It comes as no surprise that I am a restaurant enthusiast. More often than not, I write about my fantastic Minnesota establishment finds, though my restaurant knowledge is nothing compared to this local Land-Of-10,000-Lakes resident.

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Andrew Zimmern, a three-time James Bread Award-winning TV personality, chef, food writer, Minneapolis resident, compiled a list of his favorite farm-to-table restaurants in Minnesota.

Zimmern writes in an Explore Minnesota article:

"There are a few spots across the state that do an especially great job working directly with farmers to source local ingredients. Here’s a look at some places that say farm-to-table—and actually mean it."

  1. Birchwood Café--3311 East 25th Street, Minneapolis

Zimmern explains, "Few Minnesotans have done more for local farmers and purveyors than Tracy Singleton. You can bet everything served at Birchwood Cafe, her iconic Seward neighborhood restaurant, was grown organically, sourced ethically and hails from some cool Midwestern farm."

2. Brasa in 600 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis and 777 Grand Ave, St Paul

"Though Alex Robert’s menu is an ode to the South, the ingredients are all about the Midwest. Nearly 100 percent of Brasa’s meat, dairy, eggs, flour, sweet corn and cornmeal come from small farms throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa," according to our local food guide.

3. New Scenic Café in 5461 N Shore Dr, Duluth

Zimmern lovingly wrote, "It’s one of only a few places where a beautiful view (right along Lake Superior on scenic Highway 61) comes with equally stunning food." His favorite dishes include the pate tartlet, the sockeye salmon and pheasant breast.

4. NOSH Scratch Kitchen in 102 Walnut St Suite 105 in Winona

NOSH Scratch Kitchen recently relocated from Lake Pepin, taking it's class and deliciousness with it. The Bizarre Foods host said, "Seasonality informs chef Greg Jaworski’s menu, and nearly all proteins originate within two hours of the restaurant."

5. Wise Acre in 5401 Nicollet Ave in Minneapolis

To finish off his article, Zimmern proclaims the successfulness of Wise Acre saying, "It seems just about every restaurant claims to be farm to table. In the case of Wise Acre, it’s part of the business plan. Depending on the time of year, 75 to 95 percent of ingredients originate on sister business Tangletown Gardens’ 100-acre farm in rural Plato, Minnesota."

Honestly, I haven't ventured to many farm-to-table restaurants, but according to Andrew Zimmern it may be worth the trip.

All 37 Minnesota Restaurants that Have Been Featured on the Food Network

Many Minnesota restaurants have been featured on the Food Network over the years. Some have closed now, but I checked out the Food Networks website, the Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives website, and TVFoodMaps.com to find all of the Minnesota restaurants that have been featured on their channel in the past and found these 37 (in no particular order) that are still open.

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