Category: Local Favorites

These Minnesota restaurants have earned the title of our local favorites. They have earned our trust for safety, allergy awareness, service, and of course delicious food.

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Local Favorites

Twigs

Hello Everybody, I hope this post finds you well and enjoying your week thus far. Y’all I have an exciting post today and if you will be anywhere near Rochester, MN I 100/10 recommend heading over to Twigs for a bite to eat. Last week my roommate and I were driving to her hometown and on the way we stopped in Rochester for lunch. Relying on our handy dandy “Find Me GF” app we came across Twigs and thought we would give it a go. They had a full on GF menu y’all! I’m talking aps, soups, salads, mains, and desserts. Pages upon pages of gluten free goodies in all of their glory. I know at this point you have to be thinking wow this is too good to be true, what’s the catch? That’s just it, there isn’t one. In fact it gets better… they have a seperate gluten free kitchen! Complete with a serene outdoor patio that would make Martha Stewart swoon Twigs has made it to my top 5 favorite restaurants of all time. My roommate ordered gluten free/vegan onion rings and I ordered gluten free butternut squash ravioli. Both menu items were such a rare and delicious treat. We half joked about making regular trips down to Rochester to catch Thursdays on first and grab some more food from Twigs. Here is a link to their website: https://www.twigstavernandgrille.com/ . I’m telling you, Everyone go check this place out. You will be more than pleased. That’s all for me now so, my lovely people, eat well and enjoy the Summer weather. ☀️

Until next time,

Brynn

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Local Favorites

Brim

Yes folks you read that right Brim, not Brynn. If you’re looking for a great Celiac friendly restaurant overlooking Lake Bde Maka Ska head over to Brim. Brim focuses on putting their best food forward and emphasizes the importance of nutritious and delicious organic food largely sourced from the Midwest. My roommates and I went here to grab some lunch this past weekend and it was delicious! Their menu was completely gluten free and completely amazing! I had a gluten free chicken pesto sandwich on gluten free focaccia with a slice of gluten free/dairy free lemon poppyseed bread. I had not had gluten free focaccia bread before and this was such a treat. The bread had good consistency, didn’t fall apart, and was flavorful in all the right ways. My friends had a smoothie bowl and a brunch bowl that looked incredible. The staff is all very knowledgeable about Celiac, as many of them have Celiac themselves. Here is a link to their super cute website: https://www.brimrestaurant.com/. I will definitely be heading back to Brim soon excited and hungry for more safe and delectable gluten free goodies. Eat well and smile lots.

Until next time,

Brynn

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Local Favorites

Longfellow Grill

Hello Everybody and happy Tuesday. Around the Country colleges and universities are wrapping up for the year and schools in the Twin Cities are no exception. I take my last final exam on Thursday and with more people fully vaccinated (myself included) it’s time to celebrate with a night on the town. If you are looking for a self-proclaimed urban diner serving up comfort food with a twist, check out Longfellow Grill. I have now been twice in the last two weeks with my co-workers and roommates, and will most definitely return with my family soon. They have a sizeable gluten free menu that includes everything from chicken tenders and mac n’ cheese to burgers and flourless chocolate tortes. Obviously this is the place to go if you’re craving some home style cooking. They also offer an all-day breakfast menu if you’re in the mood for some bacon and eggs. So far I have had the gluten free mac n’ cheese and the gluten free chicken tenders, and both were delicious! I will admit this was the first time in 16 years I ordered chicken tenders at a restaurant and I could not have been more thrilled. Here is a link to their website: https://www.longfellowgrill.com/. The staff is very knowledgeable of gluten allergies and the kitchen has a seperate gluten free fryer. They currently provide both indoor and outdoor seating, but it is worth mentioning that their patio is absolutely gorgeous. What’s better than enjoying the warm summer Minnesota nights than by dining under the ambience of twinkle lights, surround by crab apple trees blooming in all of their floral pink glory, while overlooking the skyline of Minneapolis, and taking a big bite of a gluten free bacon cheese burger😉. That said, if you’re in the area and looking for a reason to go out to dinner here ya go: it’s 5:30 on a Tuesday… There’s your reason now go checkout Longfellow Grill and enjoy your evening. Be kind to each other, enjoy the warm weather, and eat well.

