In the winter, downtown Minneapolis feels downright Victorian -- the sight of an exposed ankle or wrist sends shivers down your spine. But when lunchtime rolls around, don't just curl up in your cubicle and whine about the windchill. Use your Midwestern sense and sensibility and head for the skyways -- your gateway to good eats and great people-watching. Bring your business-casual bests and a big appetite. You might even find a well-heeled hottie for your next power lunch.
Photos by Steve Rice Left: Ruben with Pastrami on Rye at Brothers. Right: Tempura shrimp combo with edmame from Tensuke Sushi.
The Brothers Deli (1)
Skip the soulless sandwich chains and awaken your passion for pastrami and corned beef. The Brothers Deli flies its meat in from New York, seasons and steams it until it's fork-tender, then serves it hot off the deli slicer. The pastrami and corned beef each deserve center stage, but also make a mean double bill on the Brothers' freshly baked rye. The smoked turkey is savory, especially when paired with sweet coleslaw and Russian dressing in the California Reuben.
Need a winter warmup? Try the homemade chicken noodle soup with a fluffy matzo ball or the cabbage borscht -- a bright balance between sweet and sour -- served with a warm popover and honey butter. If you're a vegetarian or vegan, there are a few veggie-friendly options. (For soups sans chicken stock, make a beeline to the Turtle Bread Company (2) at One Financial Plaza for a bowl of garden lentil or tomato squash soup.)
Tensuke Sushi (3)
In Tokyo, some of the best lunches are found in subway stations, at little counters where salarymen devour sashimi and sukiyaki. In Minneapolis, even as the Midwestern palate warms up to wasabi, finding a suitable sushi lunch becomes a skyway scavenger hunt. Only Tensuke Sushi, the hidden treasure of the Baker Center, tempts the lunch rush with the true tastes of Tokyo.
This Japanese gem has a lot to offer, from maki to sashimi to chirashi zushi with soba noodles. The fish is fresh, generously cut, and the rice -- the soul of sushi -- is fluffy but firm. Did your co-worker score the last caterpillar roll from the refrigerator case? Don't worry. The sushi chefs can quickly replicate it. Other tasty offerings include a beef sukiyaki and a tempura shrimp lunch, both served with a side of steamed edamame and a small seaweed salad. (Honorable mention: Zen Box (6) in the 6 Quebec Building. Its age gyoza bento includes six chicken dumplings drizzled with a gingery sauce, a generous side of rice and a salad of shredded carrot and cabbage.)
Photos by Steve Rice Left: Andrea Gambino of Andrea Pizza. Right: The Minnesota Burger from The Burger Place.
Mill City Pizza (9) and Andrea Pizza (8)
Pizza can polarize the closest of co-workers.
Like yours a little saucy? Mill City Pizza has a rockin' red sauce, a pizza-perfect balance of savory and sweet. A true sauce fanatic could lunch solely on their breadsticks, covered in olive oil, parmesan cheese and marinara. Mill City has mastered the standard slice, yet the "pizza of the day" isn't always a winner. The garlic chicken on Bianca is a solid choice, even better when dipped in a side of sauce.
Crave a killer crust? Andrea Pizza makes some dynamite dough. Fluffy but firm, this Sicilian-style slice is flexible enough to be rolled and eaten, yet retains a slight crunch. Toppings are top-notch: The thin circles of pepperoni are salty and spicy, and the sausage is flavorful with a hint of fennel. Even the veggies are fresh. Regulars know that the sauciest slice here is working behind the counter. By your third visit, owner Andrea Gambino will have memorized your order and will top off your slice with a wink and a little olive oil.
The Burger Place (5)
The Burger Place is one of the best-kept secrets in the old Soo Line Building. It features more than 20 specialty sandwiches: a Cajun bacon cheeseburger, a mushroom swiss burger, a Hawaiian burger and so on. Substitutions (ground turkey, chicken breast, even a veggie pattie) are a snap. However you build your burger, you must order the fried onions. All sandwiches are served on a toasted bun with a heaping helping of fries. While you wait to pay, scope out some seating; these all-American masterpieces are best enjoyed hot off the grill, not in a Styrofoam container at your desk. (Watching your waistline or your online bank account? Try the mini-burger box at My Burger (4) in the 6 Quebec building: two tiny burgers and a small side of fries for $3.99.)
Photos by Steve Rice Left: Spinach salad from Macy's Marketplace. Right: Kebob combo plate with lamb, chicken and beef from Greek Grill.
Macy's Skyroom / Macy's Marketplace (10)
Between Hennepin and Portland Avenues, many second-floor salads are sadly second-rate. Until an eco-friendly entrepreneur opens an organic, locally sourced herbivore heaven, Macy's is still the downtown salad superstar. Upstairs, the ultra-chic Skyroom offers a fully stocked salad bar -- and a spectacular view of downtown. The room's creativity in modern decor does not exactly extend to its salad bar offerings: carrots, cucumbers, chickpeas and the like. But the greens are fresh and the veggies are plentiful, just like the opportunities for people-watching.
Downstairs, the Marketplace is designed for grab-and-go. Choose one of their signature salads or create your own. Sautéed portobello mushrooms, feta, candied walnuts -- your options are much more interesting than at the Skyroom's salad bar, though understandably more limited. Don't be discouraged by the line; the salad counter staff knows how to hustle.
Greek Grill (7)
How do you like your beef? Medium? Medium well? When you order the souvlaki sandwich at the Greek Grill, you get more than sliced steak and tangy cucumber sauce on a warm pita. You get service. From the fresh-cut fries to the flavorful falafel, the Greek Grill's attention to detail translates into a tasty tour de force. The chicken, lamb or beef kebabs are a magical mixture of secret spices and char-broil. Can't decide between the gyro or the spanakopita? Order the Greek Grill Combo. The side salads are equally good -- crisp Romaine lettuce, feta, plump black olives and decent tomatoes tossed in a snappy herb vinaigrette. The seasoned basmati rice is also a winner.
9 more spots worth checking out via skyway
By Rick Nelson
- Cafe Patteen
Marvelous scones, rich quiche and enormous buttery cookies. - Salad de Fusion
Tosses a half-dozen pleasant, generously portioned salads daily (most in the $5 to $6 range). - Zelino
One word: Lasagna. - Jamba Juice
Combat the February sniffles with a Coldbuster smoothie ($4 to $6). - Zen Box
It's cheap, quick and good, whether it's a bento box, a rice bowl or the two- and three-piece mix-and-match rolls. - Walkin' Dog
Downtown's premier hot dog stand features Ball Parks and Viennas. - Turtle Bread Co.
These people know pie. The cupcakes are pretty special, too. - Good to Go
Wraps seem so late-'90s, until you take a bite out of the big-flavor beauties ($6) -- stuffed with chicken, lamb, pork or beef. - Trieste Cafe
Don't let the dead-end address discourage you from diving into the monster gyros sandwich.
User picks: Best Minneapolis skyway lunch spots
- Zen Box
"Probably my favorite skyway lunch spot. My personal favorite is the Chicken Kara-age or the Creamy Potato Croquette, served on a bed of rice with two potstickers and some shredded cabbage. It is a must to add chili sauce. All of this plus a soda for around $7. They also have good sushi." --jscheeler7Chipotle - Potbelly
- Brothers Deli
- Macy's
- Good to Go
- Turtle Bread Co.
- Bombay Bistro
- Cosi
- Greek Grill
- view the full list...
