Citizen Cafe

Citizen Cafe (“for the people” says the logo) is not some collectivist South Minneapolis outpost of hemp curtains, vegan fare, and servers who eschew deodorant. In fact, it’s a certified den of yuppiedom in the midst of a decidedly blue collar section of town (think Ted Cook’s Nineteenth Hole ). Is that good? Well, if you like such things as pan-seared sea scallops and three-day pork roast, it’s good. The exterior screams dentist’s office circa 1954, but the modest dining room has a Craftsman-era vibe with walls bedecked in vintage posters and bric-a-brac. Chef Michael McKay was the longtime chef at Sample Room, but Citizen is his baby, with an all-day menu of upscaled American fare and comfort classics. (Most of what I tasted eclipsed what I ate at a recent Sample Room dinner; we’ll run a full review of Citizen in the coming months.) Let’s hope “the people” know what to make of cilantro cashew pesto butter and old-school country pate. Linden Hills can’t have all the good restaurants, now can it?

2403 E. 38th St., Mpls., 612-729-1122