We know, you’re busy lake-lounging and North Shore-tripping and slipping into the sweet air-conditioned paradise of Sebastian Joe’s these steamy July evenings—but trust us, you don’t want to miss summer Restaurant Week, when local restaurants have access to the best local ingredients; when summer’s bounty is laid out on the table. Here are some menus we’re especially excited about this go-round.
New This Summer
Gia: Chefs Lisa Wengler and Jo Seddon’s south Minneapolis Italian restaurant is just lovely in all ways, and this summer menu is simple, radiant, and ripe with tomatoes and strawberries: tomatoes in the sausage, fennel, and ricotta rigatoni; strawberries roasted and spooned atop almond pound cake with crème fraîche. (Other options include arugula salad; bruschetta; orecchiette with braised rapini, cream, and olives; and a chocolate budino.) Add on a special featured cocktail or wine if you like. $50, 5555 Xerxes Ave S., Mpls.
Risata Cucina: Nonna is calling, y’all, and she says come to the table at new Risata Cucina in Robbinsdale. Don’t mess around with that mushroom arancini or crispy-crackly chicken parm—there’s a whole slate of Italian comfort food to choose from, plus chocolate crostata or cannoli for dessert. Plus, this three-course dinner menu is an absolute steal. $35, 4168 W. Broadway, Robbinsdale
Asher’s Bar & Grill: Asher’s, the new sports bar on the ground floor of the Beach Club Residences near Bde Maka Ska, is a great place to catch the last few World Cup games, especially with a spread of totchos and tacos, Szechuan green beans and smash burgers, soup and spicy fried chicken sandos, and hummus with veggies and a spinach and artichoke sandwich in front of you. (For dessert, you get a sundae or two warm chocolate chip cookies.) $35, 2730 W. Lake St., Mpls.
Other Faves
Klassics Kitchen & Cocktails: Friends, you really have to peel through Klassics’ full lunch and dinner menus to full appreciate them for yourselves—but just a few highlights include a curry sweet potato bisque, a Georgia peach chopped salad topped with jerk chicken, Biscoff banana pudding, crab crakes, collard green dip, Cashville salmon, and Guyanese chicken curry. Choose wisely. $40 for lunch, $60 for dinner, 428 S. Second St., Mpls.
El Sazon Cocina & Tragos: Maybe you’re bummed that you’ve missed out on the sold-out tickets to El Sazon’s Night at the Gas Station series—make up for it with a Restaurant Week dinner. Again, choices here are abundant, but we’re enamored by the tuna tostadas (very summer), the queso fundido de birria (melted cheese and birria win in all seasons), the mole enchiladas, and the lobster and shrimp tacos, of course with flan or tres leches to end the meal. $45, 5309 Lyndale. Ave. S., Mpls.
Baldamar: Maybe you’re a big “Champagner” brunch fan, but Baldamar does decadence in many forms. If it were me—I’d start with the watermelon salad, dressed up with fresh berries, blue cheese, and arugula, then go for the tamarind-braised short-rib with pickled mango, and end with the flan (I can never say no to flan). Nothing’s keeping you from ordering the flash-fried Brussels sprouts, the steakhouse burger, or the buttermilk kahlua chocolate cake, though. $40 for lunch, $60 for dinner, 1642 County Road B2 W., Roseville
Dining and Cooking