At Fika, the exceptional cafe inside the American Swedish Institute, chef Dustin Thompson has inserted Nordic flair into Minnesota’s beloved stuffed burger. The ground brisket patty is stuffed with Vasterbotten (Sweden’s answer to Parmesan), garnished with creamy whole-grain mustard sauce and vinegar-ey pickles from the kitchen’s meatballs and served, smörgås-style, on a slice of caraway rye. The fries are served with lingonberry catsup, naturally. Don’t look for the aptly named Juicy Lucia at lunch, however; Thompson reserves this beauty for his Wednesday evening clientele. 2600 Park Av. S., Mpls.; 612-871-4907; fikacafe.net
Runner-up: Blue Door Pub
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