Rochester's Best Restaurants, Bars and Breweries
While Rochester’s Mayo Clinic is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading healthcare providers, its strong food and drink scene remains under the national radar. A culinary renaissance has taken hold over the past decade, however, from ambitious newcomers to longtime standbys.
Here are some of our favorite restaurants, bars and breweries for destination-worthy dining and drinking in Minnesota’s third-largest city.
Restaurants
Bebap
Ootori Sushi/Mezza9 owner Sammi Loo opened Bebap to crush the Korean food cravings she often found herself having after watching K-dramas like “Oh My Ghost” and “Mr. Queen.” We’re talking pan-fried mandu, sweet-and-spicy rice cakes, a restorative bowl of kimchi-laced, silken tofu stew, and a stone pot that sizzles alongside a fried egg, banchan, and beef bulgogi, seafood or pork belly.
Make a night of it by grabbing a grandiose cocktail upstairs at Loo’s Shanghai-inspired bar, 1928 Cocktails and Bites. Rotating tipples include the Moon River (soju, cachaça, mango, pineapple, and citrus), Dragon’s Kiss (hibiscus gin, Cappelletti, grapefruit, and lime cordial), and Golden Crane (rum, Velvet Falernum, raspberry, rosemary and togarashi).
Benedict’s
Benedict’s offers eight versions of its namesake dish, making it a must for brunch, whether you’re looking for a classic like ham and hollandaise or a new-school riff like The Nordeaster (butter-poached lobster and avocado topped with an Old Bay hollandaise). Seeking a sweeter dish? Order the decadent Elvis pancakes, which are covered in bacon, bananas and peanut butter like The King’s favorite sandwich.
Building on that brunch theme are six different Bloody Marys (the Nordic brings dill vodka, cucumber, Clamato and gravlax into the mix) and signature cocktails like the Chai White Russian (vanilla vodka, coffee liqueur, masala chai and cinnamon) and Wayzata Bay Bootlegger (vodka, citrus, mint and soda).
Bleu Duck Kitchen
Bleu Duck has become one of Rochester’s favorite dinner spots thanks to playful dishes like wagyu meatloaf, duck ramen, and a “Manhattan steak” coupled with a crab pancake, bean sprout salad and fermented black bean gravy.
Its sidebar serves a separate menu highlighted by a kimchi hot dog, perfectly chewy pork carnitas, and a signature burger oozing with American cheese and the added personality of a Parmesan-buttered bun. The varied menu vibes extend to oyster night on Wednesdays, which features exclusive catches from Maine Oyster Company.
Cheap Charlie’s
Look for the pig atop the building, and you’ve arrived at one of Rochester’s favorite haunts: Cheap Charlie’s. The café has been feeding Rochester visitors “with grease and love” since 1955. Breakfast is simple — eggs, hash browns and blueberry pancakes — but it comes out fast, with friendly service and prices lower than most morning spots.
It’s the perfect little diner after a long weekend. Where else can you get a ham-and-cheese omelet with hash browns for $9?
LUMI
Much like its sister restaurant in downtown Minneapolis, LUMI offers a broad international menu but leans toward Turkish dishes, including köfte, roasted lamb, and a signature kebab of lavash-wrapped beef and chicken. Be sure to order a few appetizers, too — between the babaganoush, hummus and haydari, there’s plenty of dipping opportunities for warm, puffy pita.
Mill Valley Kitchen
Mill Valley Kitchen’s name is a Northern California nod that reflects Mike and Abby Rakun’s devotion to healthy dishes like miso-glazed seabass with ginger-shiitake quinoa and sweet and sour cucumbers; a grilled filet with caulini, butternut squash, black garlic, cilantro and pickled Fresno chilies; and a roasted half chicken with farro-mushroom risotto, watercress and chicken jus.
Or as Mike said in a Star Tribune story, “A lot of people coming into Rochester are here for health reasons, whether it’s preventative care or surgery. We want them to be able to come in, have a full experience and feel good when they leave.”
Marrow
After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu, Rochester native Jeff Schwenker spent a decade finding his culinary voice in kitchens across Portland and Minneapolis. It shows at his homecoming restaurant Marrow, a breakout hit in the historic Kelley Building that has quickly become one of the city’s top tables.
Expect classical technique with a bold contemporary edge, whether you’re ordering pasta — standouts include beef tongue pastrami with rye spaetzle, mustard cream and green grapes and the manti dumplings with Vadouvan lamb sausage, harissa, aged goat cheese and preserved lemon — or a proper entrée like Ibérico pork pressa with Mexican truffle crêpe, sauce verte, buckwheat groats and scarlet queen turnips.
Anyone looking for a memorable late-night meal should also consider Marrow After Dark, an ongoing ramen pop-up that’s walk-in only and often slings its noodles between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Old Abe & Co.
Sure, Old Abe & Co. is a coffee shop. But it also serves scrumptious vegan food and Drift Dough donuts. Breakfast items, bowls, and sandwiches fill the menu, with the bánh mì a local favorite. The house “pork” is savory, with Herbivorous Butcher’s bacon adding a nice chewiness and an overall satisfying umami.
Wash it all down with the Zumbro, a Nutella-flavored coffee drink. Or, if you like to keep things greener, the matcha lattes with added maple syrup tread a fine line of sweet and earthy.
If you’re lucky, you may just find Old Abe’s owner on his coffee trike cart around town. It’s how he built the business before it became a brick-and-mortar shop.
Olde Brick House
Stop by after work for a relaxing Irish Recess (happy hour) of poutine and discount drinks at Olde Brick House, an authentic pub in downtown Rochester. You can also make a full meal of well-executed classics like Scotch eggs, bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, and Guinness-battered fish and chips.
