.@craftsmanmpls So gd I got married there. Order burger, p-chop, or fish & cry 4 not finding this gem sooner #foodgood goo.gl/TIomw
— Josh Page (@ILikeFoodJP) October 22, 2012
I’m amazed when fellow eaters tell me they haven’t heard of The Craftsman—a damn good, unassuming, and warm neighborhood spot. The menu features seasonal, sustainable, high quality, and, on occasion, unique meats, fish, and veggies. Relatively straightforward preparations (no foams, gels, or liquid nitrogen) bring out the natural flavor of the carefully sourced, exceptional ingredients. Servers and bartenders are professional and friendly, and the space is very comfortable (aka not stuffy or pretentious). Clearly, I love this place (even though the owner stubbornly refuses to get an espresso machine). And I’m confident you will too. It’s the quintessential Twin Cities restaurant (actually, it shares that title with Heartland, but more on that later).
From the Eater Crew
Joe, booze connoisseur, raves about the handcrafted cocktails. You don’t want to miss the Beet Cosmopolitan (house infused beet vodka shaken with fresh lime and Cointreau). But if you’re ordering the steak frites or grilled pork chop, the seasoned old fashioned is a must.
Letta, vegetarian Bon vivant, says one of the pleasures of the Craftsman is that the chef sees a vegetarian as a delightful diner, not a pain in the ass. The seasonal polenta is always a win (crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside), but the kitchen is always willing to adapt something gorgeous to her taste, too. The whole experience feels nourishing.
Theme Song
Husker Du, “Don’t Want to Know if You are Lonely” (Live at First Avenue)
I could not agree more with this comment!
“Clearly, I love this place (even though the owner stubbornly refuses to get an espresso machine).”
Not sure if you know/remember, but they used to have an espresso machine. Problem was, it was always out-of-order, and like too many other establishments, it often took 15 minutes to get your shot of espresso!
Clearly the service staff did not recognize the benefits of serving espresso drinks to their guests. Tediousness outweighed benefits. I’d like to see them revisit these challenges in the future. With training, it can be done, and in a profitable way!
Espresso is like the icing on my cake!
Thanks for opening the dialogue!
Thanks for the comments. I feel the same way about espresso. I’ll keep bugging them to bring it back. I’d also like to see a return of the kimchi burger–it was amazing!