Restaurant photos by Caitlin Abrams
Vikings Players Favorite Restaurants
During the season, the players on the Minnesota Vikings appear to live at their practice facility, Winter Park, preparing for the next Sunday’s battle. But when the Purple People Eaters aren’t feasting on game film, they’re scouting for something more substantial. Say, the best rib-eye, cheeseburger, pasta, or cocktail in town. (Extra point: a legit $15-for-two pho spot.)
We asked six of our favorite players—plus the team’s announcer—to name their go-to joints for an everyday hang, an afternoon with the kids, a special dinner with out-of-town guests, or a top-secret date night. So feel free to tailgate in the cold with some greasy brats while you’re in town. But the Vikes? They’ll be savoring soft eggs and lobster in a warmly lit lounge.
Vikings Wide Receiver Adam Thielen
Adam Thielen
#19, Wide Receiver
Everyday hang: “My wife and I love Redstone, but if I were going by myself it would be Manny’s. We also like The Tavern Grill in Woodbury. We like casual more than we like fancy.”
Favorite cheeseburger: “I mean, The Nook. You’re not going to get a better burger. We don’t get there as much as we’d like, but we like it.”
Day-off destination: “Around Christmastime, I like to go to Rice Park in downtown St. Paul. You’ve got the lights and the skating rink and all the restaurants right there. That’s a pretty cool spot and it’s actually where my wife and I got engaged.”
Redstone, 12109 N. Main St., Maple Grove (plus Minnetonka and Eden Prairie locations), redstonegrill.com; Casper’s and Runyon’s Nook, 492 Hamline Ave. S., St. Paul, crnook.com; Rice Park, 109 W. 4th St.; St. Paul, visitsaintpaul.com
Vikings Defensive End Everson Griffin
Everson Griffen
#97, Defensive End
Date-night spot: “I like Constantine. They’ve got great mixologists in there and great cocktails.”
Everyday hang: “Red Cow off 50th & France. We like the Japanese wings, the Double Barrel Burger, or their Manhattan 2.0, and the cheese curds with the triple berry ketchup. Or Red Rabbit, too!”
Favorite cheeseburger: “I’ve been everywhere—Blue Door, Matt’s Bar, everywhere—but I’m going to have to go with either Parlour bar or Saint Dinette. Red Cow is up there, too. And I like The Nook!”
Best steak: “My wife likes Capital Grille steaks. Or Butcher & The Boar, they’ve got that good rib-eye.”
Day-off destination: “We’ll probably take the kids to go play somewhere. The Children’s Museum is nice. We like that.”
Constantine (in the Ivy Hotel), 1115 2nd Ave. S., Mpls., thehotelivy.com/Constantine; Red Cow, 3624 W. 50th St., Mpls. (plus downtown Mpls. and St. Paul locations), redcowmn.com; Parlour (at Borough), 730 Washington Ave. N., Mpls., boroughmpls.com; Saint Dinette, 261 E. 5th St., St. Paul; saintdinette.com; The Capital Grille, 801 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., thecapitalgrille.com; Minnesota Children’s Museum, 10 W. 7th St., St. Paul, mcm.org
Vikings Safety Anthony Harris
Anthony Harris
#41, Safety
Date-night spot: “I always want to start off with some good food. So we like to pop into Seven Steakhouse Sushi & Rooftop. They have nice lighting and nice music. It’s kind of more relaxing. Or I might change it up and go to The Living Room at the W Hotel. That’s one of my favorite spots, and since it’s connected to Manny’s Steakhouse, I’ll then go in there and get a top-of-the-line steak.”
Everyday hang: “There’s a lot of good food spots, but go to Bar La Grassa if you want some pasta. That’s my spot for pasta.”
Power move when entertaining out-of-towners: “I brought my mom in town for the first time three weeks ago, and I took her out to Lord Fletcher’s.”
