City Works
The numbers are huge at City Works, where there's a lengthy, all-American menu — burgers, salads, fish tacos, chicken Caesar wraps — an equally gigantic tap beer roster (90 selections) and sprawling surroundings sprinkled with enough flat-screen TVs to rival Best Buy's top-performing outlet. Lunch and dinner daily.
600 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., 612-361-2900, cityworksrestaurant.com/minneapolis
Mucci's Italian
It's all about classic Italian-American fare at Mucci's Italian, where owner Tim Niver (the Strip Club, Saint Dinette) focuses on pizzas, fresh pastas and house-made gelato, at prices that rarely stray above $16. Saturday and Sunday mornings (starting at 8 a.m.) are all about fresh-made doughnuts and coffee. Dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
786 Randolph Av., St. Paul, 651-330-2245, muccisitalian.com
Milkjam Creamery
When innovative chef Sameh Wadi (Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, World Street Kitchen) decided to open Milkjam Creamery, he drop-kicked vanilla predictability in favor of black fig/mezcal, pumpkin/brown butter and other tantalizing flavor combinations. Yes, there are vegan and gluten-free selections, and yes, that's a champagne float. Open daily at noon.
2743 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., 612-424-4668, milkjamcreamery.com
