Best German Food In Minnesota
Minnesota has quite an extensive German history, which allows for some wonderful German restaurants around the state. Whether your favorite is sausage, stews or just some wonderful German-brewed beer, there is a restaurant for you. Listed below are the five best German restaurants in the area.
Black Forest Inn
1 E 26th St
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 872-0812
blackforestinnmpls.com
If you're looking for a taste of the old-world atmosphere, look no further than Black Forest Inn. This restaurant is filled with charm and history. As soon as you walk through the doors, you'll forget all about your day and escape to the sounds of accordions and the hum of the happy crowd. The menu offers a variety of authentic German fare, as well as some American favorites (i.e. onion rings, burgers, etc). The most popular item is the bratwurst dinner: two sausage links made from scratch along with deli rye bread, German potato salad and saurkraut. Also popular is the wiener schnitzel which can be prepared using turkey, veal or pork.
Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter
8390 Lofton Ave
Stillwater, MN 55082
(651) 439-7128
gasthausbavarianhunter.com
Tucked away in the pine-tree forests of Stillwater, Minn., lies a wonderfully quaint German restaurant that is worth the search. Gashau Bavarian Hunter is a family owned restaurant that offers some fantastic and authentic German fare, all the way down to the waitress' barmaid uniforms. With wooden picnic tables for seating outside and a very relaxed atmosphere inside, it's easy to want to stay and linger at this spot. The menu offers a large variety of sausages, pork, poultry, beef, fish and even a vegetarian selection to choose from. Your best bet on the menu is the Bavarian Favorites Platter filled with jagenschnitzel, rahn puten schnitzel, knackwurst, potato dumplings and red cabbage. Or for a lighter fare, try the sausage sampler from the appetizer section to try a few different homemade sausages.
Related: Best Irish Pubs In Minnesota
Glockenspiel
605 7th St W
St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 292-9421
glockenspielrestaurant.com
Glockenspiel is located in the heart of St. Paul and offers a great selection of German food and beer. The quaint decorations help set the mood for a light-hearted atmosphere and some fantastic German foods. For a smaller appetite, Glockenspiel offers a variety of appetizers and small plates that still allow you to sample some of the great entrée options. For those with a larger appetite, stick to the wiener schnitzel. It is the restaurant's best seller and the best entrée to order for some truly authentic German foods. Want entertainment? Try coming for dinner on a weekend when Glockenspiel frequently has entertainers such as accordion players that circle around the restaurant to help set the mood.
Gasthof Zur Gemutlichkeit
2300 University Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 781-3860
gasthofzg.com
For a lively atmosphere and great German food, make sure to stop into Gasthof Zur Gemutlichkeit. With polka music playing on most nights and a bustling nightly crowd, this restaurant is a hot spot for great German food and beer. While most German restaurants tend to offer a large menu, this restaurant definitely has the most expansive list of platter combinations; sausage, steak, poultry, pork, fish and yes, even one vegetarian option to choose from. The platter combinations are definitely the best choice on the menu to try a little of the restaurant's best offerings, but be sure to bring an appetite. While these are listed as big enough to serve two people, three to four people could easily enjoy these combo platters depending on everyone's appetite. The Bavarian House Platter offers the best options.
Bierstube
6434 Cahill Ave
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076
(651) 451-8073
thebierstube.com
Bierstube, located in five different locations throughout the metro, is a local chain that offers a great, fun atmosphere in a German-themed restaurant. This restaurant does offer a variety of American foods as well, so even the less adventurous diners will have some familiar choices. The most popular entrée is the Taste of Deutschland sample platter which includes a large portion of sauerbraten, wiener schnitzel, schweine haxen, bratwurst and mettwurst, all alongside red cabbage, sauerkraut, spaetzle, toast and hearty German gravy. This restaurant also offers many happy-hour specials so be sure to check out the website for a list of the best deals during the week.
Related: Best Local Beer Spots For Your Inner Snob
Alicia Stewart, a clinical dietitian at a metro hospital in St Paul, MN, has the unique role of working both as an acute care clinical dietitian, as well as an out-patient counselor. She has worked with hundreds of clients on various health topics, including diabetes, weight management, family health, and other chronic health conditions that can be controlled and improved with the right food choices. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