Until next time,

Brynn

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Local Favorites

Nellie’s Ice Cream

Happy Sunday Everybody. I hope you all had an amazing weekend. As promised I went and scouted out the new ice cream shop near my campus called Nellie’s and it was great! They had many gluten free options for ice cream, gluten free cookies and rice crispy treats for the ice cream sandwiches, and gluten free toppings. Another amazing aspect of Nellie’s menu is that it has vegan options as well, so all of my roommates got to enjoy the sweet treat and have a great time. Just as a heads up they are cash only, but there is a free ATM inside incase you don’t have cash on you. Nellie’s is a branch of Nelson’s, another delicious ice cream shop close by that my roomates and I all love to go to. I had not had an ice cream sandwich in a very long time so this was a very fun experience, and I know for a fact that my friends and I will be returning very soon. I must pay homage to my former favorite ice cream shop in Minnesota which sadly is no longer, but Izzy’s ice cream was the prior resident of Nellie’s current location and to say that Izzy’s marshmallow ice cream is missed, is an understatement. Regardless, I am still very happy we got another great ice cream shop close by and I will refrain from walking their this afternoon. 😉 Here is a link to their website: https://www.nelliesicecream.com/. Now my lovely people be kind to each other and eat well.

Until next time,

Brynn

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Local Favorites

SotaRol

Hello Hello again my Fabulous Foodies! I hope you all are having an outstanding day wherever you may be checking in from. It’s almost the weekend which means TAKEOUT! One of my all time favorite takeout restaurants is called SotaRol. They are an Asian fusion kitchen that offers a variety of mouthwatering plates. In case you needed more reasons to check out this exemplary eatery SotaRol has a peanut free menu as well as a gluten free menu, they offer sustainable seafood, and house made dressings, sauces, and kimchi. SotaRol can be found at three convienent locations throughout the Twin Cities metro. Here is a link to their website: http://sotarol.com/ . I love so many of the menu items and am always game to try something new each time we go. Some family favorites include: the tater-tots, veggie potstickers, chicken fried rice, fried shrimp tempura bowl (yes this is gluten free 😁), spicy pork ramen, beef and broccoli… I could go on and on. Now that I have made you hungry, if you’re in the area, be sure to add SotaRol into your takeout rotation for the weekend. Now be kind to one another and eat well. 💖

Until next time,

Brynn

Gluten Free Shrimp Tempura Bowl

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Local Favorites

Hazelwood Food and Drink

Hello Everybody! I know it has been a little while between posts, but the school year is slowly wrapping up and we all know what that means: professors keeping their students busy, busy, busy right up until the end of the year. I haven’t forgotten about all of you and have missed writing to you all. I think when many people, who are not local, hear Minnesota their first thought is the Mall of America. In addition to our beautiful lakes, national parks, and exciting nightlife within the downtown Twin Cities, many tourists visit Minnesota to check out the biggest mall in the United States. 40% of all visitors to the Mall of America are tourists, have you ever been? Though the Mall is full of great restaurants, if you’re looking for something outside of the Mall I would 100% recommend Hazelwood Food and Drink in Bloomington. They are located right across the street from the Mall of America and offer new American style cuisine. They have great gluten free options and my favorite menu item is the Rotisserie Chicken Sandwich (pictured below). Here is the link to the restaurant’s website: https://hazelwoodfoodanddrink.com/bloomington-menus/ . We just got a new ice cream shop near my campus that I will be checking out in the up and coming weeks, so keep your eyes out for that update soon. In the meantime eat well and be kind to each other. 💖

