Restaurants in Minnetonka

Sprays of flowers in petite, glass vases perch atop each table, a lush reminder of the local fields where 128 Cafe culls the seasonal fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients which comprise its rotating menu. Mélanges of veggies mingle with pasta and couscous or provide a crisp counterpoint to tender chops, tenderloins, or barbecued baby back ribs, a house specialty. Chefs whip up each dish to be served in the softly lit dining room or from 128 Cafe's food truck, which frequently rolls to festivals, boulevards, and photo finishes at pinewood derbies.

At Gyros Grill, cooks prepare an array of Greek and Mediterranean dishes made from traditional family recipes. Diners can dig into pitas made with freshly shaved gyro meat or interrogate greek pizzas about their defection from Italian menus. Kebab sandwiches sate meat lovers, and falafel sandwiches fill their vegetarian kin.

Mediterranean Grill’s authentic kebabs, fresh hummus, and overflowing pitas have earned it not just one but six Best Middle Eastern awards from Creative Loafing—including those for 2012, 2010, and 2009—as well as a gushing news profile by CBS Atlanta. The eatery’s chefs earned these laudations by charbroiling tender cubes of sirloin and chicken, frying falafel patties to the perfect crisp, and layering phyllo dough with a blend of spinach, feta, and ricotta for spanakopita triangles that precisely illustrate the Pythagorean theorem. Guests can sit down to eat their wraps and kebab plates at the intimate dining room’s two-person tables and booths or call ahead to place orders for pickup, delivery, or catering.

Using natural meats from local farms and culinary inspiration from all across Asia, skilled chefs craft dishes such as tom yum noodle soup and Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches filled with Korean BBQ pork. Patrons can customize their orders of Japanese shoyu ramen with an assortment of meats and veggies, including pork belly, calamari, bok choy, and wild mushrooms. Kinsen Noodles & Bar also offers an array of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, which diners can devour while seated inside a cozy booth or standing atop a table. The restaurant's wall of mirrors reflects the cool blue glow of the bar, where mixologists concoct fruity drinks ranging from classic sangria to rum punch with coconut milk.

If the limestone walls of the Nicollet Island Inn could talk, they would have riveting things to say. They would relate recent memories of romantic weddings and elegant special occasions, filled with the popping of champagne corks, laughter bouncing off the water from an outdoor patio and garden, and soft music wafting from the piano lounge. But the inn's more distant past is what distinguishes its true character; the building is one of the few that survived an island-wide fire soon after its construction in 1893. The site was rehabilitated in the early 80's. Double-hung windows have transformed the industrial exterior with welcoming turquoise awnings, and the old loading dock was glassed in to create a dining room with scenic views of the Mississippi River.

Though steeped in historical charm—including hand-carved woodwork, stained-glass windows, and an antique, steam-powered elevator—the inn appeals to the modern traveler with world-class amenities such as organic bath products and plasma TVs. Contemporary palates delight in menus designed by Executive Chef Ryan Stechschulte. Mpls.St.Paul Magazine calls the restaurant "one of the most distinctive brunch sites in the city." Its housemade pastries and five-course weekend tasting brunch of quiche and lobster rolls made it a winner of a Best Brunch award from Citypages in 2011.

Though people can rely on pretty much any corner store to supply them with a quick gallon of milk, at Lulu’s Market & Deli, customers can also stop in for Greek-inspired fare. They can grab saffron-coated wings or fries, baba ghanouj, gyros, and baklava, as well as cold-pressed coffee and Persian-blend earl-grey tea.

Lulu’s has maintained its presence at the corner of Selby and Fry for the last 17 years, but after new ownership in 2010, it became more than just a corner convenience store. In addition to the deli, the staff also provides delivery and catering for birthday parties, family reunions, and hunger strikes.