French dishes with American approachability. That describes its aesthetic pretty well: welcoming and cozy, with a touch of opulence. French technique meets Midwest heart, in short, in dishes like pillowy pommes dauphines, lush octopus Bolognese, or sticky toffee cake with mandarin sorbet.

For those last-minute date nights, 10 bar seats are available for walk-ins, offering a direct view of the kitchen, where Demi alums Adam and Cory Western put their experience and pedigree to work.

Don’t let the name fool you. Mr. Paul’s festive Big Easy vibe is decidedly un-Minnesotan (or Wisconsinite) for a supper club. It’s the kind of jovial place where it is perfectly acceptable — nay — encouraged, to fill the table with towering plates of banana foster French toast paired with shrimp and grits for brunch, and finish the meal with a few jelly-filled beignets. The party continues at dinner, where chef Tommy Begnaud’s New Orleans inspired menu really shines with a dazzling variety of Creole dishes, down-home Southern hospitality, and an extensive list of cocktails. (Get the Du Monde Negroni and close your eyes. You can almost feel the Louisiana humidity, can’t you?)

Gai Noi is named after khao gai noi, a short-grained rice grown in the Laotian area where chef Kim Ahmed’s family is from. So ubiquitous is this glutinous rice that the restaurant website offers a cheeky tutorial on how to eat it. But this multi-level Loring Park spot from Ahmed captures so much of what makes the local dining community great: intriguing Lao dishes, playful cocktails, and spectacular views of the Minneapolis skyline. Each level of the building has a slightly different vibe, but all are equally laid-back and welcoming. The Panang spaghetti is a fun twist on two classics, while the basil wings have already cultivated a respectable following. Pro tip: Weekday happy hour runs a generous three hours, giving you plenty of time to try a variety of cocktails with a tropical slant, like the passion fruit Negroni or a star fruit margarita.

Find more info here.

Do you dream of doughy pizza crusts, blistered with fire-kissed bubbles, and topped with smoked mozzarella and kicky hot honey? That dream becomes a delicious reality at Rosalia, chef Daniel del Prado’s sunny Linden Hills joint. In the summer, the patio is one of the best in town, and although finding parking in this lake-side hamlet is just a smidge less challenging than finding Wonka’s Golden Ticket, even in the winter. But chewy wood-fired pizzas, lofty salad plates, and unique apps (try the burrata with marinated grapes and orange water, a dish you’ll dream of that dish for weeks, we promise) are well worth the effort.

Del Prado also has a magical touch with vegetables, highlighted in dishes like roasted broccolini with pine nuts tahina, and roasted beets with lemon ricotta, dukkah, and white chocolate.

Mexican-born chef Jorge Guzmán takes great pride in calling Petite Leon a “neighborhood bistro,” but it is so much more. Petite Leon is a testament to the Twin Cities’ diverse chef talent. The menu is an ode to Guzman’s Yucatan upbringing and global point of view, filled with soul-warming dishes highlighting both Mexican and Southern European cultures. Whether you stop in for brunch, dinner, or just a fabulous cocktail from bar whiz Travis Serbus, prepare for a whirl around the world with dishes like piquillo peppers stuffed with goat cheese, the now-legendary Le Petite cheeseburger, and a Basque-style cheesecake for dessert. As we hold our collective breath for Guzmán’s upcoming Tex-Mex focused Chilango to open, Petite Leon will satiate your south of the border cravings.

Husband-and-wife team Dessa and Russell Klein have been enchanting diners since 2007 in this romantic, transformative brasserie, seemingly  plucked straight out of a cobblestone Parisian street but here for us in St. Paul brasserie, complete with a raw bar filled to the brim with both East and West coast oysters. Splurge on the Le Meritage seafood platter, a feast made to impress, then choose from an massive Old World wine list to accompany a plate of moules frites or Toulouse-style cassoulet. Top off the evening with a gorgeous Pimm’s Provencal cocktail — or three.

Hai Hai’s Southeast Asian street food menu and tropical vacation vibe is a delight for the senses. Chef Christina Nguyen was inspired by the home cooked meals of her childhood, and anointed them with her own signatures. So expect charming surprises like Thai banana blossom salads and steamed water fern rice cakes. Whether bellied up to the bar, tucked in between ferns in the dining room, or balancing on tiny plastic stools on the patio, the city of Minneapolis will disappear as you absorb the vibe of a Vietnam streetside cantina. Speaking of the bar, the spirit-free selections are top-notch, as is the fruity lemonade of the day.

Soul Bowl focuses on soul food with a healthy twist, using traditional Southern ingredients like collard greens and sweet potatoes, without a pork dish in sight. The plant-based options are plentiful and flavorful, like the Caribe bowl or the vegan mac ‘n’ cheese. Omnivores need not worry, there is plenty of southern comfort for you in the form of smothered bone-in chicken dishes and flaky patties filled with spicy beef. With locations at Graze Provisions and Libations, Target Field, Target Center, and the Minnesota State Fair, chef Gerard Klass and his wife Brittney are taking over the culinary scene, one hearty bowl at a time.

Find more info here.