Until next time,

Brynn

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Local Favorites

Finnish Bistro Coffee and Cafe

This quaint bistro is nestled comfortably in between Minneapolis and St. Paul bringing much of the State’s Scandinavian heritage right into the heart of Minnesota’s metropolis. My friends and I were looking for a new place to grab some coffee one Sunday morning and we came across the quiet Finnish Bistro, which was recommended to me from one of the girls that I work with. It’s located just 7 minutes from campus and offers a safe and spacious retreat to do homework or grab a bite to eat. The wooded aesthetic of the bistro is decorated with antique Scandinavian baking tools and a menu that complements the Northern European culture. Finnish Bistro has multiple gluten free food and beverage options. My go to order is an iced chai latte with a gluten free almond kringler, but the gluten free brownies also look delicious. I look forward to going back there soon for some more gluten free almond kringler. If you find yourself in the Twin Cities and are in need of a caffeine boost, be sure to hop over to Finnish Bistro.

Until next time,

Brynn 🙂

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Local Favorites

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Hello Everyone! This past week we celebrated my roommate’s 20th birthday. Her birthday fell right in the middle of the week and with my college schedule made baking anything complicated. To that end, we are fortunate enough to live just down the road from a wonderful bakery that makes decadent and delicious bundt cakes. The Bakery is called Nothing Bundt Cakes. They have one gluten free bundt cake flavor, chocolate chip, that comes in two sizes. I purchased the larger of the two for her birthday celebration. I have ordered cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes for various occasions such as my graduation party, birthdays, and well, let me be honest, a couple random weeknights here and there. The cakes are so moist and well baked, perfect for any occasion. Not to mention the cakes are decorated beautifully. They have a couple locations throughout the Twin Cities in Minnesota and are very active throughout their local communities. Here is a link to their website: https://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjI2VyPXq7gIVNTizAB1nPQpnEAAYASAAEgKSG_D_BwE. I look forward to needing one of their cakes again soon. I hope this post finds you well, and from my kitchen to yours I wish you peace, strength and, yummy bakes heading into this next week.

Until next time,

Brynn

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Local Favorites

Dunkin’ Fudge Brownie

Yes Folks you read that right, Dunkin’ Fudge Brownie! I knew that Dunkin’ Donuts was rolling out a gluten free brownie, but it hadn’t made it to my local Dunkin’ yet. Just last week my mother and sister drove over to look for this elusive fudge brownie and sure enough they found it. Brooke’s, first thought was “This is the best brownie I have ever had!” I tried not being too insulted by that considering I have made her many brownies, but hey she’s entitled to her opinion. I tried the brownie the next day and I will say it was a very good brownie. To be honest I didn’t really know what to expect because I had never been to Dunkin’ before or ordered a bakery dessert item from a chain restaurant since being gluten free. I was very pleased, it was a delicious brownie and I would 100% order it again. The outside was baked well and the brownie itself was moist and chewy. I definitely recommend giving it a try if you haven’t yet. I hope this post finds you well and from my kitchen to yours, be well.

Until next time,

Brynn

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Local Favorites

Dunn Brothers

It is not everyday that one comes across a delicious gluten breakfast sandwich at a coffee shop, so when my sister told me about the “Best breakfast sandwich I have ever had” I considered it to be a miracle. Usually if I go to get coffee it’s never casual; it’s always more difficult than it should be to decipher which drinks are gluten free, especially at chain coffee shops. The experience at my local Dunn Brothers in Eagan was much different-and in the best way possible. Not only did I have my first gluten free peppermint latte, but I ordered the breakfast sandwich my sister had been raving about. Sure enough it was amazing. More important than the actual taste; however, was that this location actually offered a gluten free breakfast option. It was well labeled on the menu, and didn’t involve cross-contamination. Needless to say I was very impressed and will be frequenting this location. I am not sure if all of the Dunn Brothers chains offer the gluten free breakfast sandwich, so if you live near a local Dunn Bros I would highly recommend inquiring about their gluten free breakfast sandwich. From my kitchen to yours eat well and stay safe this Holiday Season.

Until next time,

Brynn