Ralph Waldo Emerson was right. Life is about the journey, not the destination. With that in mind, consider this your invitation to take a delicious detour this spring. When I head north, I plan for an early lunch and a late one, maybe squeeze in a mid-afternoon snack, and still leave room for a supper club stop when I’m cruising through the Mississippi River Valley near Red Wing. The miles matter—but the meals matter more. Take your time. Enjoy the journey.
Courtesy of OMC Smokehaus
Near the Twin Cities
98 HAWAIIAN GRILL
12 Second Ave. NW, St. Joseph
A taste of aloha from Esera Tuaolo. Beautiful Hawaiian flavors in dishes like the Pineapple BBQ Chicken, Kalbi Ribs, and Ahi Tuna.
BRIANNO’S DELI
2280 Cliff Road, Eagan
Excellent thin-crust pizza, terrific hoagies, and a great Italian deli in the south suburbs.
HOGAN BROTHERS
415 Division St. S., Northfield
Giant hot hoagies on homemade honey-cracked wheat bread. If you went to St. Olaf or Carleton after 1991, you went to Hogan Brothers.
OLIO
338 Fifth Ave. N., Bayport
My favorite pasta-focused restaurant in the state. Olio is the work of Luke Sawtell and Riley Jackson. Sawtell learned pasta at Bar La Grassa, and Jackson mastered service at San Pedro Cafe. You see that warmth and skill on every plate.
Photo by Esther Susag Photography
PAGLIAI’S PIZZA
524 S. Front St., Mankato
Synonymous with Mankato, Pagliai’s has been around since the ‘60s. Hand-tossed pizza, loaded with tons and tons of cheese. A classic.
REDEMPTION
31 Third St. NE, Faribault
Housed in a historic warehouse built in the 1870s, the woodfired grill is the star of the show here. Salmon, pork chops, and American classics.
Jason’s Pick:
VAL’S
628 E. St. Germain St., St. Cloud
This is the burger joint my cardiologist is glad isn’t right by my home. You can still get a cheeseburger here for under $2.50. Drive up and grab a chocolate shake and some fries. Life doesn’t have to be that complicated.
Courtesy of Val's
North Shore
ANGRY TROUT CAFE
408 W. Highway 61, Grand Marais
Specializes in Lake Superior fish, served dock-to-table style.
OMC SMOKEHOUSE
1909 W. Superior St., Duluth
One of my top three barbecue spots in Minnesota—perfect ‘cue in a great location.
POPLAR HAUS
7890 Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais
The only liquor store on the Gunflint Trail and one of the nicest restaurants, too. Great stop if you’re looking to enjoy Poplar Lake.
SoL HONG KONG CAFE
4721 E. Superior St., Duluth
SoL stands for “Slice of Life.” Antony Gor grew up in Texas; his parents are from Hong Kong (they’re Cantonese). All those influences show up in this fast-casual, diner-style spot.
Courtesy of SoL Hong Kong Cafe
Jason’s Pick:
THE PINES RESTAURANT
12 NW Third St., Grand Rapids
Kyle and Amanda Lussier have created a farm-to-table restaurant anchored in the food and spirit of the North Shore. Yes, you’ll find walleye and wild rice treatments, but you’ll also see halibut that reminds you of Kyle’s time cooking at Sea Change at the Guthrie.
Photo by Taylor Apedaile Photography
Brainerd Lakes
BAR HARBOR SUPPER CLUB
8164 Interlachen Road, Lake Shore
Probably the most beautiful restaurant in the region—and the best cocktails, too. Classic chophouse with nice pastas and a fab pistachio-stuffed walleye.
CRU
23521 Nokomis Ave., Nisswa
Open May through October, Cru brings the region’s best wine and the most adventurous culinary style, too. Located at Grand View Lodge and open to the public.
