Tag Archives: pizza

Bakery, Coffee Shop, Restaurant, Travel

Schroeder Baking Company, Schroeder, MN

Schroeder Baking Company, Schroeder, MN

Schroeder Baking Company is one of those little gems that you hope to find in your travels.  Every small town has a place where the locals go to visit and eat and drink coffee.  Schroeder Baking Company is one of those places.  Granted I am pretty sure this bakery is possibly the only places in Schroeder, but if there were fifty places you could go, this would still be the place to go.

The food, wow, you cannot go wrong with whatever you decide to order.  We ordered breakfast sandwiches one morning.  They heat them up when you order them and hand them to you in a foil wrapper.  We took ours outside and wiped the morning dew of the picnic table so that we could sit and enjoy these mouthwatering sandwiches.

Jon sampled a few of their different coffees and he loved them.  That says a lot about the taste and quality.  They have a few different beans and flavors.  It is imported from wherever and clearly the good beans.  It is way more than you would expect from a small town and better than a lot of chain coffee shops.

The coffee section of Schroeder Baking Company

The establishment calls themselves a bakery and they deliver on that statement.  Every morning a new selection of baked goods is displayed so that you may make your selection.  The thing is, when it is gone, it is gone, and they sell everything, everyday, so get there early.

Baked goods section of Schroeder Baking Company

The food selections don’t end there.  Schroeder Baking Company also offers pizza, really good pizza.  It is a thinner crust pizza with an incredibly delicious red sauce.  The toppings aren’t “fresh”, the mushrooms come out of a can, but you are in the middle of nowhere and it isn’t a frozen pizza that they are unwrapping and cooking for you.  They put it all together and cook you a fresh pizza which was delicious.  They do simple pizzas so much better up north.

The place is small.  Inside you will find two tables and some chairs.  If you sit at one expect to share it with others.  Outside there is a picnic table or you could put down a blanket and have a picnic.  It is a completely picnic worthy area and there is a very a nice view of nature all around you.

The bakery is just down the street from Superior Ridge Resort Motel if you decide to stay there and not far from the Lutsen Resort.  Temperance River State Park is right in that area as well.  If you are looking for a trail to hike the locals or the staff can point you in the right direction.  They have hiked them all.

The place is busy all the time, but not chaos busy, more like a steady stream.  Again, the food is really, really good, and reasonably priced.  Eat there or take it to go, but stop if you get a chance.  You will not be disappointed.

Restaurant, Travel

Rocky’s Pizza House, Park Rapids, MN

Rocky’s Pizza House, Park Rapids, MN

South of Itasca State Park is the little town of Park Rapids.  There are quite a few places to eat in this town.  Some even require reservations.  Rocky’s Pizza House is this long log cabin like building with pizza.  It was delicious pizza, and not that thick crust that you get in the cities.

This is the kind of pizza that you and a friend order together.  You go over to the vending machine, and choose one of the glass bottle drinks that you won’t find at most places.

Varied drinks at Rocky’s Pizza House

You sit at one of the booths or tables.  Generally families head upstairs, so expect noise if you join them.  The upstairs booths are decorated with license plates and other items and the downstairs booths have a clearly different feel.

Booth upstairs at Rocky’s Pizza House
Booth downstairs at Rocky’s Pizza House

Your pizza arrives and the two of you devour the entire thing, because, yum.  It is cheesy just like a remember pizza as a kid.  The sauce is tasty.  The crust is thin enough that you can have more than a piece or two, but not crispy like a cracker which some thin crust pizza’s become.  It is the perfect pizza.

The pizza at Rocky’s Pizza House; look at that cheese

The upstairs looked like a great environment for the kids, so if you have a family they will enjoy it.  The downstairs is perfect for adults that don’t want to deal with all of that excitement.  I would highly recommend putting this on your list if you are just north visiting Lake Itasca, or anywhere in the neighborhood of Park Rapids, MN.

Restaurant, Travel

Four Points Bar and Grill, Bemidji, MN

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Four Points Bar and Grill, 1813 Paul Bunyan Dr NW, Bemidji, MN 56601

four point bar and grill bemidji 020

Right next to the Super 8 Hotel is a restaurant called Four Points Bar and Grill.  You get a 10% discount with your key card from the hotel.  They serve American food.

Overall their prices are pretty average for a nice restaurant.  The feel inside is very rustic.

four point bar and grill bemidji 055

We tried their signature burger and fries.  Let’s just say it was very messy.  The onion marmalade basically slid off the burger.  The coleslaw was not the greatest.  The fries were pretty great.  Overall it was decent.  The patty was preformed.  They cooked it alright.  The flavor combination was very good.  It was a bit difficult to eat.  The patty was some ridiculous amount of beef.  It was super thick and just made it difficult to take a full bite of the burger and I believe lead to the loss of the toppings.  I wish these places would give me a smaller burger of better quality so that I can actually enjoy eating it.

four point bar and grill bemidji 060

That being said I think most people I know would have liked the burger.  It was mostly just difficult, not bad.  The fries were really good.

