The Harriet Brasserie

Where/Why:

I figured I’d start out my blog with one of my favorites, and also a new and upcoming French/Brazilian restaurant – The Harriet Brasserie - located right in Minneapolis’ charming Linden Hills area.

I may be a little partial to this one because living right in Linden Hills, it’s become one of my (and my boyfriend’s) favorite date night spots.  It’s romantic, relaxed, and warm whether you’re sitting inside or out.  It may have won us over when they were first opening without a liquor license yet, and allowed customers to supply their own, which ended up making a very fun and affordable dinner (we brought some delicious local beer from Harriet Brewing which they now have on tap).

The menu:

The menu has enough to choose from without being overwhelming, and you can tell it has been carefully thought out based on the perfect variety offered.  You can get anything from pork belly to a fresh salad with rhubarb.  (They also serve breakfast but I have yet to try this).  My absolute favorites on their menu are the scallops (you get two scallops a plate but they’re big and worth every bite), and their Hill Burger which is probably one of the things that keeps us coming back!  The burger is made with grass fed beef and includes bacon and incredible oyster mushrooms…my mouth is watering just thinking about it! 

I’ve also tried their Tofu Hash pictured below.  This was amazingly delicious, especially for a lighter meal, even the greens on the side were very tasty…and very fresh!  

They also have plenty of wines to choose from, bottles or by the glass.  They also usually have specialty drinks that aren’t always listed on their website - I was drinking one of those in the pic above, it was a spritzer - nice, light and refreshing!  As a beer drinker mainly though, I love that they have the Old Speckled Hen in the can and of course, love the Harriet beer they have on tap (along with others).

The Price:

You can get most dinner plates for less than $15, which when you compare to some not-so-great restaurant and bars closer to Uptown, is a great deal for the quality of food you will be served.  The drink menu does well to cater to all guests as well, you can get an expensive bottle of wine or a $2.50 can of beer…not bad!

The Service:

There hasn’t been one time I’ve been here and felt disappointed about the service.  We’ve been seated if not right away, soon, every time.  Once seated you’ll be helped almost immediately, and even when they were very busy the food never seemed to take too long.

Overall this is a great place to come for a date, or just to catch up with a friend.  I love the intimate atmosphere and friendly service you’ll see as soon as you walk in.  I highly suggest making a visit to Linden Hills to experience The Harriet Brasserie, you will not be disappointed!