As diners and as critics, we can’t help ourselves: We love the shiny things. The newest restaurant, the hottest chef, the coolest design. And yet, when I think about the places that really warm my heart—the places I’d really miss if they were gone—most of the spots have been around for decades. In that spirit, we’ve put together some of our favorite restaurants that have been open and thriving for at least 20 years, since 1993. It was a surprisingly difficult task to narrow the list, because we have a tremendous number that have been around for two or more decades and are still getting it done.
Photo by Terry Brennan
West Side
• Al’s Breakfast, 413 14th Ave. SE, Minneapolis, 612-331-9991, alsbreakfastmpls.com
• Monte Carlo, 219 N. Third Ave., Minneapolis, 612-333-5900, montecarlomn.com
• Restaurant Alma, 528 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis, 612-379-4909, almampls.com
• Quang, 2719 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis, quang-restaurant.com
• Victor’s 1959 Cafe, 3756 Grand Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-827-8948, victors1959cafe.com
Photo by Terry Brennan
Jason’s Pick: Jax Café
1928 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis, 612-789-7297, jaxcafe.com
I have so many great memories from Jax: celebrating my wife’s 30th birthday, eating on that gorgeous patio when the skies turned dark and we encountered flash flooding on the way home, my favorite gin martini in town. Open for 90 years, Jax is special and especially deserving of its longevity.
East Side
• Boca Chica, 11 Cesar Chavez St., St. Paul, 651-222-8499, bocachicarestaurant.com
• Cafe Latte, 850 Grand Ave., St. Paul, 651-224-5687, cafelatte.com
• El Burrito Mercado, 175 Cesar Chavez St., St. Paul, 651-227-2192, elburritomercado.com
• The Lexington, 1096 Grand Ave., St. Paul, 651-289-4990, thelexmn.com
• Mancini’s, 531 Seventh St. W., St. Paul, 651-224-7345, mancinis.com
• Moscow on the Hill, 371 Selby Ave., St. Paul, 651-291-1236, moscowonthehill.com
Jason’s Pick: Cossetta Alimentari
211 Seventh St. W., St. Paul, 651-222-3476, cossettas.com
Open since 1911, the Italian sausage made Cossetta famous, but the mostaccioli makes it money. Or maybe it’s the cannoli. I crave that Cossetta salad, with roasted prosciutto, gorgonzola, and that magical, pink Cossetta dressing. A great slice, too. The alimenteri has gotten fancier over the years, with a stunning bakery, a lovely Italian restaurant upstairs (Louis), and a grocery store with a ridiculous selection of salamis. But there’s something about the cafeteria-style setup—grabbing that big plastic tray with endless options in front of me—that warms my heart.
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Suburbs
• Ciao Bella, 3501 Minnesota Drive, Bloomington, 952-841-1000, ciaobellamn.com
• Gianni’s Steakhouse, 635 E. Lake St., Wayzata, 952-404-1100,
giannis-steakhouse.com
• Lindey’s Prime Steak House, 3600 Snelling Ave. N., Arden Hills,
651-633-9813, theplaceforsteak.com
• Maverick’s Real Roast Beef, 1746 Lexington Ave. N., Roseville,
651-493-9672, mavericksbeef.com
• Phil’s Tara Hideaway, 15021 60th St. N., Stillwater, 651-439-9850, tarahideaway.com
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Jason’s Pick: Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge
3746 Sunset Drive, Spring Park, 952-471-8513, lordfletchers.com
Can you imagine summertime in Minnesota without Lord Fletcher’s? Absolutely not. The hottest outdoor patio on Lake Minnetonka is also the size of a football field. Families, college kids, athletes, millionaires, and regular people show up to eat more walleye than anywhere else in the Midwest. But don’t sleep on the main room during the off-season. Since 1968, Lord Fletcher’s has offered a great prime rib, great bison short ribs, and always warm and friendly service.
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Greater Minnesota
• Dan’s Bar & Grill, 8285 240th St. E., New Trier, 651-437-5844, dansbarandgrill.com
• King’s Place, 14460 240th St. E., Miesville, 651-437-1418,
kingsplacebar.com
• Lake Elmo Inn, 3442 Lake Elmo Ave. N., Lake Elmo, 651-777-8495, lakeelmoinn.com
• River Inn Bar & Grill, 11220 River Road NE, Hanover, 763-498-7335, riverinnhanover.com
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Jason’s Pick (and winner of Minnesota Monthly’s Recent Best Holiday Dining restaurant award): New Scenic Café
5461 North Shore Drive, Duluth, 218-525-6274, newsceniccafe.com
It’s crazy to think Duluth’s New Scenic Café is more than two decades old, as chef and owner Scott Graden keeps reinventing the food. Pre-2000, the Duluth food scene was very traditional: steakhouses and American cuisine. When it opened in 1999, New Scenic pushed the boundaries of what was possible on the North Shore while doing it in a familiar, homey, friendly environment. Now, Graden’s menu takes you from Mediterranean picks to Scandinavian smørrebrød open-faced sandwiches, miso sea bass, and a mole on smoked pork shank.
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