Food + Drink

Airport
The best real food available at Minneapolis–St. Paul International is at the French Meadow Bakery & Cafe outpost on the F Concourse, but the new Ike’s may give it a run for its boarding pass. As at FM’s flagship in south Minneapolis, the watchwords are fresh and wholesome. [top]

Bakery
While many local bakeries are superlative at one or two things, Turtle Breadis the total package, doing everything right. The breads are first- rate, and the sweets—cookies, pies, and pastries—are unsurpassed in the metro. 4762 Chicago Ave., Mpls., 612-823-7333; 3421 W. 44th St., Mpls., 612-924-6013; One Financial Plaza, 120 S. 6th St., Mpls., 612-455-2552 [top]

Bloody Mary
 Spoonriver’s savory concoction—peppered to perfection—is an ideal starter for one of the snazzy new bistro’s excellent breakfasts and a Saturday morning visit to the Mill City Market next door. 750 S. 2nd St., Mpls., 612-436-2236 [top]

Breakfast
There’s nothing fancy about Keys Café’s Midway original—just plenty of eggs and bacon done right, plus homemade cinnamon rolls you have to ask for and attitude you don’t. 767 Raymond Ave., St. Paul, 651-646-5756 [top]

Brewer
Surviving twenty years in the local beer biz may be its own reward, but in terms of product (both range and quality) and community involvement (concert and other event sponsorships), St. Paul’s heady Summit Brewing Company is clearly tops. 910 Montreal Circle St., St. Paul, 651-265-7800 [top]

Brunch
It’s 20.21, hands down. Here’s a made-to-order buffet of perfectly cooked items, including Puck’s smoked salmon, which is flown in from LA each week. Walker Art Center, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 612-253-3410 [top]

Burger
Wagner’s Drive-In, the St. Louis Park icon, still makes the best drive-in burger in town. Make that the best burger, period. The supremely beefy flavor, a perfectly griddled crusty exterior, and the unique “bun it up and griddle it some more” style is clever cooking. 3712 Quebec Ave. S., St. Louis Park, 952-933-1857 [top]

Chef’s Table
The newly remodeled chef’s tasting room in the kitchen at Levain is big and urbane with full views of both the kitchen and Turtle Bread’s baking room. Live music and a behind-the-scenes perspective on the wine service complete the picture. Oh, and the food is the best in town. 4762 Chicago Ave., Mpls., 612-823-7111 [top]

Chinese
The Tea House has two menus—a boring, dumbed-down pan–Chinese affair and a second one that is gladly yours for the asking. The “secret menu” offers the best Sichuan food in the Midwest. 88 Nathan Ln., Plymouth, 763-544-3422 [top]

Cocktail Selection
With both alcoholic and nonalcoholic menus of exquisite hand-crafted drinks, La Belle Vie is the only restaurant in town that takes its cocktails as seriously as its food. 510 Groveland Ave., Mpls., 612-874-6440 [top]

Co-op
The Wedge offers the Twin Cities’ best selection and service, as well as the highest-quality produce and meats.  2105 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls., 612-871-3993 [top]

Farmers’ Market
The downtownSt. Paul Farmers’ Marketis the first and only true local farm-to-table market in the Twin Cities—an open-air and soon-to-be-four-season festival where all the vendors must grow their food within fifty miles. Yes, they have no bananas.  290 E. 5th St., St. Paul, 651-227-8101 [top]

French Fries
Casper & Runyon’s Nook has ’em—perfect large, long, starchy tubers, crisped to a golden brown. 492 Hamline Ave. S., St. Paul, 651-698-4347 [top]

Indian
Surabhi, for variety and execution, is the best of the Indian eateries in these parts. 9818 Aldrich Ave. S., Bloomington, 952-746-3663 [top]

Italian
I Nonni gives you true Italian–style food, the best seasonal classic Italian wine list, and one of the five largest and deepest Italian cellars in the Upper Midwest. 981 Sibley Memorial Hwy., Lilydale, 651-905-1081 [top]

Japanese
Fuji Yahas been outperforming its rivals since opening its St. Paul location in 2005. Here’s fresh and serious sushi—and great cooked food for those so inclined. 600 W. Lake St., Mpls., 612-871-4055; 465 N. Wabasha St., St. Paul, 651-310-0111 [top]

LRT Lunch
There’s good BBQ at Cap’s Grille, right next to the train station at 50th Street. 5000 Hiawatha Ave., Mpls., 612-722-2277 [top]

Mall Food
The Cheesecake Factoryoffers the perfect menu for the Southdale experience. Our faves are the shrimp club sandwich and the platter of sliders. Southdale Ctr., Edina, 952-653-3333 [top]

