Relish summer at these 4 Twin Cities outdoor dining oases
Looking to make the most of summer with a spot to dine al fresco? Here are four great spots with great food.
This handsomely remade golf clubhouse destination includes a sunny, well-appointed patio overlooking the links. In the kitchen, the D'Amico and Partners crew is in premium All-American mode, with double-patty cheeseburgers, fish tacos, steak sandwiches and walleye chowder. There's a Friday night fish fry (beer-battered Alaskan cod) for $16; $12 for kids ages 12 and under. Lunch and dinner daily, Sunday brunch.
8700 Edinbrook Crossing, 763-315-8535, brooklynedinburgh.com
Grand Catch
Instead of sidewalk tables, the patio — snug, secluded — is out back, an ideal warm-weather setting for exploring chef Sameh Wadi's obsession with seafood boils (shrimp, crab, mussels, clams, lobster tail), filtered through Cajun and Asian sensibilities. Don't miss the shrimp toast — or the crab dip — and don't overlook brunch, with its winning versions of lobster avocado toast, crab Benedict and shrimp and grits. Dinner daily, weekend brunch.
1672 Grand Av., St. Paul, 651-348-8541, grandcatchmn.com
Holman's Table
The location is unusual, a 1939 Moderne-style limestone airport terminal. Not surprisingly, the patio has a priceless view, overlooking the runway at the St. Paul Downtown Airport. The contemporary American fare ranges from farro-quinoa a.m. bowls to steak tartare and grilled oysters. Also on the menu? Helicopter rides, and dinner-flight packages. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
644 Bayfield St., St. Paul, 612-800-5298, holmanstable.com
Zumbro Cafe
The always-in-demand outdoor space at this Linden Hills institution isn't a patio, it's a charming, mosquito-free screen porch. Talk about an ideal summertime platform for enjoying the kitchen's superb pancakes, chicken-wild rice hash, frittatas, Benedicts, tuna melts, turkey club sandwiches and other classics. Breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday.
2803 W. 43rd St., Mpls., 612-920-3606, zumbrocafe.com
Deep-fried puffy tacos, dough ‘knots’ and s’mores ice cream sandwiches scored high on our list.