There are certain things that natives of Twin Cities just get that nobody else could possibly understand, such as the true meaning of cold weather, random Prince sightings and hot, amazing summers at the lake. Well, adding to the charm of this metropolitan Midwestern region are some foods that you don’t find too many other places. Join us as we take a look at some of the hottest food trends in the Twin Cities.
SCANDINAVIAN EATS: There is a lot of Scandinavian heritage in the Twin Cities area but up until lately you wouldn’t have been able to find a decent meatball at a restaurant to save your life. Many other ethnicities have established successful restaurants in the area but Scandinavians are late to the game. Thanks to the Bachelor Farmer that has all changed. This restaurant can help you satisfy your craving for roasted rutabagas and pickled Lake Erie. The atmosphere is pretty awesome too so if you want to jump on this trend then head on over.
FOOD TRUCKS: While this trend isn’t specific to the Twin Cities, they are all over this phenomenon that is sweeping the nation. Food trucks really pick up speed when the weather gets nicer and people start emerging from skyways. The Twin Cities was known for having stricter guidelines than most cities when it came to granting licenses for these mini restaurants on wheels. Now that there is such a big demand for them though, restrictions have relaxed. If you want to stop by and try one of these food trucks then social media is your best bet to track them down. Food trucks thrive on the inexpensive and trendy form of marketing in order to spread the word and grow their customer base.
SI TENEMOS CUY DISPONIBLE (GUINEA PIG): Ok, this one is a little weird. It also comes from a pretty trendy and hip restaurant, Chino Latino. It is such a specialty item that you have to order it 24 hours in advance so that it can be prepared properly. It is served in a way that there’s no denying it’s a guinea pig so if you can get past that, it’s actually pretty tasty and then you can say that you’ve tried guinea pig.
KRAUTINI: This one isn’t a food but is something that is so unique that we had to give a shout out to the cocktail that comes from Black Forest Inn in Minneapolis. If you couldn’t guess by the name, this is a sauerkraut inspired martini. If you don’t like sauerkraut then stay clear but if you do and if you like martinis, then belly up to the bar because it’s actually pretty tasty.
VEAL TONGUE: Vegetarians beware, this is exactly what it sounds like, veal tongue. You have to have a pretty strong stomach to get this dish from 112 Eatery. There’s so much preparation that goes in to this dish that when the chefs are done with it you can barely tell what it is and it’s actually quite tasty. So if you can get past the thought of eating a baby cow’s tongue then go for it, just to try something different.
Ross Herman is a real estate and investment expert of the Twin Cities region in Minnesota.