Lissa Maki
Perfect Fish Fry: The Breeze Inn
Competition to name the Perfect Duluth fish fry was fierce but the The Breeze Inn managed to angle ahead of the others to claim the title with 36 percent of the vote among the final three.
Do country-bar fish fries fare better? It’s notable that the three top-ranked fish fries are all just outside of Duluth city limits. Breeze Inn is in Rice Lake Township while Billy’s in Lakewood Township was the runner up with 33 percent of the vote. Wabegon in Superior Township came in third with a respectable 31 percent. Among establishments within Duluth city limits, Bridgeman’s had the most votes. (more…)
Taqueria El Oasis Del Norte open in Superior pub
Eduardo Sandoval – Photo by Lissa Maki
Everyday options for authentic Mexican food in the Twin Ports have vastly improved. Earlier this month, El Oasis Del Norte food truck started serving up items like tacos, burritos and tortas at Average Joe’s Pub in Superior. (more…)
Poll: What Duluth-area restaurant has the best fish fry?
Who is serving up the Perfect Duluth-area fish fry? In our latest poll, we’re counting on our readers to help suss out the answer to this important question. (more…)
Nominees for Perfect Fish Fry Poll
It’s Lent, the official season to dine on fried fish and chips with a side of slaw, which leads us to Perfect Duluth Day’s latest poll. What local eatery has the best fish fry? (more…)
New Scenic Café celebrates 20 years
Photo by Lissa Maki
New Scenic Café will mark its 20-year anniversary on April 1. Although Chef Scott Graden has carefully refined his approach over the years, the acclaimed destination eatery on Lake Superior’s North Shore continues to emphasize quality and culinary artisanship. (more…)
Perfect New Restaurant: Corktown Deli & Brews
A Lincoln Park sandwich shop emerged as the hero in Perfect Duluth Day’s 2019 poll to discern the area’s best new restaurant. Corktown Deli & Brews won 43 percent of the runoff vote in a pool of three finalists that was narrowed down from a list of 25 nominees. Pak’s Green Corner and Martha’s Daughter were runners up with 33 percent and 24 percent of the votes, respectively.
Corktown Deli & Brews opened in June. Jeff Petcoff, the fast-casual restaurant’s general manager, was thrilled to hear the poll results. “That’s one of the biggest compliments you can get,” he says, “because readers and people vote on it; it’s a vote of confidence from everyone. It’s humbling and will help keep us going.” (more…)
The Hopper Shuttle: Catering to Craft Beverage Fans
A new complimentary shuttle service will provide a link between Duluth’s craft beverage purveyors. Starting Feb. 8 the Hopper, a 15-passenger van, will run between Canal Park, Lincoln Park and Downtown every Friday and Saturday night. (more…)
Poll: What is the best new restaurant in the Duluth area?
In 2017 OMC Smokehouse was voted “Perfect New Restaurant” in our Perfect Duluth Day poll. The popular Lincoln Park establishment will soon be two years old. Since then, an array of eateries have opened and it’s time to name a new champ.
With help from our readers, we amassed a list of 25 recently opened eating establishments. It’s a runoff ballot, so options with the fewest votes slowly dropped off the list. The final three were: Corktown Deli & Brews, Martha’s Daughter and Pak’s Green Corner.
What’s the latest restaurant to win over hearts and bellies?
This poll is now closed. The results were:
Corktown Deli & Brews – 43 percent
Pak’s Green Corner – 33 percent
Martha’s Daughter – 24 percent
Nominees for Perfect New Restaurant Poll – 2019
OMC Smokehouse has enjoyed the “Perfect New Restaurant” title since winning Perfect Duluth Day’s poll in July of 2017 with an impressive 82 percent of the vote.
Since a flurry of restaurant activity has happened in the Twin Ports over the past year and a half, it’s time to launch another poll and give new establishments a chance to prove their worth. (more…)
Hiki Hut: Duluth’s little blue sauna on a trailer
Whitney & Kelby Sundquist – Photo by Lissa Maki
A little blue sauna on a trailer began popping up around Duluth late last year. The Hiki Hut has licensing similar to a food truck, but instead of food it’s serving up nourishing doses of heat and steam. Owners Whitney and Kelby Sundquist aim to encourage sauna appreciation as well as cultivate community. (more…)
The New Spurs on First: Just a Little Bit Country
Madeline Petersen and Jona Johnson – Photo by Lissa Maki
Two young women recently bought Spurs on First. The entrepreneurs are adding their own flair to the longtime country bar, booking hip hop and rock performers as well as updating drinks and decor. (more…)
Cake Bandit: Duluth’s Vegan Bakery
Melissa Story – Photo by Lissa Maki
Some Twin Ports residents might be surprised to discover Duluth is home to a vegan microbakery. Cake Bandit has been serving up tasty alternatives to traditional baked goods since 2016. (more…)
Guide to Duluth-area Restaurants Serving Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving is arguably the best holiday. It’s an opportunity to be grateful for what you have, eat delicious food and spend time with family (either blood or chosen). There’s no need to buy presents, go to church or decorate the house. The most stressful aspect of the day is the cooking. (more…)
Winery provides another reason to visit North Shore
Photo by Lissa Maki
With its rugged terrain and sometimes unforgiving climate, Lake Superior’s north shore seems like an unlikely place for a winery. But that didn’t deter wine connoisseurs Chuck and Kim Corliss from founding North Shore Winery near the base of Lutsen Mountains in 2015. (more…)
Perfect Duluth Restaurant: Lake Avenue Restaurant and Bar
Though it’s been lauded in Twin Cities publications for years, surprisingly Lake Avenue Restaurant and Bar hasn’t won any local accolades for its cuisine. Until now.
