City: Minneapolis, MN

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (612) 722-0175

Address: 4300 East Lake St.

Description: Serving what Craftsman calls “regionally inspired New American cuisine,” this restaurant near the Mississippi River on East Lake Street is a great choice for a semi-casual tour of the tastiest things the Midwest has to offer. The restaurant uses organic produce, meat, and fish, the majority of which is produced locally by independent farmers. Recent notable entrées include pan-roasted rainbow trout wrapped with pancetta and served with kohlrabi puree and sautéed chard, grilled grass-fed beef steak with fries and béarnaise sauce, and potato gnocchi with green and yellow beans and crème fraiche. Craftsman also serves pizzas and burgers with Midwestern flair (one recent pizza included green bean pesto) and lovely desserts, including a crème brûlée of the day. Wash it down with one of the wines on the somewhat short wine list, a beer from the much longer beer list, or a Minnesota Pickle Martini, the latter made with pickle juice, Minnesota-made vodka, olive juice, and mini-pickles.