Reid’s Pizza
One of the best spots at The Workshop Food Hall is Reid’s, known for Detroit-style pizza. Its Mexican Street Corn mash-up layers queso, roasted corn and poblano peppers, chipotle ranch, pickled red onion, cilantro and jalapeño for a rich, cheesy bite. Each pie’s caramelized crust delivers a satisfying crunch and extra savoriness.
One or two slices are plenty if you’re looking for a light dinner or something to pair with one of the many beers on tap at Workshop Bar.
ThaiPop
ThaiPop has built a strong following in the space that once housed Grand Rounds Brewpub. Bright and tropical inside, the restaurant pairs its lively setting with bold, balanced flavors. The Three Flavor Golden Pompano — a whole, deep-fried fish — brings together sweet, spicy, sour, and earthy notes in one memorable dish.
Fruity mocktails like the passion fruit–lime Island Breeze (with Thai basil and club soda) keep things refreshing. Most dishes lean mild, though extra heat is available for those who crave it.
Twigs
Rather than offering just a few gluten-free options, Twigs designs much of its menu to be easily adapted for dietary restrictions without sacrificing flavor. Owner Michelle Salz, who was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2008, understands the importance of maintaining a cross-contact-free kitchen and a memorable menu.
Entrées range from pan-fried walleye to applewood-smoked meatloaf topped with mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese. The restaurant also boasts one of Rochester’s best sun-soaked patios.
Breweries
Forager Brewery
This brewpub’s dedication to small-batch beer and locally sourced ingredients remains central to its top-rated identity. A rotating New Haven-style pizza, The Forager, highlights seasonal ingredients from local farms and items foraged by staff. An eclectic mix is always on tap; if you spot a sour, the fruit may have been picked from Rochester’s Kutzky neighborhood.
Don’t miss the barrel-aged releases, especially around anniversary celebrations. And be sure to snag a seat in the sunken library area if you can; it’s peak Minnesota cozy.
Little Thistle Brewing Co.
A family-friendly spot, owners Steve and Dawn Finnie built Little Thistle with something for everyone. The taproom offers beer, THC beverages and NA options, along with English Premier League matches on the projector and plenty of games for kids and families.
Steve keeps cask ales in the mix like pubs in his native Scotland, and head brewer Niko Tonks produces both in-house batches and his own limited-edition lagers under the diffusion label Double Elbow. (Before his stint as the founding brewer at Fair State, he learned the art of lagering at Live Oak Brewing and sours at Jester King in Austin, Texas.)
With a large dog-friendly patio, a location just off the Douglas State Trail and regular events like winter curling, Little Thistle is a welcoming place for the community to gather.
LTS Brewing Company
Beer and soda flights pair with kid-friendly activities like crafts and movie nights at this family-friendly Rochester brewery, which also serves pizza. LTS produces a wide range of styles but excels in traditional pours like dunkel, Belgian witbier and kölsch.
The house sodas are also worth a try, from classic options to creative flavors like butterbeer, mini donut and habanero lime.
Thesis Beer Project
Live music takes center stage at Thesis Beer Project, located near the Mayo Clinic’s St. Marys campus. The brewery hosts performances every Friday and Saturday, and in warmer months opens its large garage door for an indoor-outdoor experience.
Thesis Pieces, a peanut butter blonde ale, remains a crowd favorite, alongside heavily fruited sours that sometimes include marshmallow for added sweetness. Ample parking just behind the brewery makes it an easy stop for out-of-town visitors.
Bars
63 Club
A true dive bar, the 63 Club is steeped in ambiance and history. One-dollar bills cover the walls and ceiling; many are marked with the names and hometowns of past visitors. Inside, chatter and laughter fill the room alongside cheap drinks and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, making it one of Rochester’s last old-school bars.
If you enjoy bar games, budget-friendly beer and meeting chatty locals, this is your spot.
Bitter & Pour
This underground speakeasy is an absolute vibe that rewards anyone who seeks it out. (If you’re having trouble finding it, don’t worry; someone will buzz you in.) Inside, low lighting and stylish surroundings set the mood for a creative cocktail menu.
Standouts include I’d Dry Hop That, a Tattersall gin drink with Saaz hops. The bar also gives thoughtful attention to mocktails, including No Buddy, made with nonalcoholic tequila, lime, jalapeño pineapple cordial and smoked sea salt.
If you'd rather have a skyline view of the outside world while sipping on a specialty drink, Bitter & Pour now has an indoor rooftop location with its own idiosyncratic menu just down the street.
Kathy’s Pub
Kathy’s Pub delivers a classic bar experience. The rooftop patio offers strong views of downtown Rochester and regularly hosts live music. Inside, pool tables, pull tabs, darts and a jukebox give it an old-school feel, while Timberwolves fans can catch games both indoors and on the rooftop screen.
True to its unpretentious reputation, it’s an easygoing place to relax over beer specials and conversation with locals.
The Tap House
With two locations, The Tap House has become quite the hotspot in Rochester. Its original Historic Third Street outpost sits in the heart of downtown and is an easy place to settle in for the day, thanks to a strong burger lineup (try the Peanut Butter and Jealous) and a deep drink selection.
Regular tap takeovers and special events keep the beer list fresh, with frequent pours from Minnesota breweries like Bent Paddle and BlackStack.
Whistle Binkies on the Lake
A reliable spot for food and drink, Whistle Binkies offers a large beverage list alongside an equally robust menu. Irish stew, bangers and mash and the walnut burger are standouts, along with plenty of American favorites.
The secluded patio offers a leafy escape from downtown, while inside the bar doubles as a lively sports-watching destination. Don’t miss Walleye Wednesday.
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