In Perfect Duluth Day’s poll to name the Perfect Duluth Restaurant, Lake Avenue emerged as the clear winner with 48.3 percent of the vote among the top three.
Co-owner Derek Snyder says he was “super surprised and flattered” his restaurant won the poll.
“A lot of Duluthians still don’t know about us,” he said. (more…)
Poll: What is the best Duluth-area restaurant?
With help from readers, we compiled a list of 18 nominees for the best Duluth-area restaurant poll. The final three on the ballot: Duluth Grill, Lake Avenue Restaurant & Bar and Va Bene Caffe.
This poll is now closed. The results will be announced soon.
Perfect Duluth Restaurant Nominations – 2018
It’s been five years since we polled PDD readers to determine the perfect Duluth restaurant. Since then, the New Scenic Cafe has been the reigning champ. (more…)
Wasabi Japanese Cuisine to open in Duluth’s Old City Hall
The main floor of Duluth’s Old City Hall will soon be transformed into a sushi restaurant. The owners of Superior’s Wasabi Japanese Cuisine signed a lease on Monday for the space. They anticipate opening this second eatery by the same name in November or December.
The building at 132 E. Superior St. is owned by Rod Raymond of the Just Take Action restaurant group. Since 2011, the main level space has housed three restaurants: Tycoons Alehouse, the Blind Pig, and more recently Sound.
Dennis Kempton, who handles media relations for Just Take Action, says the new Wasabi Japanese Cuisine location will be modeled after its sister restaurant in Superior, which opened in March in the former O’Neill’s Pub & Liquor building at 3333 Tower Ave. (more…)
Dovetail Cafe to open in October
Duluth Folk School Director & Co-Founder Bryan French outside Dovetail Cafe – Photo by Lissa Maki
If all goes as planned, Dovetail Cafe and Marketplace will open in the second week of October. The unique eatery, housed within the Duluth Folk School at 1917 W. Superior St., will serve up meals made from scratch, products from local vendors and a side of education for those inclined to learn. (more…)
Ursa Minor Brewing opening Sept. 26
Ben Hugus, Mark Hugus and Andrew Scrignoli – Photo by Lissa Maki
Duluth’s Lincoln Park Craft District will gain a third brewery by the month’s end. Ursa Minor Brewing, a five-barrel brewery that will also serve wood-fired pizzas, has announced it’s opening Sept. 26. (more…)
Craft cider coming soon to Duluth
Duluth will soon have its first, and second, hard cideries. Duluth Cider is planning for a mid-to-late September opening date, while Wild State Cider expects to open before the year’s end. (more…)
Perfect Iron Range Restaurant: Vi’s Pizza
Competition was stiff in the Perfect Iron Range Restaurant poll. After a 36-hour, tie-breaking vote we can officially declare Vi’s Pizza in Biwabik the champion.
In the final poll, Vi’s Pizza had 70 percent of the vote, while BoomTown Woodfire Bar & Grill in Eveleth had 30 percent.
Clearly, no ordinary pizza joint could beat the likes of top contenders like BoomTown and Gilbert’s famous Jamaican restaurant, the Whistling Bird. But Vi’s Pizza is a veritable Iron Range institution.
The original pizza recipe was handed down from owner Kim Mattson’s Italian grandmother. Viola “Vi” and her husband Frank Urick started selling takeout pizzas out of the back of their Biwabik home in 1959. (more…)
Tie-breaking Poll for Perfect Iron Range Restaurant
The initial competition for Perfect Iron Range Restaurant was hot! The poll started with 25 nominees. With the help of your votes, we whittled it down to three contenders: BoomTown Woodfire Bar & Grill (Eveleth), Vi’s Pizza and the Whistling Bird.
BoomTown and Vi’s tied with 36 percent of the popular vote, while Whistling Bird was close behind at 28 percent.
Which brings us to the final poll to decide the winner.
This poll is now closed. The results were:
Vi’s Pizza, Biwabik – 70 percent
BoomTown Woodfire Bar & Grill, Eveleth – 30 percent
Poll: Perfect Iron Range-area Restaurant
We developed a list of contenders for the Perfect Iron Range-area Restaurant poll by using a carefully crafted methodology — we asked people to nominate their favorites.
We started with 25 nominees and whittled it down to the top three.
The poll is now closed. The results were:
BoomTown Woodfire Bar & Grill, Eveleth | 36 percent
Vi’s Pizza, Biwabik | 36 percent
The Whistling Bird, Gilbert | 28 percent
By virtue of the tie, there will be a new poll between BoomTown and Vi’s to determine a winner.
Nominees for Perfect Iron Range-area Restaurant Poll
Left: Photo by Sheldon Schwartz. Right: Google map manipulated by PDD.
It’s time the Iron Range got some credit. Summertime up north is spectacular. The abundant forests, lakes and trails offer the quintessential “up north” Minnesota experience. In past polls we’ve named the Perfect Duluth Restaurant, Perfect North Shore Restaurant and Perfect South Shore-area Restaurant. Now it’s time to look to the northwest and give some props to eateries in and around Minnesota’s Iron Range. (more…)