Some of the ultimate pleasures of returning home for the holidays is checking out all of the new and fantastic dining spots that have sprung up since you disappeared into your other worldly expeditions.
I recently returned home to Minneapolis for the holidays. If you know me, you know how much I respect and cherish my beloved hometown and truly worship everything about it. Many of my dearest friends from college are from Minnesota and have rightfully returned to the promise land of arctic chills and balmy summers. It is truly a wonderful place, and I recommend with feverish delight a visit in your near future.
Luckily, this visit included a much needed catch up date with a close friend over lunch. We decided to venture over to the Northbound Smokehouse, a brewpub located in the Powderhorn neighborhood in South Minneapolis, just blocks away from the lightrail on Hiawatha Avenue. My friend and I were ultimately attracted to the fact that the restaurant brewed their own beers, and being a Milwaukee transplant, I have proudly become a craft beer lover.
Nestled nicely on the corner of 38th Street and 28th Avenue, what first stood out was the large windows that let in abundant amounts of light. It was charming. Walking in, the restaurant had an open feel, with larger four tops lined along the walls and windows and other four tops and two tops located on the floor. The bar was also quite nice, giving a lovely view of the brewery in the back. My friend and I immediately went for the beer list, ready to indulge our taste buds on a satisfying home brew. We started with the Snowmageddon, a brown ale, which has a slight nutty and sweet hint to it. It was appetizing and paired nicely with my grilled chicken sandwich. Originally the fried chicken sandwich, I opted for it grilled. It came nicely charred and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and a savory garlic mayo. Being quite the cheese fiend, I know for sure I will be adding a nice cheddar to my sandwich next time. We split a half order of the fries, which were evenly dashed with some salt and pepper and nicely complemented our sandwiches.
My friend order the “18 Hour Porketta” sandwich which was topped with swiss and sautéed onions, and came with a side of barbecue. I immediately had meal envy and vowed to order that the next time I returned. She was instantly surprised at how much she enjoyed their barbecue sauce and devoured the entire side of it along with her sandwich.
The food was fantastic and the atmosphere was equally as enchanting. It was mellow and quiet on a Saturday afternoon and made for a marvelous spot for us to catch up on friends, family, and job situations. I loved the way the sunlight drifted into the restaurant, casting stunning rays of warmth. It was a much needed break from the dreary gray weather we have been forced to experience throughout the month of December.
Since we were far from satisfied with our conversations, we decided to split a flight to get a much better grasp on all the beers this local brewpub had to offer. The flight came with 6 beers, four of their year long brews: Light Rail Pale Ale, Big Jim IPA, Honey Wheat Ale, and Smokehouse Porter, and two of their seasonal’s: Auburn Night and Snowmageddon. Their seasonal’s knocked my socks off. They were heavy with flavor and really nicely wrapped up winter in a glass. They were warming to both my heart and tummy. I was slightly disappointed with the Honey Wheat Ale. It had no hints of sweetness and reminded me too much of a light beer. If I wanted a Miller Lite, I would go back to Milwaukee. The Light Rail Pale Ale was decent. Nothing in comparison to my smooth and delectable New Glares Spotted Cow, the Light Rail was slightly more hoppy in comparison to a Spotted Cow, which came initially as a shock and threw me off my beer drinking game. Lastly, the Smokehouse Porter was by far my favorite out of their year long brews. It was heavy, dark, and left this flawless smokey flavor in my mouth. A perfect winter beer for those blustery nights on Minneapolis streets.
All in all, I would highly recommend this restaurant with its captivating atmosphere and well thought out menu. It has all the comforts of home wrapped into a local brewery. I am happy to see the Minneapolis’ beer brewing scene exploding with tantalizing tastes and colors. I might have to move back sooner then I thought.
Northbound Smokehouse Brewpub is located 2716 East 38th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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