And with the start of another patio season, so begins the inevitable "popular patio" backlash. Your requests came to me over Facebook, over Twitter, and in actual real life! I don’t want to call it a whine—but it just might be something like that as it generally went something like, "I don’t want to go to Minnesota’s top patios—not W.A. Frost, not Psycho Suzi’s, not Butcher & the Boar, not Muffuletta, not Union, not Black Forest, not Sea Salt—I want the patios that no one talks about!" Well, fine, here they are: 10 great outdoor spots with great eats and drinks that don't really get the credit they deserve.
10). Ngon Bistro
One of Minnesota’s greatest treasures. Whenever I talk to foodie elites in Minnesota Ngon comes up as one of the places they most frequent. Why? The spectacular pho (and possibly even better duck pho), the herb-stuffed salads, the anise-scented gravlax, the 12 local beer taps and house barrel-aged cocktails, for starters. But there’s more! And of course that more is: Enclosed patio with flower baskets everywhere! 799 University Ave., St. Paul, 651-222-3301, ngonbistro.com
9). Fika
Remember this: Wednesdays for dinner. Fika is only open on Wednesdays for dinner, but every day (save Monday) for lunch, and at all those times Fika has a patio straight out of your fairy tale European castle vacation dreams. And a nicely manicured sixth-of-an-acre lawn with a giant honking play cart stuffed with toys for kids, separated from the street by a 15-foot gorgeous iron fence. Plus, the best gravlax in town and great cocktails. My absolute top pick for patio dining with kids, my top pick for dining with grandparents or people with limited mobility and kids, my top pick when you want multi-generational family photos with gorgeous backdrops—and don’t forget it’s open all day Saturday and most of Sunday. American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave, Mpls., 612-871-4907, fikacafe.net
8). Summit Tap Room (Friday and Saturday nights)
For you internet planners, here’s a great one: Check the Summit taproom food truck schedule, and plan accordingly. Then you get the rare Summit beers, good food (look especially for the Cajun 2 Geaux crawfish boils), and lovely nature-filled views of St. Paul bluffs and the Mississippi River. Spectacular. P.S. Summit is also the best taproom for birdwatchers, if anyone’s tracking that sort of thing. 910 Montreal Circle, St. Paul, 651-265-7800, summitbrewing.com
7). The Mill, Northeast
Best patio in Northeast? Check. Best everyday brunch? Check. (Cinnamon wild rice pancakes make Monday mornings much better.) Fancy artisanal cocktails? Check!! Anyone in Nordeast, Columbia Heights, Fridley, Mounds View, etc., needs to give the Mill a close examination, it’s right on Central and while the winter opening obscured the greatness of the patio, it’s open and great now. 1851 Central Ave. NE, Mpls., 612-315-2340, themillnortheast.com
6). Sonora Grill Longfellow
Because this restaurant serving some of the cities’ best south-of-the-border food opened in the dead of winter, you may not have realized they have a pretty patio for margarita sipping and taco devouring. But they have that patio! And you could be on it applying coconut-scented suntan lotion right this second. 3300 E. Lake St., Mpls., 612-871-1900, sonora-grill.com
5). Sonny’s Crema Café
Everyone knows Sonny’s as the home of the most artisanal and exquisite of all local ice creams—but did you forget that they have an excellent wine list and serve Roman-style pizzas in the Italian picture postcard of a patio? Don’t forget that! 3403 Lyndale Ave. S. Mpls., 612-824-3868, cremacafeminneapolis.com
4). Sapor
Chef Tanya Siebenaler has a fascinating way of presenting emphatic spice with great delicacy, (try the Thai grilled shrimp with mango-jicama-grapefruit salad) and the pretty patio to one side of the building feels like the best sort of urban oasis, like an outdoor flower-filled loft. 428 Washington Ave. N., Mpls., 612-375-1971, saporcafe.com
3). Great Waters Brewing Co.
As we are ever abuzz about the newest taproom (Welcome downtown St. Paul’s newest, Tin Whiskers!), do we forget the great pioneers? Perfectly positioned in a classic urban plaza, Great Waters has everything you want in a good patio, diverting excellent beers (try the Ka-Pow New Zealand IPA) good burgers, pretty views, and lots of seating for you and all your beer-loving friends. Hamm Bldg., 426 St. Peter St., St. Paul, 651-224-2739, greatwatersbc.com
2). Grand Café Minneapolis
The sweet little alley on the south side of the building is filled with beautiful flowers, making it seriously romantic and the food is reliably spectacular, in a farm-to-table utterly French way. 3804 Grand Ave. S. Mpls., 612-822-8260, grandcafempls.com
1). Solera
Did you forget about the cities’ greatest Spanish wine list, the cities’ greatest tapas, and one of the cities’ most fantastic urban rooftop views? I think Solera is one of the cities’ most underrated restaurants—and definitely the one with the most gorgeous view. 900 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 612-338-0062, solera-restaurant.com
