125417 Mon May 08 11:01:07 -0700 2006 12 8 Midwest 0 680700 Where should we eat? Going on a back road road trip through northeast Iowa, southwest Wisconsin, & southeast Minnesota with no set itinerary--open to any suggestions. We like local food, no chains please, and price no object. Mon May 08 11:01:07 -0700 2006 0 Geonurse 1 680702 Try the Barbeque at John Hardy's in Rochester, MN on Highway 52, their Jojos are the best! Mon May 08 11:25:17 -0700 2006 680700 0 Amy B 2 680781 Get the pulled pork plate...a local favorite. I bet 90% of the diners going in during the week order it! Thu May 11 00:32:41 -0700 2006 680702 0 Mike 1 680704 The Historic Anderson House in Wabasha on the Mississippi River, Highway 61 is worth the side trip. Highway 61 is a beautiful drive and the drive from Wabasha to Rochester on I-90 is very nice. Mon May 08 11:38:07 -0700 2006 680700 0 zataar 1 680706 The Harbor View Cafe in Pepin, WS. Damissus and I will drive many miles out of our way to eat there. At least it used to be GREAT! Been a few years since we've been there, but always good. Understand it was sold to a long time employee a year or so ago, but if it is still operating like it used to be, well worth the time and effort to get there. Maybe someone has been there recently, and can give a recent report. But get there early, no rezs, and the line forms about an hour before it opens for lunch, especially on weekends. Mon May 08 12:24:16 -0700 2006 680700 0 AZ Grandpa 2 680784 yes, the Harbor View was sold to 2 long time employees but it seems to be the same, for what i've heard. And it is listed in the Roadfood.com site, always so helpful for those journeys... site link below for the HVC menu, locations, etc. Link: http://www.harborviewpepin.com/ Thu May 11 01:07:54 -0700 2006 680706 0 MariQ 1 680726 The previous responses are all great, but they don't get you very far on a road trip. Further south on bothsides of the Mississippi River, you can find some great chow. In LaCrosse, try Piggy's. It in it's new location, within eyeshot of its former digs on Front Street. Plenty of space for lunch or late nite eats in the lounge, but the dining room on 2nd floor is spectacular. Focus is on pork, but other entrees are delicious as well. Get up into the bluffs, south of LaX to find Coon Valley. DiSciascio's Coon Creek Inn (right downtown in this pretty little village) has the best Italian food in the tri-state area. The intimate dining room is a great setting for a special event dinner. (I've done my birthday there several times.) Their veal entrees are my favorite, as its hard to find veal on too many menus. I also get a charge from the music mix--old Italian crooners like Dean Martin and Vic Damone. Excellent food. For a funky change of pace, try Valley's Fish Market in Prairie du Chien. They do take out business on the weekends, but sell items like catfish jerky and cheese curds year round. Cross the Mississippi River over to McGregor, Iowa to find the Twisted Chicken. Kim (the owner) has this storefront decorated with a revolving art exhibit and table linens from trips to Africa. The menu is ever changing, based on whats fresh from the CSA vendors and meat from local producers. Great value in all the entrees; a vegetarian option is alway available. Wine prices are reasonable. Head north with a stop in Postville, IA. Jacob's Table a Jewish deli and Latin Sabor (I'm not sure if that name is correct; but it's the best authentic Mexican food/grocery store in NE Iowa)are both fun spots to poke around in looking for something to nosh on. Lastly, I would cruise up to Decorah. I have a hard time deciding between LaRana (a Euro Bistro type expereince), Hotel Winneshek's dining room (restored hotel with more formal options) or the Dayton House (cafe adjacent to the Vesterheim Museum.) Those are my thoughts for the southern end of the loop. Although some want to wander as far a Dubuque, I have yet to find anything noteworthy(dining wise)there. The River Museum has great exhibits, but no good food. Tue May 09 13:26:02 -0700 2006 680700 0 WI LouLou 1 680727 The previous responses are all great, but they don't get you very far on a road trip. Further south on bothsides of the Mississippi River, you can find some great chow. In LaCrosse, try Piggy's. It in it's new location, within eyeshot of its former digs on Front Street. Plenty of space for lunch or late nite eats in the lounge, but the dining room on 2nd floor is spectacular. Focus is on pork, but other entrees are delicious as well. Get up into the bluffs, south of LaX to find Coon Valley. DiSciascio's Coon Creek Inn (right downtown in this pretty little village) has the best Italian food in the tri-state area. The intimate dining room is a great setting for a special event dinner. (I've done my birthday there several times.) Their veal entrees are my favorite, as its hard to find veal on too many menus. I also get a charge from the music mix--old Italian crooners like Dean Martin and Vic Damone. Excellent food. For a funky change of pace, try Valley's Fish Market in Prairie du Chien. They do take out business on the weekends, but sell items like catfish jerky and cheese curds year round. Cross the Mississippi River over to McGregor, Iowa to find the Twisted Chicken. Kim (the owner) has this storefront decorated with a revolving art exhibit and table linens from trips to Africa. The menu is ever changing, based on whats fresh from the CSA vendors and meat from local producers. Great value in all the entrees; a vegetarian option is alway available. Wine prices are reasonable. Head north with a stop in Postville, IA. Jacob's Table a Jewish deli and Latin Sabor (I'm not sure if that name is correct; but it's the best authentic Mexican food/grocery store in NE Iowa)are both fun spots to poke around in looking for something to nosh on. Lastly, I would cruise up to Decorah. I have a hard time deciding between LaRana (a Euro Bistro type expereince), Hotel Winneshek's dining room (restored hotel with more formal options) or the Dayton House (cafe adjacent to the Vesterheim Museum.) Those are my thoughts for the southern end of the loop. Although some want to wander as far a Dubuque, I have yet to find anything noteworthy(dining wise)there. The River Museum has great exhibits, but no good food. Tue May 09 13:26:24 -0700 2006 680700 0 WI LouLou 1 680736 Have you been to the Amana Colonies> There are a number of restaurants serving good German food, family style. Tue May 09 16:21:02 -0700 2006 680700 0 Keith 1 680864 If you make it over to near Madison, try G's Roadhouse on Highway 60 in Arlington. If it's a Friday, go early -- they're packed for the fish fry; if it's a Saturday, they'll probably be out of fish, but the prime rib is delightful, as are all of their soups. Any other day of the week? Don't worry, it's all good. Sat May 13 17:21:28 -0700 2006 680700 0 BarbJB 1 681101 For something different, you might want to stop at the Mustard museum in Wisconsin. Mount Horeb area; Near the good Norweign museum village... http://www.mustardweb.com/ Where is the Spam museum?? LOL Tue May 23 22:57:26 -0700 2006 680700 0 Maureen 2 681102 Update: Here's a better link for info on the mustard museum and area cheese places... Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/122179#664611 Tue May 23 23:22:59 -0700 2006 681101 0 Maureen 1 681211 Thanks for all the great suggestions. We were surprised by the quality restaurants serving freshly prepared food that we kept running into in really little towns. Our trip either didn't include the recommended towns or we were there on days they were closed. Two new recommendations: Kate & Gracie's in Alma, Wis. and Tyler & Downing's Eatery in Anamosa, Ia. K& G's sits right on Mississippi River and has fresh soups, sandwiches and full meals....wonderful. T & D's is run by 2nd or 3rd (?) generation of a family that used to run a butcher shop in the same place that is now serving some really good food. Don't miss them if you're in the area. Sat May 27 11:28:22 -0700 2006 680700 0 geonurse