The November Hit List: Snack Bar, Red Rabbit, Nixta, and More

As if this North Loop spot didn’t have enough going for it, it’s added another feather to its cap: dishes from the departed (and very missed) Burch Steak. Isaac Becker, owner of both places, has updated the menu to include favorites such as the crab and sea bean salad, the prime hanger steak, and the schupfnudeln (potato dumplings). But don’t let your love of Burch blind you to Snack Bar standouts: thick strands of pasta served with brown butter, ricotta and pistachios; build-your-own pizza by the pie or slice; fat, juicy sea scallops; a photo-worthy chocolate tart. With its dim lighting and cozy booths, the restaurant screams “date night.”

It’s hard to imagine being much more farm-to-table than this recently opened culinary slice of pastoral heaven, which is owned and operated by local farmers — Stony Creek Dairy, Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm, Yker Acres Pork, and Locally Laid Egg Co., to name a very, very few — via the Minnesota Farmers Union. The restaurant sources ingredients from around the state to fill its seasonally focused breakfast, all-day, and supper menus. (There’s also a coffee bar.) Step up to the counter and order tempters like MN 8-Grain Griddlecakes with lingonberry jam, bison and wild rice meatballs, fried cheese curds, grilled cheese, or pan-fried lake trout. The spot also has a small market where you can purchase meats, cheeses, pantry goods, and more from the state’s farmers.

Don’t be surprised if you second-guess Google Maps when you arrive at this distillery. From the outside, it looks like just a regular office building. But follow the signs and open the doors — you’ll be transported to a chill, intimate hideaway with some of the best (and best-named) cocktails around. Options change regularly, but what doesn’t change are the creativity and effort put into them. The Neapolitan Dynamite is a beauty, with layers that highlight flavors such as pineapple, dragonfruit, yuzu, and coconut, with a touch of habanero thrown in. In the Word Up, Yo!, aquavit, lemon, and a “super duper secret blend of herbs” harmonize perfectly. While reservations aren’t required, the 37 seats fill quickly, so better be safe than sorry.

Heirloom corn is Gustavo Romero’s muse, what drives him to make different types of tortillas and sell them out of this shop in Northeast. Originally from Hidalgo, Mexico, Romero uses the time-honored technique of nixtamalization – soaking the corn in a water/calcium hydroxide mix — to create his rounds, which are quickly snapped up by local chefs and regular citizens alike. In addition to tortillas, you can pick up family dinners on Fridays and hot food to go Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons. Visit the Nixta website to sign up for the email list and stay in the know about the changing menus or check them out on Instagram.

An updated menu debuted at the end of last month, putting fall comfort food in the spotlight. Don’t miss the pear salad with roasted poached fruit, greens, goat cheese, and candied pecans; the saffron paella; the half-rack of baby-back ribs; or the 16-ounce prime rib. With a $79 three-course meal for two, including a bottle of wine and two mini desserts, Wednesday night is bound to become your new date night. Flying solo? Stop in on Tuesdays for the $40 prix fixe: appetizer, main course, and dessert, plus a glass of beer or wine. Or snap up a steak burger and beverage for only $10 during the daily happy hour.

After Billy Tserenbat sold Wayzata hot spot Sushi Fix in 2017, some fans worried that one of the Twin Cities’ most beloved chefs might be leaving the sushi game. His opening earlier this year of Billy Sushi, however, has laid those fears to rest — and shown that his game is more on-point than ever. The fish is top-notch and the atmosphere lively and fun, a true reflection of the owner. His exuberant personality spills over into the Billy Sushi Creations, unique rolls bearing names like the Naughty Ninja and NoLo YoLo. Tuna is a specialty, with three types of bluefin available: otoro (fatty tuna belly), chutoro (medium fatty), and akami (lean). Pair your bites with something from the pages-long drinks list, where whisky and sake pours and cocktails figure prominently.

For more information, visit billysushi.net

Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood in South Minneapolis lies one of the best fine-dining prix-fixe deals in town: six courses for $60, a steal for the elegant dishes that arrive at your table. (Add on a wine pairing for $30 more.) The restaurant takes seasonal eating seriously, which means dishes that are here today may be gone tomorrow. The high-quality food, lively atmosphere (records spin throughout the night), and limited seating mean you should plan to book well in advance. Those up for just a drink now have a new option: Tenant Next Door, a casual hang offering a pool table, cocktails, beer, wine, and a handful of snacks.

Despite having been around for more than a decade, Chimborazo has managed to maintain a low profile — and fans would prefer to keep it that way. The kitchen skillfully brings to life hearty dishes representative of Ecuador and the Andean Highlands: hornado con papas (slow-roasted pork), patacones con queso (fried green plantain topped with queso fresco), llapingachos (cheese-stuffed potato patties), encocado (shrimp or fish in a coconut sauce with red pepper and onion), encebollado (ahi tuna soup with cassava). The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily, plus brunch on the weekend; don’t miss trying one of the tropical mimosas.

Call (612) 788-1328 for reservations.

Holman’s Table, located at the St. Paul Downtown Airport, is more than a place to while away the time until your flight — it’s a dining destination in its own right, with the food cred to draw those who aren’t awaiting take-off. While there are nods to the restaurant’s aviation roots on the menu — the Seaplane salad, the Airline Chicken, the Air Mail 2.0 gin cocktail — don’t expect a kitschy themed joint. Instead, you’ll find well-executed dishes (think pastas, sandwiches, seafood, and steak), refined ingredients, and a view of the runway that’ll have you dreaming about your next escape.

Italian comfort food rules the menu here, with a heavy lean into pizzas and pastas, which are available in 10 or so variations each. You’ll also find classics like minestrone soup, chicken Parmesan, and a meaty grinder sandwich. Kick-start your meal with an appetizer such as the garlic bread cheese curds or wood-grilled oysters. On the weekend, cozy into one of the oversized red booths and dig into the Italian Benedict, Vienna French toast, pancetta and Yukon gold potato breakfast pizza, and other filling fare.