Perhaps the one restaurant in Minneapolis that comes to the tip of my tongue most often when talking about local foods served up with care, it's Spoonriver. The name always brings "Moon River" to the tip of my tongue as well, which means I'm usually humming that tune after speaking of the restaurant.
Spoonriver in Minneapolis will satisfy most palettes craving local/sustainable ingredients. I definitely glance over my shoulder when I dine at Spoonriver...trying to spot other organic/sustainable community folks.
Spoonriver is: Ambitious. Local. Chic. Ebullient.
Each time I've opened the menu, I've been thrilled to see all the locally produced and organic options offered at Spoonriver. It is the sister restaurant of Cafe Brenda, which is also locally known for its organic and vegetarian eats.
Some local products featured at Spoonriver include:
Wild Acres Duck
Minnesota Pasture Raised Smoked Ham
Minnesota Farm Raised Lamb
Minnesota Grass Fed Beef
Some items that I've truly enjoyed:
-Greens with Fig Vinaigrette sprinkled Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. A deliciously sweet, but not sickening, fig vinaigrette that makes greens taste like CANDY!
-Soup of the Day: Butternut squash: Creamy, squashy madness. Simply divine.
-Caspian Hummus and Roasted Red Pepper and Walnut Spreads served with vegetables (carrots, celery, radish), olives with Foccacia. All the spreads are packed with flavor. I especially appreciated the radish dipped in roasted red pepper. Truly different.
-A Risotto made with golden beets, squash, and Parmesan. Again, the creaminess factor was to die for. The butternut squash is lightly sautéed which leaves it with a slightly firmer bite than a typical butternut squash dish. Fantastic.
Perhaps something to keep in mind regarding local and sustainable foods is that menu items change regularly to match what is available from producers. For instance, gerg wanted to order the Minnesota Grass Fed Beef. With none available, Spoonriver offered a pork chop that evening instead. Ask your server about items not listed on the menu. There may be some secret treats awaiting you!
Call ahead for evenings and weekends. Spoonriver can often be crowded depending on show times at the Guthrie.
Spoonriver
750 S. 2nd St.
Chicago Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612 436 2236
