Minneapolis: 1 Bfast, 1 lunch, 1 Late lunch/early dinner this weekend!

[Desidero]

I'm a NYC hound headed to Minneapolis for the first time tomorrow. I'm staying Downtown and will have a car. I've spent a lot of time perusing the board trying to figure out where to have 3 meals in Minneapolis: breakfast Saturday, lunch Saturday and a late lunch/early dinner around 3-4 p.m. on Sunday.

Based on what I've read on this board, Hell's Kitchen looks like a good choice for Saturday breakfast.

What about Saturday lunch? I'd like to try a classic Minneapolis lunch spot if such a thing exists. I don't need anything fancy, but if fancy lunches are what Minneapolis does best, then I'm game. I'm just looking for a quintessential Minneapolis lunch. Thoughts?

Finally, I'm looking to have a final meal on Sunday afternoon around 3-4 p.m. Unfortunately, the most highly praised restaurants on this board -- 112, Saffron, Bar La Grassa, Piccolo, etc. -- all appear to be closed on Sunday around 4 p.m. I'm not too keen on steak, so Manny's is out of the question.

Any ideas, friends?

Thanks in advance!

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Hell's Kitchen
80 South 9th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402

Bar La Grassa
800 N Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401

[mtullius]

Especially if you're dining alone, I'd put in a plug for Al's Breakfast instead of Hell's Kitchen for breakfast. It's likely to be an insane mob scene on Saturday morning, but you'll definitely have a unique experience (and the food is great).

I think I'd suggest Brasa for lunch. Delicious, locally sourced meat and great veggie sides.

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Brasa Rotisserie
600 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Al's Breakfast
413 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

[The Dairy Queen]

I love Al's Breakfast (in Dinkytown) and Brasa, but those aren't really "downtown" Minneapolis. I don't think it matters since the OP mentioned having a car, but I just wanted to be clear.

Expect to wait in line at Al's, which is just a 14 seat lunch counter. They close at 1pm. Pancakes and eggs benedict are good choices.

Hell's Kitchen truly is downtown Minneapolis and is pretty much walkable from most of the downtown hotels. Only the breakfast menu is great, but they serve it all day.

Brasa is good, but they serve food family style. I don't think it's as fun for a solo dining experience, really, but mtullius is right, the sourcing is terrific and the sides are fantastic.

I'm trying to think what a quintessential Minneapolis lunch might be. Maybe not the most exceptional food, but Gluek's "sausage party" would be pretty real and it's really downtown. http://www.glueks.com/lunchmenu.html Better choice food-wise might be Kramarczuk's Eastern European Deli (they also have a brunch, I think, though I've never tried it) if you want to hop in your car.

We have a pretty lively Southeast Asian dining scene, so for lunch or dinner, maybe head (with your car) over to Nicollet Ave to the stretch affectionately known to locals as "Eat Street" and grab a bowl of Pho at Pho 79. Pho Tau Bay, or Board favorite (but not my favorite) Quang.

Since you have a car, I might also send you to Spoonriver Restaurant for brunch or lunch or maybe from the bar menu for early dinner, then you can check out the Guthrie or stroll along the lock and dam overlooking St. Anthony Falls.

Another place I recommend if you've got a car is Lucia's Restaurant or Cafe for lunch. She's been doing seasonal and local long before lots of others jumped on the seasonal and local bandwagon.

~TDQ

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Hell's Kitchen
80 South 9th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402

Spoonriver
750 S 2nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Al's Breakfast
413 14th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Pho 79 Restaurant
2529 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404

Pho Tau Bay
2837 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408

Gluek's
16 N 6th St, Minneapolis, MN 55403

[soupkitten]

another option for the lunch is to track down one of msp's better food trucks-- bummer that you have to miss dinner at sameh wadi's saffron, for example, but you can catch his food hot from the world street kitchen truck: http://www.eatwsk.com/

current heavy table article on fall food trucks: http://heavytable.com/the-new-food-tr...

if it were me, i'd maybe hit up a nicollet ave pho house or a taqueria. lucia's is a good rec for getting a little taste of the local food scene, if that appeals. i love al's for breakfast, but be prepared for a wait and then a great lunch counter experience (not leisurely) followed by the staff getting you the heck out the door. it is also cash only, if you go. a solo diner can cut the line a little, and if you are an early riser, earlier is better for this experience.

the early hour of the sunday dinner/late lunch is frustrating! i'm going to need to think about that one!

[The Dairy Queen]

Are the food trucks around downtown MPLS on weekends?

~TDQ

[Quince]

Tilia is open with a limited menu at 4 pm on Sunday. I think Pizzeria Lola and Sea Salt are options for 3 pm...I ate at Sea Salt recently at 3:45 pm.

[danionavenue]

ideas I had were bryant lake bowl, heidi's and King and I thai downtown, I checked and it is open at 4 PM on Sunday for dinner.

[LauraB]

Another couple ideas for your late lunch/early dinner on Sunday would be Barbette (in Uptown a bit south of downtown) or Red Stag Supper Club (across the river from downtown) as they are open from morning to night. While not quite on the same level as some of the "dinner only" restaurants you list above, I have generally enjoyed the food I have gotten at each of them.

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Red Stag Supper Club
509 1st Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

[danionavenue]

hope you had some good food!

[nsxtasy]

Your needs sound very similar to mine, when I was visiting at the end of June. My late afternoon meal wasn't on a Sunday, which presents an added wrinkle, but the recommendations in response to my query might help you, too. (And I LOVED Hell's Kitchen for breakfast!)

52 Hours in Minneapolis – Best Late Afternoon Meal? And Itinerary Review - www.chow.com/topics/781935