Mexican
El Burrito Mercadostands above the crowd when it comes to the depth and quality of the food selection in the deli, the restaurant, the café, and the market. 175 Cesar Chavez St., St. Paul, 651-227-2192 [top]

Organic
Everybody’s talking about Lenny and Brenda, but Scott Pampuch’s Corner Tablewalks the walk, combining a passion for local growers while serving food that’s consistently among the best in the cities. 4257 Nicollet Ave., Mpls., 612-823-0011 [top]

Picnic Lunch
The fixin’s all come from Buon Giorno: fresh bread from the bakery, prosciutto de Parma from the meat counter, taleggio from the cheese case, and a bottle of barolo from the wine shop. Magnifico! 981 Sibley Memorial Hwy., Lilydale, 651-905-1081 [top]

Pizza
Punch’s crust is perfectly crusty and chewy, the tomato-to-dough ratio is spot on, and the ingredients are top notch. The pies are seasoned with sea salt, and the Neapolitan blisters on the rim are the real deal. 8353 Crystal View Rd., Eden Prairie, 952-943-9557; 3226 W. Lake St., Mpls., 612-929-0006; 210 Hennepin Ave. E., Mpls., 612-623-8114; 704 Cleveland Ave. S., St. Paul, 651-696-1066 [top]

Restaurant (You Probably Don’t Know About)
Sapor is still the best-kept secret in town, having survived for years without the hubbub many newer, lesser restaurants receive and without playing the PR game many other local hot spots resort to. All Sapor does is serve great food at soft prices in a nice room. 428 Washington Ave. N., Mpls., 612-375-1971 [top]

Restaurant (Where You Don’t Need a Reservation to Snag a Prime-Time Table)
That would be Vincent, which has been open long enough—five years—to have lost the high-wattage buzz, yet it still serves great food. 1100 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-630-1189 [top]

Restaurant (for Watching the Game)
The bar at Tejas has a great TV, but no one ever watches it. Order the tamales and a pitcher of margaritas to go with the action. 3910 W. 50th St., Edina, 952-926-0800 [top]

Restaurant (Value/Deal)
Barbette’s fare is inexpensive and delicious. 1600 W. Lake St., Mpls.,612-827-5710 [top]

Rooftop
Solera—for the view, the quality of the food, and those awesome pitchers of Sangria. 900 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 612-338-0062 [top]

Salads
From the matchstick-apple–Manchego salad to the bacon, lettuce, and tomato salad, no one does salads better than Lurçat. 1624 Harmon Place, Mpls., 612-486-5500 [top]

Sandwich
The Lobster Club at Cosmos is the most decadent and finely honed meal in a fist you can find. The lobster is piled high on toasted brioche. The tomato and lettuce are proportional. C’mon, now! Graves 601 Hotel, 601 1st Ave. N., Mpls., 612-312-1168 [top]

Seafood
The Oceanaire has the metro’s best selection of the freshest seafood, cooked with great skill in a beautiful venue, and service that ranks with the best in town. Steve Uhl knows how to run a room, and the results are always superior to those of the competition. Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1300 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-333-2277 [top]

Soups
Quang Deli’s secret is the best broth in town, and great broth is the beginning of great soup. Try a bowl of Number 8—thin egg noodles, roasted pork, won tons, shrimp, and vegetables. A classic! 2719 Nicollet Ave., Mpls., 612-870-4739 [top]

State Fair Food
The Gizmo sandwich is freshly made in the booth’s own skillet. Italian pork-and-beef “chili” is piled on a soft roll base, covered with fresh tomato sauce and cheese, melted, then rolled (to keep all the ingredients together). This guilty pleasure is a five-star experience. Gizmo booth, Machinery Hill, Minnesota State Fairgrounds [top]

Steak
For the best beef cooked with the greatest consistency and served by the best wait staff in town, go to Morton’s. The New York strip and porterhouse steaks have the best marbling and beefiest flavor—and are accompanied by the highest-quality side dishes you’ll find between here and Chicago. Gaviidae Common, 555 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-673-9700 [top]

Thai
Krua Thailand’s curries and sauces are handmade in small batches, the family-run kitchen cooks authentic Thai food, and the charm and grace of the entire dining experience is simply sweet. 432 University Ave. W., St. Paul, 651-224-4053 [top]

Vegetarian
NalaPak, the former Udupi, offers the most flavorful choices, the most sophisticated cooking techniques, the most variety, et cetera. 4920 Central Ave. NE, Columbia Heights, 763-574-1113 [top]

Wine Bar
Cesare’s is well worth the drive to Stillwater for the extensive selection of wines, both by the glass and the bottle, and for the nearly flawless menu of nibbles that accompany the vino. 102 S. 2nd St., Stillwater, 651-439-1352 [top]