No Father's Day reservations? No problem.
Hit the road and take Dad on a scenic drive to the natural wonder that is Lake Pepin (about 90 minutes from the Twin Cities) and drop in for a relaxing brunch (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at the charming Chef Shack Bay City, where chefs/co-owners Lisa Carlson and Carrie Summer make full use of the output from neighboring farms, as well as the patio's wood-burning oven.
6379 Main St., Bay City, Wis., 1-715-594-3060, chefshackranch.com
Walk Dad away from his back-yard Weber and let the talented crew at Prairie Dogs do the cooking. Dive into their long list of house-made sausages and hot dogs, all boosted by a dizzying array of condiments. Don't overlook the shareables, including the foie gras-tinted poutine and the Braunschweiger platter. Open 11 a.m. to midnight daily.
610 W. Lake St., Mpls., 612-223-8984, www.prairiedogsausage.com
While the Twins battle the Chicago Cubs on the turf at Target Field, treat Dad to some first-rate ball-field fare, whether it's the made-in-northeast-Minneapolis Polish sausage and bratwurst at Kramarczuk's (Sections 112, 117, 312), the superb sliders at Red Cow (Section 126), the gotta-have Korean fried chicken sandwich at Andrew Zimmern's Canteen (Section 114) and/or the flavor-saturated rice bowls at Hot Indian Foods (Section 120). And, of course, all those refreshing brewed-in-Minnesota beers.
353 N. 5th St., Mpls., minnesota.twins.mlb.com
