Your classic grocery store isn't the only place to pick up sundry kitchen items. Many local shops and even restaurants sell an impressive selection of local and imported foods to delight your homebound palate. Here are some to check out:
10 Twin Cities restaurants and food purveyors that will let you shop their pantries
Minnesota restaurants, farms and bars are opening their pantries directly to consumers while dining rooms remain closed.
May 13, 2020 at 5:11PM
Birchwood Cafe
3311 E. 25th St., Mpls., 612-722-4474, birchwoodcafe.com
What it is: The Seward neighborhood restaurant is selling produce, meat and eggs from its own suppliers, as well as housemade condiments.
Fun finds: ramps foraged by Gentleman Forager ($18); Birchwood's Minnesota State Fair drink, cold press coffee with maple cream ($15 for 32 oz.); housemade ketchup ($8 for 12 oz.).
How it works: Order same-day or in advance for delivery ($10) or curbside pickup, Wed.-Sun. 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
France 44 Cheese Shop
4351 France Av. S., Mpls., 612-278-4422, france44cheeseshop.com
What it is: The counter and cafe side of the south Minneapolis wine store has gone online with a virtual pantry selling pasta and rice, Italian grocery specialties, dairy, frozen meals and sweets.
Fun finds: ready-to-bake lard-enriched pie crusts ($7.99 for 2); Dashfire hand sanitizer ($6.75 for 375ml bag); canned San Marzano tomatoes ($2.99 and up).
How it works: Order same-day or in advance for curbside pickup, daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Sunday from 11 a.m.).
Grocery by Crisp@Home
What it is: Wayzata-based salad chain Crisp & Green is now selling produce — whole or prepped — along with grains, prepared proteins and its dressings.
Fun finds: butternut squash — whole ($2), diced ($6) or roasted ($8); jalapeño green goddess dressing ($8); flaxseed bread loaf ($6.50).
How it works: Order by app for delivery or schedule up to a month in advance, with a $40 minimum.
Lowry Hill Meats
1934 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., 612-999-4200, lowryhillmeats.com
What it is: The Minneapolis butcher and sandwich shop is delivering fresh meat from Minnesota farms, as well as local pantry items such as pasta and bread, Hope Creamery butter, salt and spices, Dogwood and Bootstrap coffees, beans, rice and produce.
Fun finds: Craft Made Aprons masks ($12); charcoal and smoking chips ($12-$28); Northern Waters smoked salmon ($15 for 8 oz.).
How it works: next-day delivery ($10) for orders of $50 minimum, Wed.-Fri., or same-day curbside pickup Tue.-Fri. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Minnesota Ice
What it is: The artisan ice cube maker is using its refrigerated trucks — which used to drop off ice at restaurants and bars — to make home deliveries of items from a slew of restaurants, bars, bakeries and more, including Milkjam Creamery ice cream, Patisserie 46 chocolates and frozen Mucci's pizza. And, of course, crystal-clear cocktail ice.
Fun finds: Grand Cafe's $395 meal kit for a week of breakfast, lunches and dinners; pints of cocktail slushie mix from Meteor Bar ($20); a whole frozen Broder's lasagna ($50); a gallon of Cry Baby Craig's hot sauce ($90).
How it works: next-day delivery ($5-$10) with a $50 minimum order, within a 20-mile radius from the company's St. Paul headquarters.
Iron Shoe Farm Pantry
31548 136th St., Princeton, Minn., 763-482-4552, ironshoefarm.com
What it is: A microgreen and meat supplier to Twin Cities restaurants is now selling its products directly to consumers — and the products of neighboring farms, such as Redhead Creamery cheese, Ferndale Market turkey and Windland Flats lamb.
Fun finds: microgreen sampler pack ($7); Mangalitsa Red Wattle pork lard ($12); Birchwood seasoned turkey patties ($5); Citizen Salmon Copper River sockeye salmon ($250 for 10 lb.).
