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Best Places to Eat in Rochester, MN

Rochester's dining scene mixes down-home favorites with novel culinary efforts, with locally sourced ingredients and healthy options galore.

By Joe Morris on January 23, 2014

A group of people dines at a table outside at sunset at a vineyard.
Courtesy of Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery
People dine at Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery on a warm summer evening.

Dining out should always be a fun adventure, and in Rochester some amazing sites await. From American classics to treats from other cultures, restaurants here bring a lot to the table.

Casual

At Beetles Bar & Grill you’ll find a wide variety of American fare, from burgers to broasted chicken. For gumbo to go and mouthwatering beignets, swing by The Lost Cajun. Stop in the Kahler Inn & Suites downtown for crepes, salads, rice bowls, smoothies and yogurt at Freshens, or it it’s barbecue you crave, you’ll find it and more (cheese curd appetizers, anyone?) along with fast, friendly service at John Hardy’s Bar-B-Q.

Dinner & Drinks

Looking for a pub? Try Whistle Binkies (it’s Scottish for traveling musicians), and enjoy a few pints. Same goes for Wildwood Sports Bar & Grill, as well as Saints on Second Bar and Grill in the Courtyard by Marriott near Mayo Clinic Hospital, St Mary’s Campus. Sip with a view on the rooftop patio at Kathy’s Pub. For fantastic rotisserie chicken, check out Chester’s.

Then there’s Thyme Restaurant and Lounge, tucked into the Holiday Inn Downtown Rochester, where American cuisine is taken to award-winning heights. The Hubbell House in nearby Mantorville is a trip to the area’s past paired with high-end dining that’s undoubtedly modern.

International

Feeling more adventurous?  Treat your tastebuds with international fare such as sushi and ramen bowls at Wabi Sabi Express or authentic Indian specialties at India Garden. For Italian, Victoria’s Ristorante & Wine Bar serves hearty fare in regular, gluten-free and low-calorie versions. For tastes of the Mediterranean, such as gyros, special salads and more, visit Nupa or Mac’s Café and Restaurant.

Sweets

Indulge at locally owned Daube’s Cakes & Bakery, where everything’s made from scratch, or Chocolaterie Stam, where Old World Dutch traditions result in white, milk and dark chocolate bonbons and much more. Other favorite sweet spots include Flapdoodles Homemade Ice Cream and Carroll’s Corn & More.

Winery

Wine lovers should make the brief journey to Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery, which is just down the road in Spring Valley. Four Daughters hosts several special events throughout the year and also offers daily tastings and tours.

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