Seven Steakhouse Sushi & Rooftop, 700 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., 7mpls.com; The Living Room (at the W Minneapolis–The Foshay) 825 Marquette Ave., Mpls., thelivingroom-prohibition.com; Bar La Grassa, 800 Washington Ave. N., barlagrassa.com; Lord Fletcher’s, 3746 Sunset Dr., Spring Park (on Lake Minnetonka), lordfletchers.com
Vikings Long Snapper Kevin McDermott
Kevin McDermott
#47, Long Snapper
Date-night spot: “My wife and I just moved to the North Loop, and we just ate at Tullibee and had a staycation there at the Hewing Hotel.”
Everyday hang: “There’s a pho place on Nicollet called Quang, and it is unbelievable. My wife and I go there all the time. For two people you can spend only $15. We went to UCLA and there’s really good pho out in Los Angeles. But I must say that the Minneapolis pho scene is pretty special. Pretty legit.”
Favorite cheeseburger: “Oooh, I’d have to say Parlour bar.”
Best steak: “I think it’s got to be Burch Steak and Pizza Bar. Everyone is torn between Manny’s or Murray’s, but the best steak I’ve ever had is Burch.”
Power move when entertaining out-of-towners: “If we’ve got a big group we just order Black Sheep Pizza and stay at home.”
Tullibee (at the Hewing Hotel), 300 Washington Ave. N., Mpls., hewinghotel.com/tullibee-restaurant/; Quang Restaurant, 2719 Nicollet Ave. S., Mpls., quang-restaurant.com; Parlour (at Borough), 730 Washington Ave. N., Mpls., boroughmpls.com; Burch Steak and Pizza Bar, 1933 Colfax Ave. S.; Mpls., burchrestaurant.com; Black Sheep Pizza, 600 Washington Ave. N., Mpls. (plus St. Paul location), blacksheeppizza.com
Vikings Safety Terence Newman
Terence Newman
#23, Cornerback
Everyday hang: “One of my favorite places to eat is Agra Culture. It’s healthy, organic food and they cater to what you like. They have a bowl called A La Mexicana that’s got chicken and radishes and salsa verde and pico de gallo and beans—man it’s good.”
Favorite cheeseburger: “I’ve never really been a big burger person. I eat turkey burgers. And I don’t eat a whole lotta steaks.”
Agra Culture Kitchen and Press, 3717 W. 50th St., Mpls. (plus two other Minneapolis locations), agra-culture.com
Vikings Safety Harrison Smith
Harrison Smith
#22, Safety
Date-night spot: “If I’ve got to pick one, I might have to go with Butcher & The Boar. It’s cool because it’s got a little bit different sort of meats and stuff. Honestly, I could go there and just eat the appetizer cheddar sausage for my meal. Just get like two of those and some Brussels sprouts.”
Everyday hang: “I used to live in Uptown and I went to Stella’s all the time. I’d get sushi.”
Best app: “Bar La Grassa’s soft eggs and lobster is tough to beat.”
Power move when entertaining out-of-towners: “If my dad’s coming, he’s going to Manny’s. He’s getting everybody the bacon, and they’re getting steaks. It’s hard to beat that.”
Butcher & The Boar, 1121 Hennepin Ave., Mpls., butcherandtheboar.com; Stella’s Fish Café & Prestige Oyster Bar, 1400 W. Lake St., Mpls., stellasfishcafe.com; Manny’s Steakhouse (at the W Minneapolis–The Foshay) 825 Marquette Ave., Mpls., mannyssteakhouse.com
Vikings Broadcaster Paul Allen
Paul Allen
Team Broadcaster
Date-night spot: “I like Revival in south Minneapolis on Nicollet. The fried chicken there is unbelievable, and I love the atmosphere.”
Everyday hang: “There’s a taco place in Burnsville named Taquerias La Hacienda. I go there a fair amount.”
Favorite cheeseburger: “I’ve got to go back to Revival. I love their burgers, and I just love their whole menu.”
Day-off destination: “I like to bring my kids to Mall of America.”
Revival, 4257 Nicollet Ave., Mpls. (plus St. Paul location), revivalfriedchicken.com; Taquerias La Hacienda, 2000 Williams Dr., Burnsville (plus two Minneapolis locations), taqueriaslahacienda.com; Mall of America, mallofamerica.com
To see more Twin Cities restaurants, visit our Restaurant Directory.