A Southern Italian jewel box on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, its ambience informed by a long stretch of cobalt bench seating and crispy white tablecloths. Reserve early to land one of the coveted window tables up front and dig into plates of fried olives stuffed with cheese, or beef tartare topped with garlicy mint aioli. A tight but superb collection of pasta dishes and hearty entrees follows as you watch the traffic flow by from the comfort of this quiet bistro.  Bonus: Hyacinth hosts the occasional pop-ups, which allows the kitchen to play with other Mediterranean cuisines, so check Resy often for details.

Bar La Grassa, or BLG to its close friends, has been a local favorite as well as a beloved destination for over 15 years. The massive room somehow retains an intimate quality that keeps folks returning for luscious pasta, seafood, and steaks. An almost comically long list of bruschette beckons, with choices like braised octopus, chicken liver mousse, or soft eggs and lobster — a crowd-pleaser every time. Pro tip: Don’t sleep on the lush ‘Nduja egg raviolo, a singular pillow of pasta wrapped around an inexplicably still runny egg yolk and drizzled in a browned butter sauce. Ours is not to question how; simply to savor.

Herbst Eatery and Farm Stand’s menu is the epitome of seasonal. The St. Paul restaurant’s laser focus on aMidwestern plentitude of ingredients shines in dishes like last spring’s blistered snap peas with pecorino, and this winter’s bucatini with carrot sour cream and pumpkin seed oil. As the seasons change, so does the light in the elegant dining room. The bar has become a favorite hang for industry folks and locals, with its stunning light fixture and curves. The best seat in the house might be the banquet towering over the open kitchen, where a humble turnip is turned into a dish you will tell your friends about well into next season.

Call 651-340-0254 for more info. 

After a string of sold-out pop ups, Louis Hunter opened this plant-based spot as the first Black-owned vegan restaurant in Minneapolis in 2018. The varied menu includes soul food entrees, burgers, wraps and a handful of desserts. Trio is also a local go-to for vegan catering, offering a Southern-style menu for up to 120 people. Hunter continues to work toward justice for the Black community in the Twin Cities after being wrongfully accused of violence against police while attending a protest after his cousin, Philando Castile, was killed by a police officer in 2016. From facing a 20-year sentence to opening Trio, Hunter continues his fight, while serving up delicious, healthy meals at this Uptown restaurant.

Find more info here.

Less than a mile down the road from its big sister restaurant, Bar La Grassa, sits chef Isaac Becker’s slightly more casual, quainter 112 Eatery. The candlelit, narrow space is the ultimate in romance, but still a fun, buzzy scene. The menu traverses the globe from France to Thailand with dishes like tagliatelle with foie gras meatballs to sweet and sour crab salad. The 112 cheeseburger is the stuff of legends and not to be missed, no matter how full you might be, so order each dish with sharing in mind.

The Caribbean soul food dishes here are full of flavors often unfamiliar to Minnesotan palates, but there is no doubt the curried meats, sandwiches made with coco bread — a Jamaican style bread made with coconut milk — and a wide variety of signature sauces have found a deserved following. And no surprise: West Indies has long been a State Fair favorite with its stand in the International Bazaar, and now with a brick-and-mortar space on University Avenue in Saint Paul, there is no need to wait until summer to grab a few of those kicky Jerk chicken patties.

Find more info here.

Dario is the latest offering from industry veterans Chef Joe Rolle and cocktail extraordinaire Stephen Rowe, having opened in mid-January. In the North Loop space previously occupied by Dalton & Wade, the team has created a more cheerful, brighter dining experience, focusing on the housemade pastas Rolle is known for, along with vegetable dishes where the vegetable is the star and a raw seafood list. Dario is bound to become a North Loop darling. And as the weather warms, keep an eye out for a summertime patio, currently in the works.

This modern chophouse in the former Butcher and the Boar space is a no-brainer if you enjoy grilled meats, smoked sausages, and bourbon, of which there’s an enviable list. The former tenant’s relaxed sophistication remains, along with nods to its beloved dishes like a beef long rib the size of a small child, a pork chop with a cult following, and side dishes like caldrons filled with sour cream mashed potatoes or spicy-sweet jalapeno cheddar corn bread. And while the sprawling outdoor space is a favorite hang in the warmer months, you can pretend it’s summer all year long by sidling up to the bar in the covered patio with heated lamps, and ordering one of the old fashioned cocktails for which Butcher (previous or this one) has been known.

Call 612-236-4075 for more info.

Global star chef Gavin Kaysen came home to Minnesota to open Spoon and Stable in 2014, and the North Loop restaurant quickly became a benchmark for Twin Cities excellence. In a former 1906 horse stable, Kaysen and crew serve the type of homemade comfort food you wish you could make at home. Dorothy’s pot roast brings out the crowds on the coldest winter nights, and the bar is always a bustling retreat from the wind chill. This is where you bring out-of-town guests you want to impress, where NBA players dine after games, and where it’s as acceptable to wear a North Face vest as a three-piece suit. And after a brief refresh to celebrate its upcoming tenth anniversary, Spoon and Stable is returning in mid-February. That pot roast better still be there … just saying.

Call 612-224-9850 for more info.