2022
As a follow up to two of my recent posts (found here and here) , I thought it might be fun to do a post about the eateries that I patronized while I visited Minneapolis. If you've been to Minneapolis, then you know the struggle I had when it came time to choose a place to dine. There's so many good choices and seems unfair that I couldn't eat everything I wanted 🤣 . If you haven't been to Minneapolis and are a foodie, it's a must go! Within a 10 mile radius, I could get any kind of cuisine I wanted. I mean ANY. And a Google search tells me that there are 33 craft breweries in Minneapolis but I would wager a bet that this number is an outdated and is missing a few. Needless to say, the Minneapolis food scene did not disappoint. Below are my thoughts on the places I tried!
Big Loiue's Bar and Grill - New Brighton, MN
After a day of flying, nothing is better than getting that hotel key in your hand and having a cold drink!! So while I was checking in to the hotel, I ask the ladies working for a good place to grab a bite and a pint. They had good things to say about Big Louie's and even went as far to say that its the hotel manager's FAVORITE place in the area. With a review like that, I was sold.
From the outside, the building leaves much to be desired. It's pretty non-descript and a little seedy looking. But the interior is lovely. The bar had plenty of seating, the decor was updated and there were plenty of windows to provide natural light. I ordered a cold drink and the walleye tacos (their special of the day). The walleye tacos were incredible. The portion size was very generous and the tacos were perfectly seasoned and delicious. If you're ever in the area and they are doing the walleye tacos, don't even look at the menu. Get the tacos!
La Tapatia - Roseville, MN
The colleagues I was traveling with are of hispanic descent and being from Southern California, they know good food!! So when they chose La Tapatia for dinner, I was confident that it wouldn't disappoint. I was pleasantly surprised that they had tables long enough to fit our party of 11. We pushed two long tables together and were all able to dine together. We had a bit of a hold up due to their ordering process. Like the rest of the economy, they are dealing with labor shortages and, as a result, have divided their dining room into two separate space and where you sit, affects how you order and are served. If you make a reservation, they will seat you in the section that is what you are used to at a sit down restaurant. If you do not have a reservation and there are no tables available on that side of the dining room, they will sit you in their new "self serve" concept. Each table has a QR code that you scan and you place (and pay for) your order from your phone. The issue we had was that we had 6 people at each table who all needed to pay separately. This must be a new system for the restaurant because we had to talk to 4 different people, and in the end, we had a server come and take our orders like you'd expect at a sit down restaurant. This caused a bit of confusion and frustration for a few in our group but once we took one bite of our meals, we were willing to forgive the hiccups we experienced. The food was absolutely amazing! You could just look around the table and see that everyone was devouring their meals. I got the Al Pastor Burrito, street style and it was the tastiest Al Pastor I've ever had. Hopefully they can get their self-serve ordering system wrinkles ironed out soon. I would definitely come back here if I'm ever in the area again.
The Loop West End - Minneapolis, MN
Located in a bustling shopping district, this restaurant/bar was a great place to grab a late lunch. I had the #10 flatbread and it was perfectly executed. The flavors were vibrant and all worked well together and I liked that it something unique and bonus points because they bake them in a brick oven! They have a pretty decent sized bar and offer patio seating when the weather cooperates. The prices were surprisingly affordable, despite being in a higher end shopping district. Can't ask for more than that!
Los Andes Latin Bistro - Minneapolis, MN
I'll just get straight to the point - THEIR EMPANADAS ARE KILLER!!! Had I had a bigger appetite, I would have ordered something else because everything on the menu sounded so good. But my never-ending quest for finding amazing empanadas is what led me here, and that is what I shall have. The cheese one's pastry was the best i've ever had. It was perfectly buttery and flaky and delicate. I also really enjoyed the chimmichuri sauce that came with the appetizer.
Pizza Luce Downtown - Minneapolis, MN
This wasn't my first choice for dinner on my birthday. I have an obsession with caribbean/Jamaican food and found a restaurant that I wanted to try. I drove all the way there and they were closed (despite Google Maps saying they were open for two more hours). So after trying to find a plan B for 20 minutes, I settled on Pizza Luce because it was close, open and they had a full bar. I ordered jerk flavored wings and got the "fire breathing dragon" pizza. Although not authentic, both were a delicious substitute for the real Jamaican food I had my hopes up for. The name is a bit misleading though because I didn't find this spicy at all. Flavorful - yes. Spicy - nope.
If you find yourself in the Minneapolis area, I am confident that you'll love these places as much as I did. My mouth is already drooling as I reminisce about all the delicious food I had.