LONESOME PINE
13726 Katrine Drive, Deerwood
On Bay Lake, Lonesome Pine is an old-school supper club. Owners Josh and Amy Goolsbee are always around—they bring in top-notch steak, seafood, and oysters, and serve them up at an incredible value.
ZORBAZ ON THE LAKE
Eleven locations in Minnesota
Do I have to apologize for liking Zorbaz? Weird mashups like Mexican flavors, pizza, and lake views. Oh, and the margaritas are delicious, too.
Jason’s Pick:
VICTUAL
124 W. Main St., Crosby
The coolest general store I’ve ever been in—incredible bakery, cheese, and meat counter, the smallest (and most perfectly curated) wine shop in Minnesota, and ice cream. Will you buy a Meat Raffle T-shirt at the entrance to the Cuyuna Trail? I hope so. Just a perfect detour when you’re in this extremely adorable little town.
Courtesy of Victual
Road To Rochester
BITTER & POUR
18 Third St. SW, Lower Level, Rochester
A basement-level cocktail lounge with a killer barrel-aged Old Fashioned called First World Problem. I love how they divide their menu into spirit-forward, tropical, crisp, and smoky.
DAN’S BAR & GRILL
8485 240th St. E., New Trier
While King’s Place gets all the burger love in this region, Dan’s Bar & Grill has been quietly excelling for decades. Get the Buddha, featuring two cheeses, bacon, caramelized onions, and mushrooms.
Courtesy of Dan’s Bar & Grill
MARROW
332 Broadway Ave. S., Rochester
Pressed oxtail and marrow pot pie in Rochester? Fine dining worth a trip, thanks to Rochester natives and married couple Jeff and Sarah Schwenker.
THAIPOP
4 Third St. SW, Rochester
Choose the Khao Soi Curry or Miang Pla (fish lettuce wrap). Gloriously fun flavors here.
Jason’s Pick:
FIRST MEETING NOODLE
793 16th St. SW, Suite 200, Rochester
The chefs that opened and then sold Minnesota’s first hand-pulled noodle shop (Master Noodle in St. Paul) are now stretching dough and creating soup in Rochester. I adore the Chongqing Spicy Noodle Soup, Mongolian Beef Fried Noodle, and the Cumin Mutton Sandwich. Noodle master Young Shen and executive chef John Chen are talents worth the drive to experience.
Courtesy of First Meeting Noodle
Red Wing and Mississippi River Valley
HANISCH BAKERY AND COFFEE SHOP
410 W. Third St., Red Wing
You can’t go to Red Wing without stopping at Hanisch Bakery. You’ll find their donuts and breads all over the valley, but the bakery has fabulous pastries, cookies, and cakes, too.
HERB + ARROW BAR KITCHEN
260 Main St. W., Wabasha
Women-, veteran-, and family-owned in the historic downtown district, serving up modern comforts like flatbreads and pasta specials.
KELLY’S LAKE HOUSE BAR & GRILL
1702 N. Lakeshore Drive, Lake City
Lake views, broasted chicken, and 30 Minnesota beers on tap at any given time.
SCARLET KITCHEN & BAR
406 Main St., Red Wing
Charming restaurant with Mississippi River views. Located inside of the St. James Hotel.
Jason’s Pick:
RED WING BREWERY
1411 Old West Main St., Red Wing
Featuring phenomenal pizza with crusts made at Hanisch Bakery, Red Wing Brewery has solid beer, excellent root beer, and a nice vibe. The Seoul Food Korean Chicken Pizza is a favorite, as are the calzones. Wash it down with a Red Wing Premium Kolsch-style beer.
Courtesy of Red Wing Brewery
Across the Border
Just across the state line, Wisconsin offers its own lineup of delicious detours
• Chef Shack, Bay City
• Dalles House Restaurant & Lounge, St. Croix Falls
• J&J BBQ, Prescott
• Lovechild Restaurant, La Crosse
• Stockholm Pie & General Store, Stockholm
