The mood in downtown Minneapolis during the sunlit Sunday morning hours oftentimes feels hauntingly vacant. Gone are the quick-footed downtown employees rushing about sidewalks and skyways. The swarm of people who wait patiently at food trucks and peruse the Nicollet Mall Farmers Market have retreated, not to be seen until Monday comes again. Sure, there are stragglers wandering amid Block E, but perhaps they’re retrieving their car after a late Saturday night or simply a pair out-of-towners wandering the streets in hopes of a photo op in front of the Mary Tyler Moore statue and a view of the city from the Foshay.
Chart your course northeast — toward the Mississippi — and you’ll edge your way into the Warehouse District neighborhood. The foot traffic begins to pick up. There are families. There are couples. There are strollers. Look … walkers, joggers, and bikers too. Urban wanderers breathe life into this pocket of downtown, and come midmorning on Sunday, it’s likely they are in search of a common destination: brunch.
Following is a roundup of three distinct Warehouse District brunches that escape the buffet trap. They’re all within a three-block radius of one another. As an added perk, they’re also a short few blocks to West River Parkway (so after you pay your tab you can take a coffee to go and walk off your overindulgent meal or your Saturday night mistakes).
The Bachelor Farmer
If you view brunch as an event in which one should be bright eyed and eager for a lengthy conversation, try the newly introduced brunch at The Bachelor Farmer. Walking through the nondescript royal blue awning transports you to a clean, preppy hipster-meets-J. Crew catalog array of servers and ambiance. Don’t be surprised to hear a peppy cover of “Naive Melody” as a cheery cart shuffles around the restaurant floor, presenting a premeal selection of brioche, macarons (with flavors like rose rhubarb, pistachio, and salted caramel — pictured, top), or morning rolls, as well as a glass of sparkling wine.
The cart allows a unique opportunity to create an individualized amuse bouche before the heartier dishes arrive. Even with a party as small as two, this menu is best optimized as a shared plate ordering scenario. If you’re part of a larger party, or if your appetite is ambitious, indulge in a sampling of all the Smorrebrod flavors: bacon confit (above left), house-cured salmon (above right), roast chicken salad, and English pea puree. What might hail as a signature brunch dish, the Rye Spaetzle Pyttipanna, is a necessary order. A traditional Scandinavian dish translated as “small pieces in a pan,” it is the perfect combination of crispy and soft, creamy and savory — a hodgepodge of complementary flavors including smoked pork shoulder, poached egg, savoy cabbage, and caraway Hollandaise. A duck confit salad (below) doesn’t err on the side of overindulgent when paired with a simple spring green salad and lingonberry vinaigrette. Side dishes like salted strawberries and deviled eggs round out the meal as small side notes. Brunch main plates range from $9 to $14.
The Bachelor Farmer
50 N 2nd Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612.206.3920
SUNDAY BRUNCH HOURS: 10am – 3pm
RESERVATIONS: No
HauteDish
Looking for a cavernous hideaway where you can cleanse your weekend sins under dim lighting whilst seated at tables out of earshot from one another? Venture into HauteDish on Washington Avenue. Think hearty, classic brunch dishes with an updated twist. An Eggs Benedict is married with a classic Reuben via corned beef, a pumpernickel muffin, and 1000 Island Hollandaise ($14) in lieu of the standard poached egg and ham. In what seems to be a signature dish from Chef Landon Schoenefeld, Chicken and Waffles ($15, above) makes an appearance, having once existed on the menu during his time at the Bulldog Northeast.
For a dish that could easily weigh heavy on salt and grease, it leans more toward the sweet thanks to the dollop of maple bacon ice cream melting over the crispy, battered pieces of chicken. The menu relies heavily on savory dishes, with only one item to satisfy a craving for the sweet. Thankfully what is lacking in number is made up in flavor in the form of Sourdough Griddle Cakes ($14, below), a stack of cakes topped with a generous wedge of triple cream brie and dotted with macerated strawberries and aged balsamic. It’s a welcome respite from stereotypical cakes drowning in syrup. Note: Portion sizes are generous, so anticipate minimal physical exertion post meal. Especially if it was supplemented by a Frozen Screwdriver ($8), made with house-made vanilla vodka and orange puree.
HauteDish
119 Washington Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612.338.8484
SUNDAY BRUNCH HOURS: 10am – 2pm
RESERVATIONS: No
Moose & Sadie’s
Should your mood call for casual ambiance, try Moose & Sadie’s, a coffee shop / cafe supported by Warehouse District residents since the early ’90s. Prepare to make a countertop order and take your coffee or tea to your table as you wait for your food to arrive (added summertime bonus is the outdoor patio). Lighter fare is the theme here, and when you choose carefully, the tab won’t be steep. A seasonal quiche ($6.50) is enough to share between two, as long as it’s complemented with a pastry — think freshly baked apple-walnut muffins. Should you anticipate a riverside bike ride post meal, opt for a serving of Wonderful Granola ($4) or fresh fruit and yogurt ($4). While the dishes might not be cheeky or bold, they are consistent enough to designate this brunch spot as a Warehouse District landmark and supporter of local suppliers: Peace Coffee, Fischer Farms pork, and Riverbend Farm.
Moose & Sadie’s
212 N 3rd Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55401
612.371.0464
WEEKEND BRUNCH HOURS: Sat and Sun 9am – 2pm
RESERVATIONS: No
Be sure to try the fresh ginger lemonade at Moose & Sadie’s. So delicious!