How it works: One day a week delivery to different zones in the metro, or pick up at the farm or Pour Wine Bar Bistro in Champlin.
Penny's Pantry
3509 W. 44th St., Mpls., 612-840-6100, pennyscoffee.com
What it is: Besides the usual cafe fare — lattes, sandwiches and pastries — the Linden Hills outlet of Penny's Coffee is selling pantry items such as granola, spreads for bread, milk, whole bean coffee and syrups.
Fun finds: vanilla date almond milk ($6 for 16 oz.); bottled latté four-packs ($26); candles from Vybes L.A. ($40).
How it works: curbside pickup, Thu.-Sun. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Travail Marketplace
4134 Hubbard Av., Robbinsdale, 763-535-1131, travailkitchen.com
What it is: The Robbinsdale restaurant group is selling whole ingredients from the farms and purveyors that supply its dining rooms, along with housemade sauces and desserts, and partly prepared items that can be finished at home.
Fun finds: a mix of produce and a dozen eggs from Dragsmith Farm ($37); raw chocolate chip cookie dough ($12); housemade sourdough starter ($5 for a pint); Fish Guys' whole king crab ($45/lb.).
How it works: Order by Wednesday 11:59 p.m. to pick up the following Thursday, 2 to 7 p.m. at Travail.
Vikings and Goddesses Pie Co.
What it is: Octo Fishbar pastry chef and pie-maker Rachel Anderson teams up with fellow chefs to offer dinner-and-pie combo packs, pupusas, empanadas, bread and frozen pastries.
Fun finds: frozen chocolate croissants that proof overnight so they are ready to bake in the morning ($9 for six); frozen pie crusts ($4 for two); brioche burger buns ($5 for six); frozen Quebracho empanadas ($14-$15 for three).
How it works: A new menu is posted Friday and orders can be placed through Sunday at 10 p.m. for Tuesday delivery.
Wise Acre Eatery
5401 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls., 612-354-2577, wiseacreeatery.com
What it is: The south Minneapolis restaurant with its own farm has turned its dining room into a farmers market featuring its Plato, Minn.-grown products.
Fun finds: thick-cut bacon ($13/lb.); popcorn ($6); pints of frozen custard ($8).
How it works: Shop inside, or order next-day curbside pickup, Wed.-Sun., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additionally, custom meat shares from the restaurant's farm, ordered by Tuesday at noon, can be picked up Wednesdays, 2 to 6 p.m.
There's more!
More restaurants and food businesses now selling grocery and pantry items for delivery or curbside pickup:
Acqua Restaurant & Bar, White Bear Lake: par-baked breads, fresh meat and seafood, eggs, dairy, baking ingredients, fresh produce, coffee. acqua-restaurants.com
Amore Uptown, Minneapolis: mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce, Halal meat. amoreuptown.com
Eggy's Diner, Minneapolis: produce, coffee, baking items, condiments and other ingredients used at the restaurant. eggysdiner.com
El Burrito Mercado, St. Paul: tortillas, canned beans, deli, frozen meals, sweets and other Mexican and international grocery items. elburritostp.com
Kieran's Kitchen Northeast, Minneapolis: products from Food Building tenants Red Table Meat Co., Baker's Field and Alemar Cheese. kieranskitchen.com
Honey & Rye, St. Louis Park: jam, nut butter, flour, sourdough starter, instant yeast. honey-and-rye.com
Kado No Market, Minneapolis: Japanese pantry items, including rice from Hokkaido, Pocky, house-infused soy sauce, Kewpie mayonnaise. kadonomise.com
Parallel Cafe, Minneapolis: oat milk, Mexican Coca-Cola, kombucha, eggs and butter. parallelmn.com
Quebracho, empanadas, charcuterie, pie. quebrachomn.com
Red Cow, Minneapolis and St. Paul: burger buns, ground meat, housemade condiments, toilet paper, ice. redcowmn.com
about the writer
Star Tribune writers showcase Minnesota architecture.