If you are in the area and want a nicer meal this is the place you want to go.  It isn’t cheap, but it is at the price point of a better meal.

They also have pasta and fish and steak to choose from if you do not want a burger.  Their Scott selection was also respectable.

UPDATE:  Based on everything I can find online this restaurant has closed.  Unfortunate!

Restaurant, Travel

Sven and Ole’s Pizza, Grand Marais, MN

Sven and Ole’s Pizza, 9 Wisconsin St, Grand Marais, MN 55604

Sven and Ole’s Pizza is pretty famous, mostly due to their bumper stickers.  Oh, and the fact that they have really good pizza.

The bumper sticker is free if you just ask for one while you are there.  We have ours as a sign on our porch.

Sven and Ole bumper sticker 136

You walk in and order the pizza that you want.  You grab a table and wait for them to bring it to you.  The walls are lined with a lot of sports and outdoor items.

June 2016 181 Sven and Ole's Pizza

The pizza itself is perfect.  When I complain that I cannot find a decent pizza in the cities it is because this is the kind of pizza that I am looking for.  It is a thinner crust, but not overly crisp and not limp.  The toppings where tasty and plentiful.  The cheese was delicious.  Everything about this pizza was perfect.

June 2016 182 Sven and Ole's Pizza

There are plates, forks, Parmesan cheese, and peppers available.  You can ask for a box for the leftovers if you have any.  We did, it was a lot of pizza for two people.

My mouth is watering just thinking about this pizza.  I had a craving for it a few weeks later, but realized four and a half hours was a long way to drive for a pizza.

Try a pizza at Sven and Ole’s and get a bumper sticker.  It is worth it.

Restaurant

Green Mill – Eagan, MN

Green Mill, 1940 Rahncliff Court, Eagan, MN 55122

Green Mill is basically a pizza place with Italian food, sandwiches, and fish.  It has a very unique pizza.  Their deep dish pizza has the sauce on top.

I like the pizza, but never seem to order it when at the restaurant.  I like to order their desert fire pasta.  Then I ask them to make it spicy.  Since this is Minnesota they have no idea what that means.  Generally I get a side of the mildest hot sauce in the world with it.

I have tried the fish.  It is ironically difficult to get a good fish in Minnesota.  It wasn’t bad.  It just wasn’t very good.  I have high fish standards.

The sandwiches and wraps are pretty good.  I really like their calzones.

Try their pizza, their calzones, or their sandwiches and you will find something that you like.  Everything else on the menu is just Okay.  Even my dessert fire pasta.  Although I keep ordering it so it must be pretty good.

The bar is pretty fun.  They also have an outdoor area in the summer.

If you are looking for an average place to eat with average prices Green Mill should be on your list.  If you really want a sandwich or wrap definitely eat here.

Restaurant, Travel

Jake’s City Grill

Jake’s City Grill – 1288 Promenade Pl, St Paul, MN 55121

Jake's City Grill Storefront

Jake’s City Grill has really good food.  There is no doubt about that.  Although they do occasionally overcook their prime rib, when they cook it right their French dip is very good.  I like trying their specials for the night because the chief is actually good at putting together very tasty food combinations.

Jake's City Grill tenderloin

For instance this is a tenderloin in a mushroom sauce over some sort of hash brown patty.  It was delightful.  My favorite part was the sauce.  A good sauce is hard to find and this one was perfect.

Jake's City Grill tenderloin 2

Jake’s serves a variety of salads, sandwiches, steaks, an Alfredo, battered fish, shrimp, and pizza.  It is basically American food with a few exceptions.

Jake’s is great for happy hour or drinks out with friends as well.  The bar area is straight ahead as you walk in.  The dining area is off to the right.  I have had the basic happy hour here and everyone liked the drinks.  I think my going away party was also at Jake’s and I remember the food being good and of course the drinks.

Jake's City Grill drink

One thing you will want to do is buy a mixed drink or a beer because their wine pours are very small.  The wine they serve is good, but when you get your glass you will say, really?

My biggest complaint about Jake’s has always been the speed at which they serve their meals, or should I say the lack of speed.  I also cannot stand how loud it is.  Saying that the last time I went the food arrived in a decent amount of time and I could actually hear.  I think it really matters where you sit in the restaurant.

If you are going to Jake’s for lunch plan on spending more than an hour.  You will enjoy the food, but if you are pressed for time you may want to eat somewhere else.

If you are looking for a good, not very expensive night out head on down to Jake’s and enjoy yourself.

Entertainment, Travel, Winery

Falconer Vineyard

Falconer Vineyard – 3572 Old Tyler Rd, Red Wing, MN 55066

The number one reason to visit Falconer Vineyard is to see what having a true passion for wine making tastes like.  John Falconer loves tinkering with the taste of wine.

Falconer Winery 3

It looks like they have expanded to serving pizza along with their wines since I was last at this vineyard.  John is innovative and knows how please his audience.  I can only guess that his passion for pizza is as great as that for his wines.

Check out the vines while you are there.  Did you know that they all have to be covered every winter?

Falconer Winery 2

Should you visit this vineyard?  Absolutely, I cannot wait to return myself.