First Look: the Apothecary Bar & Lounge at the Loews Minneapolis Hotel

The Apothecary Bar & Lounge is up and running at the Loews Minneapolis Hotel, radically reconfiguring the old Bradstreet Crafthouse space with an all-new menu of food and cocktails—as well as an entirely new décor with a focus on an open, airy feel that renders the lobby space almost unrecognizable from its previous incarnation.

The menu features cured meats from chef Tim Fischer—as well as vegetables grown in his own greenhouse. The drinks roster is headed up by a choose-your-own adventure Old Fashioned, in which you can circle elements from a list of spirits, bitters, and assorted tinctures.

In honor of our June Burgers and Brews issue, on newsstands next week, I sampled Fischer’s burger-and-beer pairing with a bottle of Fulton—a hearty patty on a relatively delicate housemade bun that stands up to the best in town. Fischer, a Minnesota native who has returned to the Twin Cities to work at Loews after stops around the country, singles out the Foie Gras hotdog as a highlight along with a build-your-own charcuterie-and-cheese option focused on local sourcing.

The verdict? A great burger, and an intriguing, appealing rethink of a downtown Minneapolis space (the Cosmos space upstairs is also due for an overhaul before the end of the year, also with Fischer at the helm).