Old warehouse blocks turned restaurant district. Spoon and Stable, Bar La Grassa and Borough anchor Washington Avenue North; the city's modern fine-dining row since 2014.
Gavin Kaysen's Spoon and Stable on North 1st Street has anchored Minneapolis fine dining since 2014. James Beard Best Chef Midwest 2018 winner.
Signature: Hand-cut pasta, Bone marrow
Order: The hand-cut pasta course and the wagyu bone marrow with sourdough toast.
Tip: Book six weeks out; the chef's counter seats four and goes fast. Bar seats hold space for walk-ins from 17:00.
Isaac Becker's Bar La Grassa on Washington Avenue has run the North Loop's defining Italian in Minneapolis since 2009. James Beard Best Chef Midwest 2011.
Signature: Soft egg and lobster bruschetta, Gnocchi with cauliflower
Order: Soft egg and lobster bruschetta and the gnocchi with cauliflower.
Tip: Bar walk-ins open at 17:00; the bruschetta menu prints 12 options daily. Order three to share.
David Fhima's Fhima's on 7th Street has run a North African-Mediterranean room in downtown Minneapolis since 2018. Tagines, hummus, kosher-style brasserie.
Signature: Moroccan tagine, Hummus and lamb
Order: Lamb tagine with prunes and almonds; the hummus with braised lamb starter.
Tip: Sunday brunch runs shakshuka and Moroccan pastries. The art deco room is a former bank lobby; book the velvet booths.
Gavin Kaysen's Demi in the North Loop runs a 20-seat tasting-counter dining room in Minneapolis since 2017. James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur 2023.
Gavin Kaysen's flagship in the old North Loop livery has run modern-American fine dining in Minneapolis since 2014. James Beard Best Chef Midwest 2018.
Luke Shimp's Red Rabbit on Washington Avenue has run a North Loop Italian-American room in Minneapolis since 2017. Wood-fired pizza, cacio e pepe, full bar.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Cacio e pepe
Order: The pepperoni pizza and the cacio e pepe with toasted breadcrumbs.
Tip: Happy hour 15:00 to 17:00 weekdays runs $5 pizzas at the bar.
Fairgrounds Coffee on North 3rd Avenue has run a multi-roaster espresso bar in the North Loop since 2017. Beans from a dozen specialty roasters, Fika-style menu.
Signature drink: Pour over
Moose and Sadie's on 3rd Avenue North runs a North Loop neighbourhood cafe in Minneapolis since 1994. All-day breakfast and a soup-and-sandwich menu.
Signature drink: Drip coffee
Diane Yang's Bellecour Bakery at Cooks of Crocus Hill has run French viennoiserie in the Twin Cities since 2020. James Beard nominee; kouign amann and croissants.
Worth the queue: Kouign amann
Dogwood Coffee Co on Washington Avenue has roasted specialty coffee in Minneapolis since 2010. Direct-trade beans, four Twin Cities cafes, subscription program.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Kenya, El Salvador
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Subscription
Spoon and Stable's bar on North 1st Street pours growers' Champagne in Minneapolis since 2014. Walk-in seats at the bar, snacks and oysters; the dining room behind.
Signature pour: Champagne by the glass
Wine focus: Modern American by the glass, growers' Champagne
Food: Snacks and oysters
Constantine in the Hewing Hotel pours natural-wine and vermouth in Minneapolis since 2018. Small plates; deepest vermouth list in town, basement atmosphere.
Signature pour: Vermouth by the glass
Wine focus: Natural wines, vermouth list
Food: Small plates
Borough on Washington Avenue North has run a North Loop dining room and bar in Minneapolis since 2014. Modern-American small plates; Parlour cocktails downstairs.
Signature pour: Pinot Noir
Wine focus: Eclectic by the glass
Food: Modern American small plates
Marvel Bar in the basement of the old Bachelor Farmer space has poured Minneapolis's defining cocktails since 2011. Pip Hanson's Oliveto; basement bar, no kitchen.
Signature drink: Oliveto martini
Food: None
Monte Carlo on 3rd Avenue North has run a Warehouse District classic cocktail bar in Minneapolis since 1906. Long mahogany bar, Manhattans, steak frites.
Signature drink: Manhattan
Food: American
Cuzzy's on Washington Avenue has poured drinks in the North Loop Minneapolis since 1976. Dollar bills on the ceiling, the neighbourhood's enduring dive.
Signature drink: Pickleback shot
Food: Bar burgers
Parlour in the basement of Borough on Washington Avenue has poured cocktails in Minneapolis since 2014. The Parlour burger pairs with a Manhattan; reservations only.
Signature drink: Parlour burger and cocktail
Food: Burgers
Modist Brewing on North 3rd Street has poured experimental beer in the North Loop Minneapolis since 2016. First fully mash-filtered brewery in the country.
Fulton Beer on North 6th Avenue has poured craft beer in the North Loop Minneapolis since 2009. Walk to Target Field for Twins games; Sweet Child of Vine IPA on tap.
Minneapolis Farmers Market on East Lyndale has run the city's largest open-air market since 1937. Minnesota produce, flowers, Hmong farmers' rows.
Twin Cities Food and Wine Experience at Saint Paul RiverCentre has run an annual grand tasting in the Twin Cities since 2002. Local chefs, 150 wines, the regional industry social.
Tip: VIP tickets at 16:00 give early access; general admission at 18:00. Sample plates from Spoon and Stable and other Beard-track chefs.
Cooks of Crocus Hill Minneapolis has run cooking classes for the Twin Cities since the 1980s. Pastry, knife-skills and pasta workshops paired with Bellecour Bakery's kitchen.
Hen House Eatery in Minneapolis runs downtown's defining all-day breakfast counter on 8th Street, with scratch biscuits and a 30-cocktail Bloody Mary list.
Order: Babe's Eggs Benedict with carnitas on jalapeno cheddar cornbread.
Tip: Arrive before 9am on weekends or join the waitlist on the loudspeaker; the bakery counter sells out the maple bacon cinnamon roll by 11.
Animales Barbeque in Minneapolis runs the Harrison weekend brunch on Fremont with brisket hash, smoked-meat tacos and a 12,500 square foot music room.
Order: The brisket hash with poached eggs and pickled jalapenos.
Tip: The Harrison room runs barbecue brunch only on the weekend; the live music stage gets going around 6pm on Saturday evening.
Pizza Luce Downtown in Minneapolis runs the city's anchor late-night slice counter on North 4th Street, open until 2:30am every night with late-night happy hour.
Try: Pizza by the slice and signature pies
Tip: Late Night with Lucé happy hour 22:00 to close Monday through Thursday cuts beverages and appetizers; the slice counter is open at the bar.