DeRushaEats: At Broders' Pasta Bar

In the food blogging and magazine writing world, we’re always searching for what’s new. But sometimes the truly spectacular has been hanging around the whole time.

In search of a place to bring my out-of-town parents, my wife, and my six and four-year-old sons, I thought about Broders’ Pasta Bar. Molly Broder’s been getting it done for 30 years, when the deli first opened. The pasta bar has been around since 1994, serving up true Italian cooking and fresh-made pasta.

And guess what? On a Wednesday at 5 p.m. opening time, there were people lined up outside the door.

We loved the bruschetta trio—the caramelized mushrooms and shallots on goat cheese rocked, and the butternut squash topped with crispy guanciale was just gorgeous.

But the pasta: oh the pasta. I had a ridiculously delicious lasagna con agnello, a lamb lasagna with a healthy dose of mint. The freshness of the mint contrasting with the meaty, rich lamb, coated in a light pink tomato cream sauce was just magical ($16.50).

My mom had a lovely, delicate butternut squash ravioli. The fact that Broders fires each individual dish, each sauce separately, creates such a nice beautiful dish. The ravioli had a little bit of crispness from the pan, and the squash and almonds were just perfectly prepared ($13.95).

And my wife had a glorious spinach gnocchi with peppered beef, mushrooms, leeks, and a truffle pesto cream. I can still smell that truffle ($16.95). Everything was just fantastic. The serving sizes are perfect—you’ll leave satisfied but not gorged by pasta.

Executive chef Michael Rostance does not disappoint.

So as we enter a new year, all searching for the most exciting, new restaurant, don’t forget the old, great ones—still getting it done.

Broders’ Pasta Bar
Broders’ does not take reservationsplease call the Pasta Bar after 4 p.m. to inquire about the evening.
5000 Penn Avenue South, Mpls.
612-925-9202
broders.com