There’s something inherently thrilling about a place you don’t stumble upon—you’re let in on it. At The Farmer’s Cellar in Lakeville, entry begins inside a convenience store, where a soda shelf quietly doubles as a door. Step through, and the everyday disappears, replaced by a speakeasy-style bar and restaurant built on surprise, thoughtful design, and a menu that takes familiar flavors somewhere unexpected.
Photo by Terry Brennan
What’s Up
You won’t need a password to enter The Farmer’s Cellar speakeasy in Lakeville—just the knowledge that one soda display shelf inside the Farmer’s Grandson Eatery convenience store is actually a door. Pull it open and, like Dorothy stepping from black-and-white into Oz, you’ll find a hidden bar and restaurant. Opened in September 2025, this is the brainchild of The Wondrous Collective, led by founder and owner Tony Donatell, and his team behind the first Farmer’s Grandson Eatery (which opened in Eagan in 2008) and more than a dozen suburban restaurants including Burgers and Bottles, Volstead House, Whiskey Inferno, Tequila Butcher, and Rum Row, among others. “When I created The Farmer’s Cellar, the goal was simple,” says Donatell. “I wanted to surprise people with something they did not expect to find behind a cooler door in a suburban gas station.”
What’s Cooking
Creative cocktails shake things up on the seasonal drink menu, from an old fashioned to an oh-so-balanced fresh mojito, plus wine and beer selections. The food menu is small, but even the staples are elevated, and it will change seasonally. Thomas Boemer, a James Beard Award nominee, is on board as the collective’s culinary director, and you can see the delicious influence on this menu, working in conjunction with Chef Travis Allen. Veggies can be a star of the show when they are the amazing Crispy Street Corn Style Brussels. You’ll want to lap up every bit of the fresh herb salad and sauce on the plate with the hoisin barbecue-glazed Char Siu Pork Belly. The burger is zhuzhed up with bacon, smoked cheddar, garlic aioli, and tomato jam; the Detroit-style pizza with beer-braised brisket, barbecue sauce, smoked Gouda, and jalapeño; and the rib-eye steak with an espresso rub. Dip into the Apple Pie Moonshine or cookies and ice cream for a sweet ending.
Photo by Terry Brennan
Where It’s At
With a nod to the Prohibition-era speakeasy and warmth of rural gatherings, this “cellar” is a welcoming and cozy spot but also elevated like its menu. Exposed brick walls surround dark-wood booths that line the room, which are separated by decorative art deco-like glass, and a combination of seating in the middle ranges from velvet chairs by the fireplace (and bathtub!) to tables and bar stools. The tall, vaulted ceiling supports crystal chandeliers to cast a sparkle on the room. There are no TVs—it’s a room built for connection. “I hope visitors feel that when they walk in,” says Donatell. “I hope they experience the warmth of the room, the creativity of our bar team, and the sense that this place was built with intention for people who appreciate craft and connection.”
8333 210th St. W., Lakeville; thefarmerscellar.com
